diff --git a/py/rvspecfit/desi/desi_fit.py b/py/rvspecfit/desi/desi_fit.py
index 970d03f..dcd49f9 100644
--- a/py/rvspecfit/desi/desi_fit.py
+++ b/py/rvspecfit/desi/desi_fit.py
@@ -73,7 +73,11 @@ def get_dep_versions():
     # Ideally you need to check that the list here matches the requirements.txt
     ret = {}
     for curp in packages:
-        ret[curp] = importlib.import_module(curp).__version__
+        try:
+            ret[curp] = importlib.import_module(curp).__version__
+        except ImportError:  # this should not really be happening
+            # but can, and is not worth bailing out
+            pass
     ret['python'] = str.split(sys.version, ' ')[0]
     return ret