diff --git a/my/core/compat.py b/my/core/compat.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2a173b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/my/core/compat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+'''
+Some backwards compatibility stuff/deprecation helpers
+'''
+import warnings
+
+from ..common import LazyLogger
+
+
+logger = LazyLogger('my.core.compat')
+
+
+def pre_pip_dal_handler(
+        name: str,
+        e: ModuleNotFoundError,
+        cfg,
+        requires=[],
+) -> None:
+    '''
+    https://github.com/karlicoss/HPI/issues/79
+    '''
+    if e.name != name:
+        # the module itself was imported, so the problem is with some dependencies
+        raise e
+    try:
+        dal = _get_dal(cfg, name)
+        # todo this is fairly high severity, would be nice to highlight in the terminal or something
+        warnings.warn(f'''
+Specifying modules' dependencies in the config or in my/config/repos is deprecated!
+Please install {' '.join(requires)} as PIP packages (see the corresponding README instructions).
+'''.strip())
+    except ModuleNotFoundError as ee:
+        dal = None
+
+    if dal is None:
+        # probably means there was nothing in the old config in the first place
+        # so we should raise the original exception
+        raise e
+    return dal
+
+
+def _get_dal(cfg, module_name: str):
+    mpath = getattr(cfg, module_name, None)
+    if mpath is not None:
+        from .common import import_dir
+        return import_dir(mpath, '.dal')
+    else:
+        from importlib import import_module
+        return import_module(f'my.config.repos.{module_name}.dal')
+
diff --git a/my/endomondo.py b/my/endomondo.py
index df470b6..7b38ea3 100644
--- a/my/endomondo.py
+++ b/my/endomondo.py
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 '''
 Endomondo exercise data
 '''
+
+REQUIRES = [
+    'git+https://github.com/karlicoss/endoexport',
+]
+# todo use ast in setup.py or doctor to extract the corresponding pip packages?
+
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Sequence, Iterable
diff --git a/my/github/ghexport.py b/my/github/ghexport.py
index 5f54d03..bef5440 100644
--- a/my/github/ghexport.py
+++ b/my/github/ghexport.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 """
 Github data: events, comments, etc. (API data)
 """
+REQUIRES = [
+    'git+https://github.com/karlicoss/ghexport',
+]
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Optional
 
diff --git a/my/hypothesis.py b/my/hypothesis.py
index cabaa25..ddf4239 100644
--- a/my/hypothesis.py
+++ b/my/hypothesis.py
@@ -4,10 +4,15 @@
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Optional
 
-from .core import Paths, PathIsh
+from .core import Paths
 
 from my.config import hypothesis as user_config
 
+REQUIRES = [
+    'git+https://github.com/karlicoss/hypexport',
+]
+
+
 
 @dataclass
 class hypothesis(user_config):
@@ -18,30 +23,16 @@ class hypothesis(user_config):
     # paths[s]/glob to the exported JSON data
     export_path: Paths
 
-    # path to a local clone of hypexport
-    # alternatively, you can put the repository (or a symlink) in $MY_CONFIG/my/config/repos/hypexport
-    hypexport  : Optional[PathIsh] = None
-
-    @property
-    def dal_module(self):
-        rpath = self.hypexport
-        if rpath is not None:
-            from .core.common import import_dir
-            return import_dir(rpath, '.dal')
-        else:
-            import my.config.repos.hypexport.dal as dal
-            return dal
-
 
 from .core.cfg import make_config
 config = make_config(hypothesis)
 
 
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
-if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    import my.config.repos.hypexport.dal as dal
-else:
-    dal = config.dal_module
+try:
+    from hypexport import dal
+except ModuleNotFoundError as e:
+    from .core.compat import pre_pip_dal_handler
+    dal = pre_pip_dal_handler('hypexport', e, config, requires=REQUIRES)
 
 ############################
 
diff --git a/my/instapaper.py b/my/instapaper.py
index 9730eeb..b312281 100644
--- a/my/instapaper.py
+++ b/my/instapaper.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 """
 [[https://www.instapaper.com][Instapaper]] bookmarks, highlights and annotations
 """
+REQUIRES = [
+    'git+https://github.com/karlicoss/instapexport',
+]
+
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Optional
 
diff --git a/my/pocket.py b/my/pocket.py
index f20bb88..ada6fc7 100644
--- a/my/pocket.py
+++ b/my/pocket.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 """
 [[https://getpocket.com][Pocket]] bookmarks and highlights
 """
+REQUIRES = [
+    'git+https://github.com/karlicoss/pockexport',
+]
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Optional
 
diff --git a/my/reddit.py b/my/reddit.py
index c6cb76d..5e1f83b 100755
--- a/my/reddit.py
+++ b/my/reddit.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 """
 Reddit data: saved items/comments/upvotes/etc.
 """
+REQUIRES = [
+    'git+https://github.com/karlicoss/rexport',
+]
 
 from typing import Optional
 from .core.common import Paths, PathIsh
diff --git a/my/rescuetime.py b/my/rescuetime.py
index b2acad9..06c72eb 100644
--- a/my/rescuetime.py
+++ b/my/rescuetime.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 '''
 Rescuetime (phone activity tracking) data.
 '''
+REQUIRES = [
+    'git+https://github.com/karlicoss/rescuexport',
+]
 
 from pathlib import Path
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
@@ -21,7 +24,6 @@ def inputs() -> Sequence[Path]:
     return get_files(config.export_path)
 
 
-# pip git+https://github.com/karlicoss/rescuexport
 import rescuexport.dal as dal
 DAL = dal.DAL
 Entry = dal.Entry