diff --git a/vayesta/core/scmf/qpewdmet.py b/vayesta/core/scmf/qpewdmet.py
index 5272ef65..66b1e7ad 100644
--- a/vayesta/core/scmf/qpewdmet.py
+++ b/vayesta/core/scmf/qpewdmet.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 import vayesta
 from vayesta.core.scmf.scmf import SCMF
-from vayesta.core.qemb.self_energy import make_self_energy_1proj, make_self_energy_2proj
 from vayesta.core.foldscf import FoldedSCF
 from vayesta.lattmod import LatticeRHF
 
@@ -115,6 +114,11 @@ def update_mo_coeff(self, mo_coeff, mo_occ, diis=None):
         self.static_potential = np.zeros_like(self.fock)
         self.static_self_energy = np.zeros_like(self.fock)
 
+        try:
+            from vayesta.core.qemb.self_energy import make_self_energy_1proj, make_self_energy_2proj
+        except ImportError:
+            raise ImportError("Dyson required for QPEWDMET")
+
         if self.proj == 1:
             self.self_energy, self.static_self_energy, self.static_potential = make_self_energy_1proj(self.emb, use_sym=self.use_sym, eta=self.eta, se_degen_tol=self.se_degen_tol, se_eval_tol=self.se_eval_tol)
         elif self.proj == 2: