diff --git a/jupyros/ros_widgets.py b/jupyros/ros_widgets.py
index fc30709..9521103 100644
--- a/jupyros/ros_widgets.py
+++ b/jupyros/ros_widgets.py
@@ -23,7 +23,11 @@
 import numpy as np
 import threading
 import subprocess, yaml, os
-import actionlib
+
+try: 
+    import actionlib
+except:
+    print("The actionlib package is not found in your $PYTHONPATH. Action clients are not going to work.")
 
 
 def add_widgets(msg_instance, widget_dict, widget_list, prefix=''):
diff --git a/notebooks/ROS Actions.ipynb b/notebooks/ROS Actions.ipynb
index 0cf8675..604f9ce 100644
--- a/notebooks/ROS Actions.ipynb	
+++ b/notebooks/ROS Actions.ipynb	
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
     "import jupyros\n",
     "import rospy\n",
     "from actionlib_tutorials.msg import FibonacciAction, FibonacciGoal, FibonacciFeedback, FibonacciResult\n",
-    "import actionlib\n",
     "\n",
     "rospy.init_node(\"fibonacci_client\")"
    ]