crewAIInc/crewAI · error · ImportError

The 'tavily-python' package is required to use the TavilyGet

Error message

The 'tavily-python' package is required to use the TavilyGetResearchTool. Please install it with: uv add tavily-python

What it means

TavilyGetResearchTool raises this ImportError when the operator declines the interactive install prompt (click.confirm returns False). It is the refusal branch: no dependency was installed and the tool cannot function, so construction aborts with explicit install instructions (uv add tavily-python).

Source

Thrown at lib/crewai-tools/src/crewai_tools/tools/tavily_get_research_tool/tavily_get_research_tool.py:91

                ) from e

            if click.confirm(
                "You are missing the 'tavily-python' package, which is required "
                "for TavilyGetResearchTool. Would you like to install it?"
            ):
                try:
                    subprocess.run(["uv", "add", "tavily-python"], check=True)  # noqa: S607
                    raise ImportError(
                        "'tavily-python' has been installed. Please restart your "
                        "Python application to use the TavilyGetResearchTool."
                    )
                except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
                    raise ImportError(
                        f"Attempted to install 'tavily-python' but failed: {e}. "
                        "Please install it manually to use the TavilyGetResearchTool."
                    ) from e
            else:
                raise ImportError(
                    "The 'tavily-python' package is required to use the "
                    "TavilyGetResearchTool. Please install it with: uv add tavily-python"
                )

    @staticmethod
    def _stringify_response(response: Any) -> str:
        if isinstance(response, str):
            return response
        return json.dumps(response, indent=2)

    def _run(self, request_id: str) -> str:
        """Synchronously retrieves Tavily research task status and results."""
        if not self._client:
            raise ValueError(
                "Tavily client is not initialized. Ensure 'tavily-python' is "
                "installed and API key is set."
            )

View on GitHub (pinned to 754d7323be)

Solutions

Install the package: uv add tavily-python (or pip install tavily-python), then re-create the tool.
Pre-install dependencies in your Dockerfile/CI so interactive prompts never appear.
Run tools non-interactively only after tavily-python is present in the image/env.

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

import importlib.util
if importlib.util.find_spec("tavily") is None:
    raise SystemExit("tavily-python required. Install: uv add tavily-python")

Try / catch

try:
    tool = TavilyGetResearchTool()
except ImportError as e:
    if "required to use the" in str(e):
        log.error("Install declined; aborting Tavily tool setup")
    raise

Prevention

Pre-install tavily-python in images/CI so no confirmation prompt appears.
Keep stdin interactive OR dependencies pre-installed; never both missing.
List Tavily dependencies explicitly in project requirements.

When it happens

Trigger: TavilyGetResearchTool.__init__ with tavily-python absent and the confirm prompt answered 'n' (or effectively declined under non-interactive stdin).

Common situations: Interactive shells where the user says no; automated scripts with closed stdin causing click.confirm to decline/abort.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of crewAIInc/crewAI@754d7323be (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/7fa755b239089f98. Report an issue: GitHub.