diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index bbc473d..1762757 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Installation
 
 - Python 2.7, 3.3+
 - `Django <http://www.djangoproject.com/>`_ >= 1.5
-- Pandas
+- (optional) Pandas
     - Numpy
     - python-dateutil
     - pytz
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ To install::
 
     pip install django-csv-exports
 
+or to include the optional dependency::
+
+    pip install django-csv-exports[pandas]
+
+Exporting with pandas may be faster than the standard library under certain
+circumstances, test with your dataset.
+
 Next add `django_exports` to your `INSTALLED_APPS` to include the related css/js::
 
     INSTALLED_APPS = (
diff --git a/django_csv_exports/admin.py b/django_csv_exports/admin.py
index ae8c321..6f843fe 100644
--- a/django_csv_exports/admin.py
+++ b/django_csv_exports/admin.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 import csv
 
-import pandas
-
 import django
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib import admin
@@ -14,6 +12,13 @@ def export_as_csv(admin_model, request, queryset):
     Generic csv export admin action.
     based on http://djangosnippets.org/snippets/1697/
     """
+
+    # import pandas lazily as to not slow down ./manage.py
+    try:
+        import pandas
+    except ImportError:
+        pandas = None
+
     # everyone has perms to export as csv unless explicitly defined
     if getattr(settings, 'DJANGO_EXPORTS_REQUIRE_PERM', None):
         admin_opts = admin_model.opts
@@ -37,8 +42,14 @@ def export_as_csv(admin_model, request, queryset):
             response = HttpResponse(content_type='text/csv')
         response['Content-Disposition'] = 'attachment; filename=%s.csv' % text(opts).replace('.', '_')
 
-        queryset = queryset.values_list(*field_names)
-        pandas.DataFrame(list(queryset), columns=field_names).to_csv(response, index=False, encoding='utf-8')
+        if pandas is not None:
+            queryset = queryset.values_list(*field_names)
+            pandas.DataFrame(list(queryset), columns=field_names).to_csv(response, index=False, encoding='utf-8')
+        else:
+            writer = csv.writer(response)
+            writer.writerow(list(field_names))
+            for obj in queryset:
+                writer.writerow([text(getattr(obj, field)) for field in field_names])
         return response
     return HttpResponseForbidden()
 export_as_csv.short_description = "Export selected objects as csv file"
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e6124e8..9f5694d 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -35,10 +35,12 @@ def read_file(filename):
     long_description=read_file('README.rst'),
     test_suite="runtests.runtests",
     zip_safe=False,
-    install_requires=[
-        'pandas',
-        'numpy',
-        'python-dateutil',
-        'pytz'
-    ]
+    extras_require={
+        'pandas': [
+            'pandas',
+            'numpy',
+            'python-dateutil',
+            'pytz'
+        ]
+    }
 )