diff --git a/doc/requirements.txt b/doc/requirements.txt
index 856a6d0..235377b 100755
--- a/doc/requirements.txt
+++ b/doc/requirements.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 scipy>=1.10.0
 numpy>=1.24.1
-fastmat>=0.2.post0
 scikit-learn>=1.2.0
 h5py>=3.7.0
 matplotlib>=3.6.3
diff --git a/pygpc/GPC.py b/pygpc/GPC.py
index 2a1fb54..7f6e092 100755
--- a/pygpc/GPC.py
+++ b/pygpc/GPC.py
@@ -16,11 +16,6 @@
 from .Computation import *
 from .Grid import *
 
-try:
-    import fastmat as fm
-except ImportError:
-    pass
-
 
 class GPC(object):
     """
@@ -1001,6 +996,10 @@ def solve(self, results, gradient_results=None, solver=None, settings=None, matr
         # Orthogonal Matching Pursuit #
         ###############################
         elif solver == 'OMP':
+            try:
+                import fastmat as fm
+            except ImportError:
+                raise ImportError("Please install the fastmat package to use the OMP solver.")
             # transform gPC matrix to fastmat format
             matrix_fm = fm.Matrix(matrix)
 
diff --git a/pygpc/MEGPC.py b/pygpc/MEGPC.py
index 9667f7b..ec3d856 100755
--- a/pygpc/MEGPC.py
+++ b/pygpc/MEGPC.py
@@ -19,10 +19,6 @@
 from .Grid import *
 from .SGPC import *
 
-try:
-    import fastmat as fm
-except ImportError:
-    pass
 
 class MEGPC(object):
     """
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 6ad4d61..ca16f35 100755
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 scipy>=1.10.0
 numpy>=1.24.1,<2.0.0
-fastmat>=0.2.post0
 scikit-learn>=1.2.0
 h5py>=3.7.0
 matplotlib>=3.6.3