diff --git a/.github/workflows/check.yml b/.github/workflows/check.yml
index efff5e8..090382b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ jobs:
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip wheel
         python -m pip install coverage flake8 pytest
         # install dependencies
-        pip install -e .
+        pip install -e .[dev]
         # show installed packages
         pip freeze
     - name: Test with pytest
diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index c0e6486..04137b9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 0.5.4
  - fix: entrypoints not working (#6, #10)
+ - enh: make matplotlib optional for CLI
 0.5.3
  - setup: bump numpy to 1.25.1
  - tests: workaround for broken numpy repr
diff --git a/Readme.rst b/Readme.rst
index 4381a09..2e07ad7 100644
--- a/Readme.rst
+++ b/Readme.rst
@@ -35,8 +35,12 @@ See the docstrings and unit tests for examples using the Python API.
 
 CLI
 ---
-The package also installs two scripts, ``igorbinarywave`` and
-``igorpackedexperiment`` which can be used to dump files to stdout.
+The package also installs two command-line-interface (CLI) scripts,
+``igorbinarywave`` and ``igorpackedexperiment`` which can be used to dump files
+to stdout. You should install the ``[CLI]`` extra for them to fully work::
+
+    pip install igor2[CLI]
+
 For details on their usage, use the ``--help`` option.  For example::
 
     igorbinarywave --help
@@ -46,7 +50,7 @@ Testing
 -------
 
 Run internal unit tests by cloning the repository and installing the
-test requirements ``pytest`` and then running the tests::
+``[dev]`` extra and then running the tests::
 
     git clone https://github.com/AFM-analysis/igor2.git
     cd igor2
@@ -62,22 +66,6 @@ License Version 3`_ or greater, see the ``LICENSE`` file distributed
 with the project for details.
 
 
-.. _layman: http://layman.sourceforge.net/
-.. _wtk overlay: http://blog.tremily.us/posts/Gentoo_overlay/
-.. _Debian: http://www.debian.org/
-.. _Gentoo: http://www.gentoo.org/
-.. _NumPy: http://numpy.scipy.org/
-.. _Matplotlib: http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/
-.. _Nose: http://somethingaboutorange.com/mrl/projects/nose/
-.. _Git: http://git-scm.com/
-.. _homepage: http://blog.tremily.us/posts/igor/
-.. _pip: http://pypi.python.org/pypi/pip
-.. _igor.py: http://pypi.python.org/pypi/igor.py
-.. _GNU Lesser General Public License Version 3:
-    http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl.txt
-.. _update-copyright: http://blog.tremily.us/posts/update-copyright/
-
-
 .. |PyPI Version| image:: https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/igor2.svg
    :target: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/igor2
 .. |Build Status| image:: https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/AFM-analysis/igor2/check.yml?branch=master
diff --git a/igor2/cli/script.py b/igor2/cli/script.py
index 7ba183c..67b8f6b 100644
--- a/igor2/cli/script.py
+++ b/igor2/cli/script.py
@@ -4,9 +4,14 @@
 import argparse as _argparse
 import logging
 import sys as _sys
+import warnings
 
-import matplotlib.pyplot as pyplot
-
+try:
+    import matplotlib.pyplot as pyplot
+except (ImportError, ModuleNotFoundError):
+    warnings.warn("Please install `matplotlib` to get the full CLI"
+                  "functionality.")
+    pyplot = None
 
 from .._version import __version__
 
@@ -55,6 +60,8 @@ def _run(self, args):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
     def plot_wave(self, args, wave, title=None):
+        if pyplot is None:
+            raise ValueError("Please install `matplotlib` for plotting.")
         if not args.plot:
             return  # no-op
         if title is None:
@@ -70,5 +77,7 @@ def plot_wave(self, args, wave, title=None):
         self._num_plots += 1
 
     def display_plots(self):
+        if pyplot is None:
+            raise ValueError("Please install `matplotlib` for plotting.")
         if self._num_plots:
             pyplot.show()
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 78a39e0..cd07d4b 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -24,14 +24,12 @@ classifiers = [
 license = {text = "GNU Lesser General Public License v3 or later (LGPLv3+)"}
 dependencies = [
   "numpy>=1.25.1",
-  "matplotlib",
 ]
 dynamic = ["version"]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
-dev = [
-  "pytest",
-]
+CLI = ["matplotlib"]
+dev = ["pytest"]
 
 [project.scripts]
 igorbinarywave = 'igor2.cli.igorbinarywave:main'
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index dade922..6b0496d 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ def test_wavescript(capsys):
     """Test the WaveScript class entry point."""
 
 
-def test_wavescript(capsys):
+def test_packetscript(capsys):
     """Test the PackedScript class entry point."""