diff --git a/pylops/basicoperators/spread.py b/pylops/basicoperators/spread.py
index fe1784f9..2244ffb6 100644
--- a/pylops/basicoperators/spread.py
+++ b/pylops/basicoperators/spread.py
@@ -6,10 +6,13 @@
 import numpy as np
 
 from pylops import LinearOperator
+from pylops.utils import deps
 from pylops.utils.decorators import reshaped
 from pylops.utils.typing import DTypeLike, InputDimsLike, NDArray
 
-try:
+jit_message = deps.numba_import("the spread module")
+
+if jit_message is None:
     from numba import jit
 
     from ._spread_numba import (
@@ -18,12 +21,6 @@
         _rmatvec_numba_onthefly,
         _rmatvec_numba_table,
     )
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    jit = None
-    jit_message = "Numba not available, reverting to numpy."
-except Exception as e:
-    jit = None
-    jit_message = "Failed to import numba (error:%s), use numpy." % e
 
 logging.basicConfig(format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s", level=logging.WARNING)
 
@@ -183,10 +180,10 @@ def __init__(
 
         if engine not in ["numpy", "numba"]:
             raise KeyError("engine must be numpy or numba")
-        if engine == "numba" and jit is not None:
+        if engine == "numba" and jit_message is None:
             self.engine = "numba"
         else:
-            if engine == "numba" and jit is None:
+            if engine == "numba" and jit is not None:
                 logging.warning(jit_message)
             self.engine = "numpy"
 
diff --git a/pylops/optimization/cls_sparsity.py b/pylops/optimization/cls_sparsity.py
index 19292704..1eb31cc7 100644
--- a/pylops/optimization/cls_sparsity.py
+++ b/pylops/optimization/cls_sparsity.py
@@ -15,18 +15,15 @@
     normal_equations_inversion,
     regularized_inversion,
 )
+from pylops.utils import deps
 from pylops.utils.backend import get_array_module, get_module_name
 from pylops.utils.decorators import disable_ndarray_multiplication
 from pylops.utils.typing import InputDimsLike, NDArray, SamplingLike
 
-try:
+spgl1_message = deps.spgl1_import("the spgl1 solver")
+
+if spgl1_message is None:
     from spgl1 import spgl1 as ext_spgl1
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    ext_spgl1 = None
-    spgl1_message = "Spgl1 not installed. " 'Run "pip install spgl1".'
-except Exception as e:
-    ext_spgl1 = None
-    spgl1_message = f"Failed to import spgl1 (error:{e})."
 
 
 def _hardthreshold(x: NDArray, thresh: float) -> NDArray:
@@ -1763,7 +1760,7 @@ def setup(
             Display setup log
 
         """
-        if ext_spgl1 is None:
+        if spgl1_message is not None:
             raise ModuleNotFoundError(spgl1_message)
 
         self.y = y
diff --git a/pylops/signalprocessing/chirpradon3d.py b/pylops/signalprocessing/chirpradon3d.py
index f8884662..1f544926 100755
--- a/pylops/signalprocessing/chirpradon3d.py
+++ b/pylops/signalprocessing/chirpradon3d.py
@@ -5,26 +5,18 @@
 import numpy as np
 
 from pylops import LinearOperator
+from pylops.utils import deps
 from pylops.utils.decorators import reshaped
 from pylops.utils.typing import DTypeLike, NDArray
 
 from ._chirpradon3d import _chirp_radon_3d
 
-try:
+pyfftw_message = deps.pyfftw_import("the chirpradon3d module")
+
+if pyfftw_message is None:
     import pyfftw
 
     from ._chirpradon3d import _chirp_radon_3d_fftw
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    pyfftw = None
-    pyfftw_message = (
-        "Pyfftw not installed, use numpy or run "
-        '"pip install pyFFTW" or '
-        '"conda install -c conda-forge pyfftw".'
-    )
-except Exception as e:
-    pyfftw = None
-    pyfftw_message = f"Failed to import pyfftw (error:{e}), use numpy."
-
 
 logging.basicConfig(format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s", level=logging.WARNING)
 
diff --git a/pylops/signalprocessing/dwt.py b/pylops/signalprocessing/dwt.py
index aa698c21..8785f1ac 100644
--- a/pylops/signalprocessing/dwt.py
+++ b/pylops/signalprocessing/dwt.py
@@ -8,21 +8,14 @@
 
 from pylops import LinearOperator
 from pylops.basicoperators import Pad
+from pylops.utils import deps
 from pylops.utils._internal import _value_or_sized_to_tuple
 from pylops.utils.typing import DTypeLike, InputDimsLike, NDArray
 
-try:
+pywt_message = deps.pywt_import("the dwt module")
+
+if pywt_message is None:
     import pywt
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    pywt = None
-    pywt_message = (
-        "Pywt package not installed. "
-        'Run "pip install PyWavelets" or '
-        'conda install pywavelets".'
-    )
-except Exception as e:
-    pywt = None
-    pywt_message = f"Failed to import pywt (error:{e})."
 
 logging.basicConfig(format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s", level=logging.WARNING)
 
@@ -113,7 +106,7 @@ def __init__(
         dtype: DTypeLike = "float64",
         name: str = "D",
     ) -> None:
-        if pywt is None:
+        if pywt_message is not None:
             raise ModuleNotFoundError(pywt_message)
         _checkwavelet(wavelet)
 
diff --git a/pylops/signalprocessing/dwt2d.py b/pylops/signalprocessing/dwt2d.py
index 398b1a8a..3116cfdf 100644
--- a/pylops/signalprocessing/dwt2d.py
+++ b/pylops/signalprocessing/dwt2d.py
@@ -7,22 +7,15 @@
 
 from pylops import LinearOperator
 from pylops.basicoperators import Pad
+from pylops.utils import deps
 from pylops.utils.typing import DTypeLike, InputDimsLike, NDArray
 
 from .dwt import _adjointwavelet, _checkwavelet
 
-try:
+pywt_message = deps.pywt_import("the dwt2d module")
+
+if pywt_message is None:
     import pywt
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    pywt = None
-    pywt_message = (
-        "Pywt package not installed. "
-        'Run "pip install PyWavelets" or '
-        'conda install pywavelets".'
-    )
-except Exception as e:
-    pywt = None
-    pywt_message = f"Failed to import pywt (error:{e})."
 
 logging.basicConfig(format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s", level=logging.WARNING)
 
@@ -90,7 +83,7 @@ def __init__(
         dtype: DTypeLike = "float64",
         name: str = "D",
     ) -> None:
-        if pywt is None:
+        if pywt_message is not None:
             raise ModuleNotFoundError(pywt_message)
         _checkwavelet(wavelet)
 
diff --git a/pylops/signalprocessing/fft.py b/pylops/signalprocessing/fft.py
index fbbedd7d..64444bcd 100644
--- a/pylops/signalprocessing/fft.py
+++ b/pylops/signalprocessing/fft.py
@@ -10,21 +10,14 @@
 
 from pylops import LinearOperator
 from pylops.signalprocessing._baseffts import _BaseFFT, _FFTNorms
+from pylops.utils import deps
 from pylops.utils.decorators import reshaped
 from pylops.utils.typing import DTypeLike, InputDimsLike, NDArray
 
-try:
+pyfftw_message = deps.pyfftw_import("the fft module")
+
+if pyfftw_message is None:
     import pyfftw
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    pyfftw = None
-    pyfftw_message = (
-        "Pyfftw not installed, use numpy or run "
-        '"pip install pyFFTW" or '
-        '"conda install -c conda-forge pyfftw".'
-    )
-except Exception as e:
-    pyfftw = None
-    pyfftw_message = f"Failed to import pyfftw (error:{e}), use numpy."
 
 logging.basicConfig(format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s", level=logging.WARNING)
 
@@ -544,7 +537,7 @@ def FFT(
     signals.
 
     """
-    if engine == "fftw" and pyfftw is not None:
+    if engine == "fftw" and pyfftw_message is None:
         f = _FFT_fftw(
             dims,
             axis=axis,
@@ -557,8 +550,8 @@ def FFT(
             dtype=dtype,
             **kwargs_fftw,
         )
-    elif engine == "numpy" or (engine == "fftw" and pyfftw is None):
-        if engine == "fftw" and pyfftw is None:
+    elif engine == "numpy" or (engine == "fftw" and pyfftw_message is not None):
+        if engine == "fftw" and pyfftw_message is not None:
             logging.warning(pyfftw_message)
         f = _FFT_numpy(
             dims,
diff --git a/pylops/signalprocessing/radon2d.py b/pylops/signalprocessing/radon2d.py
index 4e3d4185..69abb857 100644
--- a/pylops/signalprocessing/radon2d.py
+++ b/pylops/signalprocessing/radon2d.py
@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@
 import numpy as np
 
 from pylops.basicoperators import Spread
+from pylops.utils import deps
 from pylops.utils.typing import DTypeLike, NDArray
 
-try:
+jit_message = deps.numba_import("the radon2d module")
+
+if jit_message is None:
     from numba import jit
 
     from ._radon2d_numba import (
@@ -18,8 +21,6 @@
         _linear_numba,
         _parabolic_numba,
     )
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    jit = None
 
 logging.basicConfig(format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s", level=logging.WARNING)
 
@@ -246,7 +247,7 @@ def Radon2D(
     # engine
     if engine not in ["numpy", "numba"]:
         raise KeyError("engine must be numpy or numba")
-    if engine == "numba" and jit is None:
+    if engine == "numba" and jit_message is not None:
         engine = "numpy"
     # axes
     nt, nh, npx = taxis.size, haxis.size, pxaxis.size
diff --git a/pylops/signalprocessing/radon3d.py b/pylops/signalprocessing/radon3d.py
index 1577840b..0277b764 100644
--- a/pylops/signalprocessing/radon3d.py
+++ b/pylops/signalprocessing/radon3d.py
@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@
 import numpy as np
 
 from pylops.basicoperators import Spread
+from pylops.utils import deps
 from pylops.utils.typing import DTypeLike, NDArray
 
-try:
+jit_message = deps.numba_import("the radon3d module")
+
+if jit_message is None:
     from numba import jit
 
     from ._radon3d_numba import (
@@ -18,8 +21,6 @@
         _linear_numba,
         _parabolic_numba,
     )
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    jit = None
 
 logging.basicConfig(format="%(levelname)s: %(message)s", level=logging.WARNING)
 
@@ -270,7 +271,7 @@ def Radon3D(
     # engine
     if engine not in ["numpy", "numba"]:
         raise KeyError("engine must be numpy or numba")
-    if engine == "numba" and jit is None:
+    if engine == "numba" and jit_message is not None:
         engine = "numpy"
 
     # axes
diff --git a/pylops/utils/deps.py b/pylops/utils/deps.py
index 61fb9bd9..7fad2838 100644
--- a/pylops/utils/deps.py
+++ b/pylops/utils/deps.py
@@ -1,18 +1,158 @@
 __all__ = [
     "cupy_enabled",
     "cusignal_enabled",
+    "devito_enabled",
     "numba_enabled",
+    "pyfftw_enabled",
+    "pywt_enabled",
+    "skfmm_enabled",
+    "spgl1_enabled",
+    "sympy_enabled",
     "torch_enabled",
 ]
 
 import os
 from importlib import util
 
+# check package availability
 cupy_enabled = (
     util.find_spec("cupy") is not None and int(os.getenv("CUPY_PYLOPS", 1)) == 1
 )
 cusignal_enabled = (
     util.find_spec("cusignal") is not None and int(os.getenv("CUSIGNAL_PYLOPS", 1)) == 1
 )
+devito_enabled = util.find_spec("devito") is not None
 numba_enabled = util.find_spec("numba") is not None
+pyfftw_enabled = util.find_spec("pyfftw") is not None
+pywt_enabled = util.find_spec("pywt") is not None
+skfmm_enabled = util.find_spec("skfmm") is not None
+spgl1_enabled = util.find_spec("spgl1") is not None
+sympy_enabled = util.find_spec("sympy") is not None
 torch_enabled = util.find_spec("torch") is not None
+
+
+# error message at import of available package
+def devito_import(message):
+    if devito_enabled:
+        try:
+            import devito  # noqa: F401
+
+            devito_message = None
+        except Exception as e:
+            devito_message = f"Failed to import devito (error:{e})."
+    else:
+        devito_message = (
+            f"Devito not available. "
+            f"In order to be able to use "
+            f'{message} run "pip install devito".'
+        )
+    return devito_message
+
+
+def numba_import(message):
+    if numba_enabled:
+        try:
+            import numba  # noqa: F401
+
+            numba_message = None
+        except Exception as e:
+            numba_message = f"Failed to import numba (error:{e}), use numpy."
+    else:
+        numba_message = (
+            "Numba not available, reverting to numpy. "
+            "In order to be able to use "
+            f"{message} run "
+            f'"pip install numba" or '
+            f'"conda install numba".'
+        )
+    return numba_message
+
+
+def pyfftw_import(message):
+    if pyfftw_enabled:
+        try:
+            import pyfftw  # noqa: F401
+
+            pyfftw_message = None
+        except Exception as e:
+            pyfftw_message = f"Failed to import pyfftw (error:{e}), use numpy."
+    else:
+        pyfftw_message = (
+            "Pyfftw not available, reverting to numpy. "
+            "In order to be able to use "
+            f"{message} run "
+            f'"pip install pyFFTW" or '
+            f'"conda install -c conda-forge pyfftw".'
+        )
+    return pyfftw_message
+
+
+def pywt_import(message):
+    if pywt_enabled:
+        try:
+            import pywt  # noqa: F401
+
+            pywt_message = None
+        except Exception as e:
+            pywt_message = f"Failed to import pywt (error:{e})."
+    else:
+        pywt_message = (
+            "Pywt not available. "
+            "In order to be able to use "
+            f"{message} run "
+            f'"pip install PyWavelets" or '
+            f'"conda install pywavelets".'
+        )
+    return pywt_message
+
+
+def skfmm_import(message):
+    if skfmm_enabled:
+        try:
+            import skfmm  # noqa: F401
+
+            skfmm_message = None
+        except Exception as e:
+            skfmm_message = f"Failed to import skfmm (error:{e})."
+    else:
+        skfmm_message = (
+            f"Skfmm package not installed. In order to be able to use "
+            f"{message} run "
+            f'"pip install scikit-fmm" or '
+            f'"conda install -c conda-forge scikit-fmm".'
+        )
+    return skfmm_message
+
+
+def spgl1_import(message):
+    if spgl1_enabled:
+        try:
+            import spgl1  # noqa: F401
+
+            spgl1_message = None
+        except Exception as e:
+            spgl1_message = f"Failed to import spgl1 (error:{e})."
+    else:
+        spgl1_message = (
+            f"Spgl1 package not installed. In order to be able to use "
+            f"{message} run "
+            f'"pip install spgl1".'
+        )
+    return spgl1_message
+
+
+def sympy_import(message):
+    if sympy_enabled:
+        try:
+            import sympy  # noqa: F401
+
+            sympy_message = None
+        except Exception as e:
+            sympy_message = f"Failed to import sympy (error:{e})."
+    else:
+        sympy_message = (
+            f"Sympy package not installed. In order to be able to use "
+            f"{message} run "
+            f'"pip install sympy".'
+        )
+    return sympy_message
diff --git a/pylops/utils/describe.py b/pylops/utils/describe.py
index 40612318..1ed0d185 100644
--- a/pylops/utils/describe.py
+++ b/pylops/utils/describe.py
@@ -27,15 +27,13 @@
 from pylops import LinearOperator
 from pylops.basicoperators import BlockDiag, HStack, VStack
 from pylops.linearoperator import _ScaledLinearOperator, _SumLinearOperator
+from pylops.utils import deps
 
-try:
+sympy_message = deps.sympy_import("the describe module")
+
+if sympy_message is None:
     from sympy import BlockDiagMatrix, BlockMatrix, MatrixSymbol
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    raise ModuleNotFoundError(
-        "Sympy package not installed. In order to use "
-        "the describe method run "
-        "install sympy."
-    )
+
 
 compositeops = (
     LinearOperator,
@@ -299,6 +297,9 @@ def describe(Op) -> None:
         Linear Operator to describe
 
     """
+    if sympy_message is not None:
+        raise NotImplementedError(sympy_message)
+
     # Describe the operator
     Ops = {}
     names = set()
diff --git a/pylops/waveeqprocessing/twoway.py b/pylops/waveeqprocessing/twoway.py
index 3f0fdfd0..9b74d726 100644
--- a/pylops/waveeqprocessing/twoway.py
+++ b/pylops/waveeqprocessing/twoway.py
@@ -5,23 +5,15 @@
 import numpy as np
 
 from pylops import LinearOperator
+from pylops.utils import deps
 from pylops.utils.decorators import reshaped
 from pylops.utils.typing import DTypeLike, InputDimsLike, NDArray, SamplingLike
 
-try:
-    import devito
+devito_message = deps.devito_import("the twoway module")
 
+if devito_message is None:
     from examples.seismic import AcquisitionGeometry, Model
     from examples.seismic.acoustic import AcousticWaveSolver
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    devito = None
-    devito_message = (
-        "Devito package not installed. In order to be able to use"
-        'the twoway module run "pip install devito".'
-    )
-except Exception as e:
-    devito = None
-    devito_message = f"Failed to import devito (error:{e})."
 
 
 class AcousticWave2D(LinearOperator):
@@ -96,8 +88,9 @@ def __init__(
         dtype: DTypeLike = "float32",
         name: str = "A",
     ) -> None:
-        if not devito:
+        if devito_message is not None:
             raise NotImplementedError(devito_message)
+
         # create model
         self._create_model(shape, origin, spacing, vp, space_order, nbl)
         self._create_geometry(src_x, src_z, rec_x, rec_z, t0, tn, src_type, f0=f0)