diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index d902c52b..828c3283 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ ver. 0.8.2 (2008/??/??) - stable
 - Replaced "reject" with "drop" in shorwall action. Fix
   #1854875
 - Fixed Debian bug #456567, #468477, #462060, #461426
+- readline is now optional in fail2ban-client (not needed in
+  fail2ban-server).
 
 ver. 0.8.1 (2007/08/14) - stable
 ----------
diff --git a/fail2ban-client b/fail2ban-client
index 9dee34b9..7ddf2a04 100755
--- a/fail2ban-client
+++ b/fail2ban-client
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ __copyright__ = "Copyright (c) 2004 Cyril Jaquier"
 __license__ = "GPL"
 
 import sys, string, os, pickle, re, logging, signal
-import getopt, time, readline, shlex, socket
+import getopt, time, shlex, socket
 
 # Inserts our own modules path first in the list
 # fix for bug #343821
@@ -340,6 +340,11 @@ class Fail2banClient:
 		
 		# Interactive mode
 		if self.__conf["interactive"]:
+			try:
+				import readline
+			except ImportError:
+				logSys.error("Readline not available")
+				return False
 			try:
 				ret = True
 				if len(args) > 0: