diff --git a/python/CMakeLists.txt b/python/CMakeLists.txt
index 4c40d210..96a9cdc7 100644
--- a/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+if(USE_GUI)
+  set(IMPORT_TKINTER True)
+else()
+  set(IMPORT_TKINTER False)
+endif()
 configure_file(__init__.py ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/__init__.py @ONLY)
 
 install(FILES
diff --git a/python/__init__.py b/python/__init__.py
index d4167469..5c8f2dc3 100644
--- a/python/__init__.py
+++ b/python/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
-import tkinter
+# import tkinter only if Netgen was configured with USE_GUI=ON
+if @IMPORT_TKINTER@:
+    import tkinter
 
 _netgen_bin_dir=os.path.realpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),'..','@NETGEN_PYTHON_RPATH_BIN@'))
 _netgen_lib_dir=os.path.realpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),'..','@NETGEN_PYTHON_RPATH@'))