diff --git a/meshtastic/__main__.py b/meshtastic/__main__.py
index 00c1272..6229e7d 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__main__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__main__.py
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@ import sys
 import time
 from typing import List, Optional
 
-import pyqrcode  # type: ignore[import-untyped]
+try:
+    import pyqrcode  # type: ignore[import-untyped]
+except ImportError as e:
+    pyqrcode = None
+
 import yaml
 from google.protobuf.json_format import MessageToDict
 from pubsub import pub  # type: ignore[import-untyped]
@@ -896,8 +900,11 @@ def onConnected(interface):
             else:
                 urldesc = "Primary channel URL"
             print(f"{urldesc}: {url}")
-            qr = pyqrcode.create(url)
-            print(qr.terminal())
+            if pyqrcode is not None:
+                qr = pyqrcode.create(url)
+                print(qr.terminal())
+            else:
+                print("Install pyqrcode to view a QR code printed to terminal.")
 
         log_set: Optional = None  # type: ignore[annotation-unchecked]
         # we need to keep a reference to the logset so it doesn't get GCed early
diff --git a/poetry.lock b/poetry.lock
index 455ee20..63d0c4e 100644
--- a/poetry.lock
+++ b/poetry.lock
@@ -3094,7 +3094,7 @@ files = [
 name = "pyqrcode"
 version = "1.2.1"
 description = "A QR code generator written purely in Python with SVG, EPS, PNG and terminal output."
-optional = false
+optional = true
 python-versions = "*"
 files = [
     {file = "PyQRCode-1.2.1.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:fdbf7634733e56b72e27f9bce46e4550b75a3a2c420414035cae9d9d26b234d5"},
@@ -4337,4 +4337,4 @@ tunnel = ["pytap2"]
 [metadata]
 lock-version = "2.0"
 python-versions = "^3.9,<3.14"
-content-hash = "21b6a8041c1bbd7b970a7af37621690715db771488950c72087e60d922a2ff95"
+content-hash = "d3eefb76e586ad6625c1fce7b73244ba1d663aa5b4916c47bd1daa5f2bdcc913"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 9950923..d0b0bf4 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@ readme = "README.md"
 python = "^3.9,<3.14"                                               # 3.9 is needed for pandas, bleak requires <3.14
 pyserial = "^3.5"
 protobuf = ">=4.21.12"
-pyqrcode = "^1.2.1"
 tabulate = "^0.9.0"
 requests = "^2.31.0"
 pyyaml = "^6.0.1"
 pypubsub = "^4.0.3"
 bleak = "^0.22.3"
 packaging = "^24.0"
+pyqrcode = { version = "^1.2.1", optional = true }
 dotmap = { version = "^1.3.30", optional = true }
 print-color = { version = "^0.4.6", optional = true }
 dash = { version = "^2.17.1", optional = true }