diff --git a/chord_drs/app.py b/chord_drs/app.py
index cfb1500..080f55e 100644
--- a/chord_drs/app.py
+++ b/chord_drs/app.py
@@ -46,9 +46,13 @@
 
 # # debugger section
 # Ensure 'debugpy' is installed (via requirements.txt or manually)
-if os.environ.get('FLASK_DEBUG', False):
-    import debugpy
-    DEBUGGER_PORT = int(os.environ.get('DEBUGGER_PORT', 5678))
-    debugpy.listen(("0.0.0.0", DEBUGGER_PORT))
-    print('Attached')
-# # end debugger section
\ No newline at end of file
+DEBUG = os.environ.get('FLASK_DEBUG', False)
+if DEBUG:
+    try:
+        import debugpy
+        DEBUGGER_PORT = int(os.environ.get('DEBUGGER_PORT', 5678))
+        debugpy.listen(("0.0.0.0", DEBUGGER_PORT))
+        print('\nDebugger Attached\n')
+    except ImportError:
+        print("\nWARNING Module debugpy not found. To enable VSCode debugging, run:\n\tpip install debugpy\n")
+# # end debugger section
diff --git a/chord_drs/package.cfg b/chord_drs/package.cfg
index 7b3a1c1..e8f8de6 100644
--- a/chord_drs/package.cfg
+++ b/chord_drs/package.cfg
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [package]
 name = chord_drs
-version = 0.5.2
+version = 0.5.3
 authors = Simon Chénard, David Lougheed
 author_emails = simon.chenard2@mcgill.ca, david.lougheed@mail.mcgill.ca