diff --git a/jrnl/install.py b/jrnl/install.py
index ced4bba6..9dff5a1a 100644
--- a/jrnl/install.py
+++ b/jrnl/install.py
@@ -12,14 +12,9 @@ from . import __version__
 from .config import load_config
 from .config import verify_config_colors
 from .exception import UserAbort
-from .os_compat import on_windows
 from .prompt import yesno
 from .upgrade import is_old_version
 
-if not on_windows:
-    # readline is not included in Windows Active Python
-    import readline
-
 DEFAULT_CONFIG_NAME = "jrnl.yaml"
 DEFAULT_JOURNAL_NAME = "journal.txt"
 DEFAULT_JOURNAL_KEY = "default"
@@ -127,10 +122,7 @@ def load_or_install_jrnl():
 
 
 def install():
-    if not on_windows:
-        readline.set_completer_delims(" \t\n;")
-        readline.parse_and_bind("tab: complete")
-        readline.set_completer(_autocomplete_path)
+    _initialize_autocomplete()
 
     # Where to create the journal?
     path_query = f"Path to your journal file (leave blank for {JOURNAL_FILE_PATH}): "
@@ -159,6 +151,16 @@ def install():
     return default_config
 
 
+def _initialize_autocomplete():
+    # readline is not included in Windows Active Python and perhaps some other distributions
+    if sys.modules.get("readline"):
+        import readline
+
+        readline.set_completer_delims(" \t\n;")
+        readline.parse_and_bind("tab: complete")
+        readline.set_completer(_autocomplete_path)
+
+
 def _autocomplete_path(text, state):
     expansions = glob.glob(os.path.expanduser(os.path.expandvars(text)) + "*")
     expansions = [e + "/" if os.path.isdir(e) else e for e in expansions]
diff --git a/tests/test_install.py b/tests/test_install.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e24d3b9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_install.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+from unittest import mock
+import pytest
+import sys
+
+
+@pytest.mark.filterwarnings(
+    "ignore:.*imp module is deprecated.*"
+)  # ansiwrap spits out an unrelated warning
+def test_initialize_autocomplete_runs_without_readline():
+    from jrnl import install
+
+    with mock.patch.dict(sys.modules, {"readline": None}):
+        install._initialize_autocomplete()  # should not throw exception