diff --git a/c302/OpenWormReader.py b/c302/OpenWormReader.py
index b88f45ca..68a1ad0f 100644
--- a/c302/OpenWormReader.py
+++ b/c302/OpenWormReader.py
@@ -5,11 +5,15 @@
 from c302.NeuroMLUtilities import analyse_connections
 from c302 import print_, MUSCLE_RE
 
-from owmeta_core.bundle import Bundle
-from owmeta_core.context import Context
-from owmeta.neuron import Neuron
-from owmeta.muscle import BodyWallMuscle
-from owmeta.worm import Worm
+try:
+    from owmeta_core.bundle import Bundle
+    from owmeta_core.context import Context
+    from owmeta.neuron import Neuron
+    from owmeta.muscle import BodyWallMuscle
+    from owmeta.worm import Worm
+except:
+    print("owmeta not installed! Cannot run OpenWormReader")
+    exit()
 
 ############################################################
 
diff --git a/c302/__init__.py b/c302/__init__.py
index 581c08b8..89b5ee22 100755
--- a/c302/__init__.py
+++ b/c302/__init__.py
@@ -39,13 +39,18 @@
 
 import collections
 
-from owmeta_core import __version__ as owc_version
-from owmeta_core.bundle import Bundle
-from owmeta_core.context import Context
-from owmeta import __version__ as owmeta_version
-from owmeta.cell import Cell
-from owmeta.neuron import Neuron
-from owmeta.muscle import Muscle
+try:
+    from owmeta_core import __version__ as owc_version
+    from owmeta_core.bundle import Bundle
+    from owmeta_core.context import Context
+    from owmeta import __version__ as owmeta_version
+    from owmeta.cell import Cell
+    from owmeta.neuron import Neuron
+    from owmeta.muscle import Muscle
+    owmeta_installed  = True
+except:
+    print("owmeta not installed! Proceeding anyway...")
+    owmeta_installed  = False
 
 try:
     from urllib2 import URLError  # Python 2
@@ -618,8 +623,8 @@ def generate(net_id,
     info = "\n\nParameters and setting used to generate this network:\n\n"+\
            "    Data reader:                    %s\n" % data_reader+\
            "    c302 version:                   %s\n" % __version__+\
-           "    owmeta version:                 %s\n" % owmeta_version+\
-           "    owmeta_core version:            %s\n" % owc_version+\
+           "    owmeta version:                 %s\n" % ('<not installed>' if not owmeta_installed else owmeta_version) +\
+           "    owmeta_core version:            %s\n" % ('<not installed>' if not owmeta_installed else owc_version) +\
            "    Cells:                          %s\n" % (cells if cells is not None else "All cells")+\
            "    Cell stimulated:                %s\n" % (cells_to_stimulate if cells_to_stimulate is not None else "All neurons")+\
            "    Connection:                     %s\n" % (conns_to_include if conns_to_include is not None else "All connections") + \
diff --git a/c302/c302_utils.py b/c302/c302_utils.py
index e1e7e0fd..e476f08c 100644
--- a/c302/c302_utils.py
+++ b/c302/c302_utils.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 import numpy as np
 from pyneuroml import pynml
 from pyneuroml import plot as pyneuroml_plot
-from owmeta_core.bundle import Bundle
 
 import c302
 
@@ -456,6 +455,7 @@ def generate_conn_matrix(nml_doc, save_fig_dir=None, verbose=False, figsize=defa
     all_cells = sorted(all_cells)
 
     try:
+        from owmeta_core.bundle import Bundle
         with Bundle('openworm/owmeta-data', version=6) as bnd:
             all_neuron_info, all_muscle_info = c302._get_cell_info(bnd, all_cells)
     except Exception as e:
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 16f8f2de..12799e6c 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
         'xlrd',
         'xlwt',
         'pyNeuroML>=0.5.11',
-        'owmeta>=0.12.3',
         'WormNeuroAtlas',
     ],
     entry_points={