diff --git a/lib/resources/auditd.rb b/lib/resources/auditd.rb
index 9af107e11..a192f5fdc 100644
--- a/lib/resources/auditd.rb
+++ b/lib/resources/auditd.rb
@@ -30,11 +30,26 @@ module Inspec::Resources
     "
 
     def initialize
-      @content = inspec.command('/sbin/auditctl -l').stdout.chomp
+      unless inspec.command('/sbin/auditctl').exist?
+        raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceFailed,
+              'Command `/sbin/auditctl` does not exist'
+      end
+
+      auditctl_cmd = '/sbin/auditctl -l'
+      result = inspec.command(auditctl_cmd)
+
+      if result.exit_status != 0
+        raise Inspec::Exceptions::ResourceFailed,
+              "Command `#{auditctl_cmd}` failed with error: #{result.stderr}"
+      end
+
+      @content = result.stdout
       @params = []
 
       if @content =~ /^LIST_RULES:/
-        return skip_resource 'The version of audit is outdated. The `auditd` resource supports versions of audit >= 2.3.5'
+        raise Inspec::Exceptions::RsourceFailed,
+              'The version of audit is outdated.' \
+              'The `auditd` resource supports versions of audit >= 2.3.'
       end
       parse_content
     end
diff --git a/test/helper.rb b/test/helper.rb
index 99e00c7a4..1f8141178 100644
--- a/test/helper.rb
+++ b/test/helper.rb
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ class MockLoader
       'bash -c \'type "/test/path/pip"\'' => empty.call,
       'bash -c \'type "Rscript"\'' => empty.call,
       'bash -c \'type "perl"\'' => empty.call,
+      'bash -c \'type "/sbin/auditctl"\'' => empty.call,
       'type "pwsh"' => empty.call,
       'type "netstat"' => empty.call,
       'sh -c \'find /etc/apache2/ports.conf -type l -maxdepth 1\'' => empty.call,