diff --git a/nixview/ui/plotscreen.py b/nixview/ui/plotscreen.py
index 73bf965..df470e0 100644
--- a/nixview/ui/plotscreen.py
+++ b/nixview/ui/plotscreen.py
@@ -2,16 +2,15 @@ from nixview.util.enums import PlotterTypes
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QGroupBox, QHBoxLayout, QLabel, QPushButton, QSizePolicy, QSlider, QVBoxLayout, QWidget
 from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSignal, Qt
 import matplotlib
-try:
-    matplotlib.use('Qt5Agg')
-except:
-    matplotlib.use("Agg")
-    print("Cannot load Qt5Agg backend")
+matplotlib.use('Qt5Agg')
 from matplotlib.backends.backend_qt5agg import FigureCanvasQTAgg as FigureCanvas, NavigationToolbar2QT as NavigationToolbar
 from matplotlib.figure import Figure
 import nixio as nix
 import numpy as np
-import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+try:
+    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+except ImportError as e:
+    print("cannot omport matplotlib", e)
 from matplotlib.widgets import Slider
 from IPython import embed