diff --git a/mopidy/__init__.py b/mopidy/__init__.py
index dc782db9..83607be6 100644
--- a/mopidy/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/__init__.py
@@ -1,17 +1,12 @@
+import os
+import platform
 import sys
+
 if not (2, 6) <= sys.version_info < (3,):
     sys.exit(u'Mopidy requires Python >= 2.6, < 3')
 
-from distutils.version import StrictVersion
-import os
-import platform
-
 import glib
 
-import pykka
-if StrictVersion(pykka.__version__) < StrictVersion('0.16'):
-    sys.exit(u'Mopidy requires Pykka >= 0.16')
-
 __version__ = '0.8.0'
 
 DATA_PATH = os.path.join(str(glib.get_user_data_dir()), 'mopidy')
diff --git a/mopidy/__main__.py b/mopidy/__main__.py
index e712fc63..ba175ceb 100644
--- a/mopidy/__main__.py
+++ b/mopidy/__main__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from distutils.version import StrictVersion
 import logging
 import optparse
 import os
@@ -7,6 +8,8 @@ import sys
 import gobject
 gobject.threads_init()
 
+import pykka
+
 
 # Extract any non-GStreamer arguments, and leave the GStreamer arguments for
 # processing by GStreamer. This needs to be done before GStreamer is imported,
@@ -39,6 +42,7 @@ logger = logging.getLogger('mopidy.main')
 
 
 def main():
+    check_dependencies()
     signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, process.exit_handler)
     loop = gobject.MainLoop()
     options = parse_options()
@@ -66,6 +70,14 @@ def main():
         process.stop_remaining_actors()
 
 
+def check_dependencies():
+    pykka_required = '0.16'
+    if StrictVersion(pykka.__version__) < StrictVersion(pykka_required):
+        sys.exit(
+            u'Mopidy requires Pykka >= %s, but found %s' %
+            (pykka_required, pykka.__version__))
+
+
 def parse_options():
     parser = optparse.OptionParser(
         version=u'Mopidy %s' % versioning.get_version())