Perverse sheaves and finite-dimensional algebras

Let $X$ be a topologically stratified space, $p$ be any perversity on $X$, and $k$ be a field. We show that the category of $p$-perverse sheaves on $X$, constructible with respect to the stratification and with coefficients in $k$, is equivalent to the category of finite-dimensional modules over a finite-dimensional algebra if and only if $X$ has finitely many strata and the same holds for the category of local systems on each of these. The main component in the proof is a construction of projective covers for simple perverse sheaves.