diff --git a/roles/ipabackup/library/ipabackup_get_backup_dir.py b/roles/ipabackup/library/ipabackup_get_backup_dir.py
index 14ceaa41b75a6805194af96551b2475c7e2ecc31..6036cde8c2da71750e1f2dbfa0609db0a093673c 100644
--- a/roles/ipabackup/library/ipabackup_get_backup_dir.py
+++ b/roles/ipabackup/library/ipabackup_get_backup_dir.py
@@ -56,7 +56,13 @@ backup_dir:
 '''
 
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
-from ipaplatform.paths import paths
+try:
+    from ipaplatform.paths import paths
+except ImportError as _err:
+    MODULE_IMPORT_ERROR = str(_err)
+    paths = None
+else:
+    MODULE_IMPORT_ERROR = None
 
 
 def main():
@@ -65,6 +71,9 @@ def main():
         supports_check_mode=True,
     )
 
+    if MODULE_IMPORT_ERROR is not None:
+        module.fail_json(msg=MODULE_IMPORT_ERROR)
+
     module.exit_json(changed=False,
                      backup_dir=paths.IPA_BACKUP_DIR)