diff --git a/beets/util/__init__.py b/beets/util/__init__.py
index 3bd2a7649..425e7ac87 100644
--- a/beets/util/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/util/__init__.py
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ from beets.util import hidden
 import six
 from unidecode import unidecode
 from enum import Enum
-import reflink as pyreflink
 
 
 MAX_FILENAME_LENGTH = 200
@@ -554,6 +553,7 @@ def reflink(path, dest, replace=False, fallback=False):
     `path` == `dest`. When `fallback` is True, `reflink` falls back on
     `copy` when the filesystem does not support reflinks.
     """
+    import reflink as pyreflink
     if samefile(path, dest):
         return
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 55714654e..ac7ebc2a3 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ setup(
         'pyyaml',
         'mediafile>=0.2.0',
         'confuse>=1.0.0',
-        'reflink',
     ] + [
         # Avoid a version of munkres incompatible with Python 3.
         'munkres~=1.0.0' if sys.version_info < (3, 5, 0) else
@@ -161,6 +160,7 @@ setup(
         'scrub': ['mutagen>=1.33'],
         'bpd': ['PyGObject'],
         'replaygain': ['PyGObject'],
+        'reflink': ['reflink'],
     },
     # Non-Python/non-PyPI plugin dependencies:
     #   chroma: chromaprint or fpcalc