diff --git a/src/virtManager/config.py b/src/virtManager/config.py
index 2e982a6d5..05bfc3ff8 100644
--- a/src/virtManager/config.py
+++ b/src/virtManager/config.py
@@ -17,13 +17,20 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston,
 # MA 02110-1301 USA.
 #
-import gconf
 import os
+import logging
 
 import gtk
+import gconf
+
 import libvirt
 import virtinst
-import logging
+
+_spice_error = None
+try:
+    import SpiceClientGtk as spice_ignore
+except Exception, _spice_error:
+    logging.debug("Error importing spice: %s" % _spice_error)
 
 from virtManager.keyring import vmmKeyring
 from virtManager.secret import vmmSecret
@@ -157,6 +164,15 @@ class vmmConfig(object):
     def get_data_dir(self):
         return self.data_dir
 
+    def get_spice_error(self):
+        return _spice_error and str(_spice_error) or None
+
+    def embeddable_graphics(self):
+        ret = ["vnc"]
+        if not bool(self.get_spice_error()):
+            ret.append("spice")
+        return ret
+
     # Per-VM/Connection/Connection Host Option dealings
     def _perconn_helper(self, uri, pref_func, func_type, value=None):
         suffix = "connection_prefs/%s" % gconf.escape_key(uri, len(uri))
diff --git a/src/virtManager/console.py b/src/virtManager/console.py
index 70b866815..747491c55 100644
--- a/src/virtManager/console.py
+++ b/src/virtManager/console.py
@@ -24,8 +24,13 @@ import gtk
 import gobject
 
 import libvirt
+
 import gtkvnc
-import SpiceClientGtk as spice
+
+try:
+    import SpiceClientGtk as spice
+except Exception, e:
+    spice = None
 
 import os
 import sys
@@ -828,15 +833,21 @@ class vmmConsolePages(vmmGObjectUI):
             return
 
         if protocol is None:
-            logging.debug("No graphics configured in guest")
+            logging.debug("No graphics configured for guest")
             self.activate_unavailable_page(
                             _("Graphical console not configured for guest"))
             return
 
-        if protocol not in ["vnc", "spice"]:
-            logging.debug("Not a VNC or SPICE console, disabling")
-            self.activate_unavailable_page(
-                            _("Graphical console not supported for guest"))
+        if protocol not in self.config.embeddable_graphics():
+            logging.debug("Don't know how to show graphics type '%s'"
+                          "disabling console page" % protocol)
+
+            msg = (_("Cannot display graphical console type '%s'")
+                     % protocol)
+            if protocol == "spice":
+                msg += ":\n %s" % self.config.get_spice_error()
+
+            self.activate_unavailable_page(msg)
             return
 
         if gport == -1:
@@ -849,7 +860,7 @@ class vmmConsolePages(vmmGObjectUI):
             self.viewer = VNCViewer(self, self.config)
             self.window.get_widget("console-vnc-viewport").add(self.viewer.get_widget())
             self.viewer.init_widget()
-        else:
+        elif protocol == "spice":
             self.viewer = SpiceViewer(self, self.config)
 
         self.set_enable_accel()
diff --git a/src/virtManager/create.py b/src/virtManager/create.py
index 172faf7c8..c9b9e6a9c 100644
--- a/src/virtManager/create.py
+++ b/src/virtManager/create.py
@@ -1601,7 +1601,7 @@ class vmmCreate(vmmGObjectUI):
         if self.config.get_console_popup() == 1:
             # user has requested console on new created vms only
             gtype = vm.get_graphics_console()[0]
-            if gtype in ["vnc", "spice"]:
+            if gtype in self.config.embeddable_graphics():
                 self.emit("action-show-console", self.conn.get_uri(),
                           guest.uuid)
             else:
diff --git a/src/virtManager/manager.py b/src/virtManager/manager.py
index a18d9604a..b5325a99c 100644
--- a/src/virtManager/manager.py
+++ b/src/virtManager/manager.py
@@ -718,16 +718,17 @@ class vmmManager(vmmGObjectUI):
     def vm_started(self, connection, uri, vmuuid):
         vm = connection.get_vm(vmuuid)
         logging.debug("VM %s started" % vm.get_name())
-        if self.config.get_console_popup() == 2 and not vm.is_management_domain():
-            # user has requested consoles on all vms
-            gtype = vm.get_graphics_console()[0]
-            if gtype in ["vnc", "spice"]:
-                self.emit("action-show-console", uri, vmuuid)
-            elif not connection.is_remote():
-                self.emit("action-show-terminal", uri, vmuuid)
-        else:
+        if (self.config.get_console_popup() != 2 or
+            vm.is_management_domain()):
             self.emit("action-refresh-console", uri, vmuuid)
 
+        # user has requested consoles on all vms
+        gtype = vm.get_graphics_console()[0]
+        if gtype in self.config.embeddable_graphics():
+            self.emit("action-show-console", uri, vmuuid)
+        elif not connection.is_remote():
+            self.emit("action-show-terminal", uri, vmuuid)
+
     def _build_conn_hint(self, conn):
         hint = conn.get_uri()
         if conn.state == conn.STATE_DISCONNECTED: