diff --git a/tests/uitests/__init__.py b/tests/uitests/__init__.py
index ba6fe4061..5ad8ef1c9 100644
--- a/tests/uitests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/uitests/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,7 @@
 # This work is licensed under the GNU GPLv2 or later.
 # See the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
+
+import gi
+
+gi.require_version("Gdk", "3.0")
+gi.require_version("Gtk", "3.0")
diff --git a/virtManager/virtmanager.py b/virtManager/virtmanager.py
index b1a4c01c7..4ac0e4bb8 100755
--- a/virtManager/virtmanager.py
+++ b/virtManager/virtmanager.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ import sys
 import traceback
 
 import gi
+gi.require_version("Gdk", "3.0")
+gi.require_version("Gtk", "3.0")
 gi.require_version('LibvirtGLib', '1.0')
 from gi.repository import LibvirtGLib
 
@@ -59,7 +61,6 @@ def _import_gtk(leftovers):
     origargv = sys.argv
     try:
         sys.argv = origargv[:1] + leftovers[:]
-        gi.require_version('Gtk', '3.0')
         from gi.repository import Gtk
         leftovers = sys.argv[1:]