diff --git a/lib/configure.js b/lib/configure.js
index 7ddb1f8630..a74abe80b4 100644
--- a/lib/configure.js
+++ b/lib/configure.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ var fs = require('graceful-fs')
   , execFile = cp.execFile
   , win = process.platform == 'win32'
   , findNodeDirectory = require('./find-node-directory')
-  , gypjs = require('gyp.js')
+  , gypjs = undefined
 
 exports.usage = 'Generates ' + (process.env.npm_config_gypjs? 'ninja build files' : (win ? 'MSVC project files' : 'a Makefile')) + ' for the current module'
 
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ function configure (gyp, argv, callback) {
       }
     })
   } else {
+    try {
+      gypjs = require('gyp.js')
+    } catch (err) {
+      return callback(new Error('Can\'t find module gyp.js, you can install it with `npm install gyp.js`'))
+    }
     getNodeDir()
   }
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index caa7ba4ab8..43d637488e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
     "fstream": "^1.0.0",
     "glob": "^7.0.3",
     "graceful-fs": "^4.1.2",
-    "gyp.js": "^1.1.1",
     "minimatch": "1",
     "mkdirp": "^0.5.0",
     "nopt": "2 || 3",