diff --git a/docs/conf_common.py b/docs/conf_common.py
index ed22db5452..4746532350 100644
--- a/docs/conf_common.py
+++ b/docs/conf_common.py
@@ -32,22 +32,28 @@ if 'BUILDDIR' in os.environ:
 
 # Call Doxygen to get XML files from the header files
 print("Calling Doxygen to generate latest XML files")
-os.system("doxygen ../Doxyfile")
+if os.system("doxygen ../Doxyfile") != 0:
+    raise RuntimeError('Doxygen call failed')
+
 # Doxygen has generated XML files in 'xml' directory.
 # Copy them to 'xml_in', only touching the files which have changed.
 copy_if_modified('xml/', 'xml_in/')
 
 # Generate 'api_name.inc' files using the XML files by Doxygen
-os.system('python ../gen-dxd.py')
+if os.system('python ../gen-dxd.py') != 0:
+    raise RuntimeError('gen-dxd.py failed')
 
 # Generate 'kconfig.inc' file from components' Kconfig files
 kconfig_inc_path = '{}/inc/kconfig.inc'.format(builddir)
-os.system('python ../gen-kconfig-doc.py > ' + kconfig_inc_path + '.in')
+if os.system('python ../gen-kconfig-doc.py > ' + kconfig_inc_path + '.in') != 0:
+    raise RuntimeError('gen-kconfig-doc.py failed')
+
 copy_if_modified(kconfig_inc_path + '.in', kconfig_inc_path)
 
 # Generate 'esp_err_defs.inc' file with ESP_ERR_ error code definitions
 esp_err_inc_path = '{}/inc/esp_err_defs.inc'.format(builddir)
-os.system('python ../../tools/gen_esp_err_to_name.py --rst_output ' + esp_err_inc_path + '.in')
+if os.system('python ../../tools/gen_esp_err_to_name.py --rst_output ' + esp_err_inc_path + '.in') != 0:
+    raise RuntimeError('gen_esp_err_to_name.py failed')
 copy_if_modified(esp_err_inc_path + '.in', esp_err_inc_path)
 
 # http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12772927/specifying-an-online-image-in-sphinx-restructuredtext-format