diff --git a/score/itf/core/com/ping.py b/score/itf/core/com/ping.py
index 9d168f2..aa049c3 100644
--- a/score/itf/core/com/ping.py
+++ b/score/itf/core/com/ping.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 # *******************************************************************************
 import os
+import shutil
 import time
 
 
@@ -19,6 +20,11 @@ def _execute_command(cmd):
 
 
 def _ping(address, wait_ms_precision=None):
+    if shutil.which("ping") is None:
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "The 'ping' utility is not installed on this system. "
+            "Please install it (e.g. 'apt install iputils-ping' on Debian/Ubuntu systems)."
+        )
     timeout_command = f"timeout {wait_ms_precision} " if wait_ms_precision else ""
     return _execute_command(f"{timeout_command}ping -c 1 -W 1 " + address) == 0
 
diff --git a/test/BUILD b/test/BUILD
index 02d7ef4..0bae679 100644
--- a/test/BUILD
+++ b/test/BUILD
@@ -133,6 +133,13 @@ py_itf_test(
     ],
 )
 
+py_itf_test(
+    name = "test_ping",
+    srcs = [
+        "test_ping.py",
+    ],
+)
+
 py_itf_test(
     name = "test_qemu_config_schema",
     srcs = [
diff --git a/test/test_ping.py b/test/test_ping.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..598f997
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_ping.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# *******************************************************************************
+# Copyright (c) 2026 Contributors to the Eclipse Foundation
+#
+# See the NOTICE file(s) distributed with this work for additional
+# information regarding copyright ownership.
+#
+# This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+# terms of the Apache License Version 2.0 which is available at
+# https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# *******************************************************************************
+
+import pytest
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from score.itf.core.com.ping import ping
+
+
+def test_ping_raises_when_ping_utility_is_missing():
+    with patch("score.itf.core.com.ping.shutil.which", return_value=None):
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="'ping' utility is not installed"):
+            ping("127.0.0.1")
+
+
+def test_ping_returns_true_when_host_is_reachable():
+    with patch("score.itf.core.com.ping.shutil.which", return_value="/usr/bin/ping"):
+        with patch("score.itf.core.com.ping.os.system", return_value=0):
+            assert ping("127.0.0.1") is True
+
+
+def test_ping_returns_false_when_host_is_unreachable():
+    with patch("score.itf.core.com.ping.shutil.which", return_value="/usr/bin/ping"):
+        with patch("score.itf.core.com.ping.os.system", return_value=1):
+            assert ping("192.0.2.1") is False