diff --git a/gwinc/ifo/__main__.py b/gwinc/ifo/__main__.py
index a049331ecd84f152e59a39caeeea618b26a443d0..1e276395c8f0968fd9bf96a017b56c2d08ee1de6 100644
--- a/gwinc/ifo/__main__.py
+++ b/gwinc/ifo/__main__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import argparse
 import numpy as np
-import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 
 from . import IFOS, PLOT_STYLE
 from .. import load_budget
@@ -21,6 +20,11 @@ def main():
         help="save plot to file (.pdf/.png/.svg)")
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
+    if args.save:
+        from matplotlib import use
+        use('agg')
+    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+
     fig = plt.figure()
     ax = fig.add_subplot(1, 1, 1)