diff --git a/skimage/io/tests/test_freeimage.py b/skimage/io/tests/test_freeimage.py
index 478a1a90..0f598fe6 100644
--- a/skimage/io/tests/test_freeimage.py
+++ b/skimage/io/tests/test_freeimage.py
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ def setup_module(self):
     used.
 
     """
-    sio.use_plugin('freeimage')
+    try:
+        sio.use_plugin('freeimage')
+    except OSError:
+        pass
 
 
 @skipif(not FI_available)
diff --git a/skimage/io/tests/test_pil.py b/skimage/io/tests/test_pil.py
index 23c4d933..f54fa9e3 100644
--- a/skimage/io/tests/test_pil.py
+++ b/skimage/io/tests/test_pil.py
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ def setup_module(self):
     Call `use_plugin` directly before the tests to ensure that PIL is used.
 
     """
-    use_plugin('pil')
+    try:
+        use_plugin('pil')
+    except ImportError:
+        pass
 
 @skipif(not PIL_available)
 def test_imread_flatten():