diff --git a/doc/conf.py b/doc/conf.py
index 5a68653d38bc..84221b2bce32 100644
--- a/doc/conf.py
+++ b/doc/conf.py
@@ -40,11 +40,12 @@
 try:
     from IPython.sphinxext import ipython_console_highlighting
 except ImportError:
-    extensions.append('matplotlib.sphinxext.ipython_console_highlighting')
+    raise ImportError(
+        "IPython must be installed to build the matplotlib docs")
 else:
-    print("Using IPython's ipython_console_highlighting directive")
     extensions.append('IPython.sphinxext.ipython_console_highlighting')
     extensions.append('IPython.sphinxext.ipython_directive')
+
 try:
     import numpydoc
 except ImportError: