diff --git a/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_iterator/__init__.py b/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_iterator/__init__.py
index 718537713e..47d8185e44 100644
--- a/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_iterator/__init__.py
+++ b/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/runners/dace_iterator/__init__.py
@@ -12,9 +12,16 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
 
+try:
+    import dace
+except ModuleNotFoundError:
+    import sys
+
+    print("Error, module dace not found", file=sys.stderr)
+    exit()
+
 from typing import Any, Mapping, Sequence
 
-import dace
 import numpy as np
 
 import gt4py.next.iterator.ir as itir