diff --git a/meldapp.py b/meldapp.py
index 55c63f0..094cd84 100644
--- a/meldapp.py
+++ b/meldapp.py
@@ -769,13 +769,16 @@ class MeldApp(gnomeglade.Component):
     # Toolbar and menu items (help)
     #
     def on_menu_help_activate(self, button):
-        misc.open_uri("ghelp:///"+os.path.abspath(paths.help_dir("C/meld.xml")))
+        misc.open_uri("ghelp:///" + os.path.abspath(paths.help_dir("C/meld.xml")),
+                      error_msg=_("Unable to display the help window."))
 
     def on_menu_help_bug_activate(self, button):
-        misc.open_uri("http://bugzilla.gnome.org/buglist.cgi?query=product%3Ameld")
+        misc.open_uri("http://bugzilla.gnome.org/buglist.cgi?query=product%3Ameld",
+                      error_msg=_("Unable to open a web browser to the bug tracking web site."))
 
     def on_menu_about_activate(self, *extra):
-        gtk.about_dialog_set_url_hook(lambda dialog, uri: misc.open_uri(uri))
+        error_msg = _("Unable to open a web browser to the meld web site.")
+        gtk.about_dialog_set_url_hook(lambda dialog, uri: misc.open_uri(uri, error_msg=error_msg))
         about = gtk.glade.XML(paths.share_dir("glade2/meldapp.glade"),"about").get_widget("about")
         about.props.version = version
         about.set_transient_for(self.widget)
diff --git a/misc.py b/misc.py
index 91f5ea5..52e4a2f 100644
--- a/misc.py
+++ b/misc.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def run_dialog( text, parent=None, messagetype=gtk.MESSAGE_WARNING, buttonstype=
     d.destroy()
     return ret
 
-def open_uri(uri, timestamp=0):
+def open_uri(uri, timestamp=0, error_msg=''):
     # TODO: should be 2.14 when released
     if gtk.pygtk_version >= (2, 13, 0):
         gtk.show_uri(gtk.gdk.screen_get_default(), uri, timestamp)
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ def open_uri(uri, timestamp=0):
             import gnome
             gnome.url_show(uri)
         except ImportError:
-            pass
+            error_msg += ('\n\n' + _("You don't have a recent enough pygtk version nor the python gnome libraries installed.") +
+                          '\n\n' + uri)
+            run_dialog(error_msg, buttonstype=gtk.BUTTONS_OK)
 
 # Taken from epiphany
 def position_menu_under_widget(menu, widget):
