diff --git a/fastplotlib/__init__.py b/fastplotlib/__init__.py
index 9cc8d8432..7eb9554e8 100644
--- a/fastplotlib/__init__.py
+++ b/fastplotlib/__init__.py
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@
 if IMGUI:
     # default to imgui figure if imgui_bundle is installed
     from .layouts import ImguiFigure as Figure
-    from .widgets import ImageWidget
 else:
     from .layouts import Figure
 
+from .widgets import ImageWidget
 from .utils import config, enumerate_adapters, select_adapter, print_wgpu_report
 
 
diff --git a/fastplotlib/widgets/image_widget/__init__.py b/fastplotlib/widgets/image_widget/__init__.py
index 93aaa4ce1..70a1aa8ae 100644
--- a/fastplotlib/widgets/image_widget/__init__.py
+++ b/fastplotlib/widgets/image_widget/__init__.py
@@ -1 +1,13 @@
-from ._widget import ImageWidget
+from ...layouts import IMGUI
+
+if IMGUI:
+    from ._widget import ImageWidget
+
+else:
+
+    class ImageWidget:
+        def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            raise ModuleNotFoundError(
+                "ImageWidget requires `imgui-bundle` to be installed.\n"
+                "pip install imgui-bundle"
+            )