diff --git a/sqlalchemy_utils/primitives/currency.py b/sqlalchemy_utils/primitives/currency.py
index 5770971..d9a04c8 100644
--- a/sqlalchemy_utils/primitives/currency.py
+++ b/sqlalchemy_utils/primitives/currency.py
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+babel = None
+try:
+    import babel
+except ImportError:
+    pass
 import six
-from babel.numbers import get_currency_symbol
 
-from sqlalchemy_utils import i18n
+from sqlalchemy_utils import i18n, ImproperlyConfigured
 from sqlalchemy_utils.utils import str_coercible
 
 
@@ -54,6 +58,10 @@ class Currency(object):
 
     """
     def __init__(self, code):
+        if babel is None:
+            raise ImproperlyConfigured(
+                "'babel' package is required in order to use Currency class."
+            )
         if isinstance(code, Currency):
             self.code = code
         elif isinstance(code, six.string_types):
@@ -75,7 +83,7 @@ class Currency(object):
 
     @property
     def symbol(self):
-        return get_currency_symbol(self.code, i18n.get_locale())
+        return babel.numbers.get_currency_symbol(self.code, i18n.get_locale())
 
     @property
     def name(self):
diff --git a/sqlalchemy_utils/types/currency.py b/sqlalchemy_utils/types/currency.py
index d7cf130..f3290fe 100644
--- a/sqlalchemy_utils/types/currency.py
+++ b/sqlalchemy_utils/types/currency.py
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
+babel = None
+try:
+    import babel
+except ImportError:
+    pass
 import six
 from sqlalchemy import types
 
+from sqlalchemy_utils import ImproperlyConfigured
 from sqlalchemy_utils.primitives import Currency
 
 from .scalar_coercible import ScalarCoercible
@@ -50,6 +56,14 @@ class CurrencyType(types.TypeDecorator, ScalarCoercible):
     impl = types.String(3)
     python_type = Currency
 
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if babel is None:
+            raise ImproperlyConfigured(
+                "'babel' package is required in order to use CurrencyType."
+            )
+
+        super(CurrencyType, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+
     def process_bind_param(self, value, dialect):
         if isinstance(value, Currency):
             return value.code
diff --git a/tests/primitives/test_currency.py b/tests/primitives/test_currency.py
index a69504f..bec1498 100644
--- a/tests/primitives/test_currency.py
+++ b/tests/primitives/test_currency.py
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 import six
-from babel import Locale
 from pytest import mark, raises
 
 from sqlalchemy_utils import Currency, i18n
+from sqlalchemy_utils.primitives.currency import babel  # noqa
 
 
+@mark.skipif('babel is None')
 class TestCurrency(object):
     def setup_method(self, method):
-        i18n.get_locale = lambda: Locale('en')
+        i18n.get_locale = lambda: babel.Locale('en')
 
     def test_init(self):
         assert Currency('USD') == Currency(Currency('USD'))
diff --git a/tests/types/test_currency.py b/tests/types/test_currency.py
index 88fd422..7a346be 100644
--- a/tests/types/test_currency.py
+++ b/tests/types/test_currency.py
@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 import sqlalchemy as sa
-from babel import Locale
+from pytest import mark
 
 from sqlalchemy_utils import Currency, CurrencyType, i18n
+from sqlalchemy_utils.types.currency import babel
 from tests import TestCase
 
 
+@mark.skipif('babel is None')
 class TestCurrencyType(TestCase):
     def setup_method(self, method):
         TestCase.setup_method(self, method)
-        i18n.get_locale = lambda: Locale('en')
+        i18n.get_locale = lambda: babel.Locale('en')
 
     def create_models(self):
         class User(self.Base):