diff --git a/pycbc/inference/sampler/__init__.py b/pycbc/inference/sampler/__init__.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/pycbc/inference/sampler/__init__.py
+++ b/pycbc/inference/sampler/__init__.py
@@ -22,18 +22,22 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 from .base import (initial_dist_from_config, create_new_output_file)
 from .emcee import EmceeEnsembleSampler
 from .emcee_pt import EmceePTSampler
-from .epsie import EpsieSampler
 from .multinest import MultinestSampler
 
 # list of available samplers
 samplers = {cls.name: cls for cls in (
     EmceeEnsembleSampler,
     EmceePTSampler,
-    EpsieSampler,
     MultinestSampler
 )}
 
 try:
+    from .epsie import EpsieSampler
+    samplers[EpsieSampler.name] = EpsieSampler
+except ImportError:
+    pass
+
+try:
     from .cpnest import CPNestSampler
     samplers[CPNestSampler.name] = CPNestSampler
 except ImportError:
don't hard require epsie (#<I>)