diff --git a/_modules/gnocchiv1/common.py b/_modules/gnocchiv1/common.py
index ff5dd14..83e010b 100644
--- a/_modules/gnocchiv1/common.py
+++ b/_modules/gnocchiv1/common.py
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 import logging
-import os_client_config
 import time
 from uuid import UUID
 
+try:
+    import os_client_config
+except ImportError:
+    os_client_config = None
+from salt import exceptions
+
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -44,6 +49,10 @@
 
 
 def get_raw_client(cloud_name):
+    if not os_client_config:
+        raise exceptions.SaltInvocationError(
+            "Cannot load os-client-config. Please check your environment "
+            "configuration.")
     service_type = 'metric'
     config = os_client_config.OpenStackConfig()
     cloud = config.get_one_cloud(cloud_name)