diff --git a/apps/django_gpg/runtime.py b/apps/django_gpg/runtime.py
index 545dc106c7..afb5d73867 100644
--- a/apps/django_gpg/runtime.py
+++ b/apps/django_gpg/runtime.py
@@ -1,4 +1,13 @@
-from django_gpg.api import GPG
-from django_gpg.conf.settings import KEYSERVERS, GPG_HOME
+from __future__ import absolute_import
 
-gpg = GPG(home=GPG_HOME, keyservers=KEYSERVERS)
+import sys
+
+from .api import GPG
+from .conf.settings import KEYSERVERS, GPG_HOME
+
+try:
+    gpg = GPG(home=GPG_HOME, keyservers=KEYSERVERS)
+except Exception, e:
+    gpg = GPG(keyservers=KEYSERVERS)    
+    sys.stderr.write(u'ERROR: GPG initialization error: %s\n' % e)
+    sys.stderr.write(u'INFO: Initializating GPG with system default home\n')