diff --git a/lxpanel/src/configurator.c b/lxpanel/src/configurator.c
index 88c9e80..a78a305 100644
--- a/lxpanel/src/configurator.c
+++ b/lxpanel/src/configurator.c
@@ -1412,5 +1412,8 @@ lxpanel_get_file_manager()
 extern const char*
 lxpanel_get_terminal()
 {
-    return terminal_cmd ? terminal_cmd : "lxterminal -e %s";
+    struct stat st;
+    if( !terminal_cmd || stat(terminal_cmd, &st) || !S_ISREG(st.st_mode) || !(st.st_mode & S_IXUSR))
+        return "xvt -e %s";
+    else return terminal_cmd;
 }