diff --git a/secop/__init__.py b/secop/__init__.py
index 0207b9a..5f85e09 100644
--- a/secop/__init__.py
+++ b/secop/__init__.py
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@
 #
 # *****************************************************************************
 
-import sip
-sip.setapi('QString', 2)
-sip.setapi('QVariant', 2)
+try:
+    import sip
+    sip.setapi('QString', 2)
+    sip.setapi('QVariant', 2)
+except ImportError:
+    print('can not import sip, the gui may not work as expected')
+