diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Process/PhpProcess.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Process/PhpProcess.php
index 34078e0aa659..628b3f3f402b 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/Process/PhpProcess.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Process/PhpProcess.php
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ public function run($callback = null)
      */
     private function getPhpBinary()
     {
-        if (getenv('PHP_PATH')) {
-            if (!is_executable($php = getenv('PHP_PATH'))) {
+        if ($php = getenv('PHP_PATH')) {
+            if (!is_executable($php)) {
                 throw new \RuntimeException('The defined PHP_PATH environment variable is not a valid PHP executable.');
             }
 
@@ -93,6 +93,12 @@ private function getPhpBinary()
             }
         }
 
+        if ($php = getenv('PHP_PEAR_PHP_BIN')) {
+            if (is_executable($php)) {
+                return $php;
+            }
+        }
+
         throw new \RuntimeException('Unable to find the PHP executable.');
     }
 }