diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9fe964ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+**WARNING:**  Please do not report issues about missing Django, see
+[README](https://github.com/PyCQA/pylint-django#installation)!
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 6258fd4c..a8fd73ee 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -5,16 +5,26 @@ python:
   - 3.5
   - 3.6
 env:
-  - DJANGO=1.11
+  # note: latest versions first b/c the top-most is included in new
+  # build stages if not specified
   - DJANGO=2.0
+  - DJANGO=1.11
+stages:
+  - django_not_installed
+  - django_is_installed
+  - test
+  - build_and_package_sanity
 matrix:
   exclude:
     # Python/Django combinations that aren't officially supported
     - { python: 2.7, env: DJANGO=2.0 }
   include:
-    - { python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=flake8 }
-    - { python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=pylint }
-    - { python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=readme }
+    - { stage: django_not_installed, python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=django_not_installed }
+    - { stage: django_is_installed, python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=django_is_installed }
+    - { stage: test, python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=flake8 }
+    - { stage: test, python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=pylint }
+    - { stage: test, python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=readme }
+    - { stage: build_and_package_sanity, python: 3.6, env: SANITY_CHECK=1 }
   allow_failures:
     - env: TOXENV=flake8
     - env: TOXENV=pylint
@@ -23,11 +33,21 @@ matrix:
 install:
   - pip install tox-travis
 script:
-  - tox
+  - |
+
+        if [ -z "$SANITY_CHECK" ]; then
+            tox
+        else
+            ./scripts/build.sh
+        fi
 
 after_success:
-  - pip install coveralls
-  - coveralls
+  - |
+        if [ -z "$SANITY_CHECK" ]; then
+            pip install coveralls
+            coveralls
+        fi
+
 notifications:
   email:
     on_failure: change
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index af8029b6..eaa3e3e3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,21 +16,24 @@ pylint-django
 pip install pylint-django
 ```
 
-**WARNING:** `pylint-django` requires `Django` to be installed. Our `setup.py` file doesn't
-specify which particular version of Django is going to be installed because we have no idea
-what version is used inside your project. The latest version of Django will be installed if
-it has not been installed beforehand! DO NOT report issues about mismatching Django versions
-if that happens. Instead get your testing environment sorted out and make sure that you have
-the appropriate version of Django installed!
+**WARNING:** `pylint-django` will not install `Django` by default because this
+causes more trouble than good,
+[see discussion](https://github.com/PyCQA/pylint-django/pull/132). If you wish
+to automatically install the latest version of `Django` then
 
-# Usage
+```
+pip install pylint-django[with_django]
+```
 
-## Pylint
+otherwise sort out your testing environment and please **DO NOT** report issues
+about missing Django!
+
+# Usage
 
 Ensure `pylint-django` is installed and on your path and then execute:
 
 ```
-pylint --load-plugins pylint_django [..other options..]
+pylint --load-plugins pylint_django [..other options..] <path_to_your_sources>
 ```
 
 ## Prospector
diff --git a/pylint_django/plugin.py b/pylint_django/plugin.py
index 06fb6f4d..9420e351 100644
--- a/pylint_django/plugin.py
+++ b/pylint_django/plugin.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 from pylint.checkers.base import NameChecker
 from pylint_plugin_utils import get_checker
 
-from pylint_django.augmentations import apply_augmentations
 from pylint_django.checkers import register_checkers
 
 # we want to import the transforms to make sure they get added to the astroid manager,
@@ -26,4 +25,10 @@ def register(linter):
     register_checkers(linter)
 
     # register any checking fiddlers
-    apply_augmentations(linter)
+    try:
+        from pylint_django.augmentations import apply_augmentations
+        apply_augmentations(linter)
+    except ModuleNotFoundError:
+        # probably trying to execute pylint_django when Django isn't installed
+        # in this case the django-not-installed checker will kick-in
+        pass
diff --git a/scripts/build.sh b/scripts/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..350ec40c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Build packages for distribution on PyPI
+# and execute some sanity scripts on them
+#
+# note: must be executed from the root directory of the project
+
+# first clean up the local environment
+echo "..... Clean up first"
+find . -type f -name '*.pyc' -delete
+find . -type d -name __pycache__ -delete
+find . -type d -name '*.egg-info' | xargs rm -rf
+rm -rf build/ .cache/ dist/ .eggs/ .tox/
+
+# then build the packages
+echo "..... Building PyPI packages"
+set -e
+python setup.py sdist >/dev/null
+python setup.py bdist_wheel >/dev/null
+set +e
+
+# then run some sanity tests
+echo "..... Searching for .pyc files inside the built packages"
+matched_files=`tar -tvf dist/*.tar.gz | grep -c "\.pyc"`
+if [ "$matched_files" -gt "0" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: .pyc files found in .tar.gz package"
+    exit 1
+fi
+matched_files=`unzip -t dist/*.whl | grep -c "\.pyc"`
+if [ "$matched_files" -gt "0" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: .pyc files found in wheel package"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "..... Trying to verify that all source files are present"
+# remove pylint_django/*.egg-info/ generated during build
+find . -type d -name '*.egg-info' | xargs rm -rf
+
+source_files=`find ./pylint_django/ -type f | sed 's|./||'`
+
+# verify for .tar.gz package
+package_files=`tar -tvf dist/*.tar.gz`
+for src_file in $source_files; do
+    echo "$package_files" | grep $src_file >/dev/null
+    if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+        echo "ERROR: $src_file not found inside tar.gz package"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+done
+
+# verify for wheel package
+package_files=`unzip -t dist/*.whl`
+for src_file in $source_files; do
+    echo "$package_files" | grep $src_file >/dev/null
+    if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+        echo "ERROR: $src_file not found inside wheel package"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+done
+
+# exit on error from now on
+set -e
+
+echo "..... Trying to install the new tarball inside a virtualenv"
+# note: installs with the optional dependency to verify this is still working
+virtualenv .venv/test-tarball
+source .venv/test-tarball/bin/activate
+pip install --no-binary :all: -f dist/ pylint_django[with_django]
+pip freeze | grep Django
+deactivate
+rm -rf .venv/
+
+echo "..... Trying to install the new wheel inside a virtualenv"
+virtualenv .venv/test-wheel
+source .venv/test-wheel/bin/activate
+pip install pylint-plugin-utils  # because it does not provide a wheel package
+pip install --only-binary :all: -f dist/ pylint_django
+deactivate
+rm -rf .venv/
+
+echo "..... PASS"
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b6f77185..309cc849 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 """
 Setup module for Pylint plugin for Django.
 """
-import os
 from setuptools import setup, find_packages
 
 
@@ -18,8 +17,10 @@
     install_requires=[
         'pylint-plugin-utils>=0.2.1',
         'pylint>=1.8.2',
-        'Django',
     ],
+    extras_require={
+        'with_django': ['Django'],
+    },
     license='GPLv2',
     classifiers=[
         'Development Status :: 4 - Beta',
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 3f374773..ca4f63da 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 [tox]
 envlist =
+    django_not_installed
+    django_is_installed
     flake8
     pylint
     readme
@@ -11,6 +13,8 @@ envlist =
 
 [testenv]
 commands =
+    django_not_installed: bash -c \'pylint --load-plugins=pylint_django setup.py | grep django-not-available\'
+    django_is_installed: pylint --load-plugins=pylint_django setup.py
     flake8: flake8
     pylint: pylint --rcfile=tox.ini pylint_django setup
     readme: python setup.py check --restructuredtext --strict
@@ -19,6 +23,7 @@ commands =
     clean: find . -type d -name __pycache__ -delete
     clean: rm -rf build/ .cache/ dist/ .eggs/ pylint_django.egg-info/ .tox/
 deps =
+    django_is_installed: Django
     flake8: flake8
     pylint: pylint
     pylint: Django>=2.0,<2.1
@@ -35,6 +40,7 @@ setenv =
     PIP_DISABLE_PIP_VERSION_CHECK = 1
     PYTHONPATH = .
 whitelist_externals =
+    django_not_installed: bash
     clean: find
     clean: rm