diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 30980d75..a58bbb6b 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+import sys
 
 from setuptools import setup, find_packages
 
@@ -22,15 +23,19 @@ README_MARKDOWN = None
 with open('README.md') as markdown_source:
     README_MARKDOWN = markdown_source.read()
 
-try:
-    import pandoc
-    pandoc.core.PANDOC_PATH = 'pandoc'
+if 'upload' in sys.argv:
     # Converts the README.md file to ReST, since PyPI uses ReST for formatting,
     # This allows to have one canonical README file, being the README.md
+    # The conversion only needs to be done on upload.
+    # Otherwise, the pandoc import and errors that are thrown when
+    # pandoc are both overhead and a source of confusion for general
+    # usage/installation.
+    import pandoc
+    pandoc.core.PANDOC_PATH = 'pandoc'
     doc = pandoc.Document()
     doc.markdown = README_MARKDOWN
     LONG_DESCRIPTION = doc.rst
-except ImportError:
+else:
     # If pandoc isn't installed, e.g. when downloading from pip,
     # just use the regular README.
     LONG_DESCRIPTION = README_MARKDOWN