diff --git a/features/encryption.feature b/features/encryption.feature
index 787fa850..02f8b423 100644
--- a/features/encryption.feature
+++ b/features/encryption.feature
@@ -55,3 +55,27 @@
             Then the config for journal "simple" should have "encrypt" set to "bool:True"
             When we run "jrnl simple -n 1"
             Then the output should contain "2013-06-10 15:40 Life is good"
+
+        Scenario: Encrypt journal with no keyring backend and do not store in keyring
+            Given we use the config "basic.yaml"
+            When we disable the keychain
+            and we run "jrnl test entry"
+            and we run "jrnl --encrypt" and enter
+            """
+            password
+            password
+            n
+            """
+            Then we should get no error
+
+        Scenario: Encrypt journal with no keyring backend and do store in keyring
+            Given we use the config "basic.yaml"
+            When we disable the keychain
+            and we run "jrnl test entry"
+            and we run "jrnl --encrypt" and enter
+            """
+            password
+            password
+            y
+            """
+            Then we should get no error
diff --git a/features/steps/core.py b/features/steps/core.py
index 79591f57..3befe4bd 100644
--- a/features/steps/core.py
+++ b/features/steps/core.py
@@ -41,6 +41,22 @@ class TestKeyring(keyring.backend.KeyringBackend):
         self.keys[servicename][username] = None
 
 
+class NoKeyring(keyring.backend.KeyringBackend):
+    """A keyring that simulated an environment with no keyring backend."""
+
+    priority = 2
+    keys = defaultdict(dict)
+
+    def set_password(self, servicename, username, password):
+        raise keyring.errors.NoKeyringError
+
+    def get_password(self, servicename, username):
+        raise keyring.errors.NoKeyringError
+
+    def delete_password(self, servicename, username):
+        raise keyring.errors.NoKeyringError
+
+
 # set the keyring for keyring lib
 keyring.set_keyring(TestKeyring())
 
@@ -208,6 +224,11 @@ def set_keychain(context, journal, password):
     keyring.set_password("jrnl", journal, password)
 
 
+@when("we disable the keychain")
+def disable_keychain(context):
+    keyring.core.set_keyring(NoKeyring())
+
+
 @then("we should get an error")
 def has_error(context):
     assert context.exit_status != 0, context.exit_status
diff --git a/jrnl/util.py b/jrnl/util.py
index db86a5ee..8ebaea41 100644
--- a/jrnl/util.py
+++ b/jrnl/util.py
@@ -59,9 +59,6 @@ def create_password(
 
     if yesno("Do you want to store the password in your keychain?", default=True):
         set_keychain(journal_name, pw)
-    else:
-        set_keychain(journal_name, None)
-
     return pw
 
 
@@ -107,7 +104,13 @@ def set_keychain(journal_name, password):
         except keyring.errors.PasswordDeleteError:
             pass
     else:
-        keyring.set_password("jrnl", journal_name, password)
+        try:
+            keyring.set_password("jrnl", journal_name, password)
+        except keyring.errors.NoKeyringError:
+            print(
+                "Keyring backend not found. Please install one of the supported backends by visiting: https://pypi.org/project/keyring/",
+                file=sys.stderr,
+            )
 
 
 def yesno(prompt, default=True):