crewAIInc/crewAI · error · ImportError

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

Error message

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

What it means

TavilySearchTool requires the optional 'tavily-python' package. When it is missing and you decline the interactive offer to auto-install it (click.confirm returns False), the constructor raises ImportError with the uv add command to run.

Source

Thrown at lib/crewai-tools/src/crewai_tools/tools/tavily_search_tool/tavily_search_tool.py:149

                    "The 'tavily-python' package is required. 'click' and 'subprocess' are also needed to assist with installation if the package is missing. "
                    "Please install 'tavily-python' manually (e.g., 'pip install tavily-python') and ensure 'click' and 'subprocess' are available."
                ) from e

            if click.confirm(
                "You are missing the 'tavily-python' package, which is required for TavilySearchTool. 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 TavilySearchTool."
                    )
                except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
                    raise ImportError(
                        f"Attempted to install 'tavily-python' but failed: {e}. "
                        f"Please install it manually to use the TavilySearchTool."
                    ) from e
            else:
                raise ImportError(
                    "The 'tavily-python' package is required to use the TavilySearchTool. "
                    "Please install it with: uv add tavily-python"
                )

    def _run(
        self,
        query: str,
    ) -> str:
        """Synchronously performs a search using the Tavily API.
        Content of each result is truncated to `max_content_length_per_result`.

        Args:
            query: The search query string.

        Returns:
            A JSON string containing the search results with truncated content.
        """
        if not self.client:

View on GitHub (pinned to 754d7323be)

Solutions

Run: uv add tavily-python (or pip install tavily-python) and re-run your program.
Install crewai-tools with the full tool extra that includes tavily-python.
Pin the dependency in pyproject.toml so environments are reproducible.

Example fix

# before
TavilySearchTool()  # prompt declined -> ImportError

# after
# shell: uv add tavily-python
TavilySearchTool(api_key='tvly-...')

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

import importlib.util

if importlib.util.find_spec('tavily') is None:
    raise SystemExit('Missing dependency: run uv add tavily-python')

Try / catch

try:
    from crewai_tools import TavilySearchTool
    tool = TavilySearchTool(api_key=KEY)
except ImportError as e:
    raise SystemExit(f'Setup required before running: {e}')

Prevention

Pin optional tool dependencies in requirements/pyproject so environments are complete.
Run CI jobs with stdin closed and deps pre-installed to avoid interactive prompts.
Add a startup dependency check for every tool your crew uses.

When it happens

Trigger: Instantiating TavilySearchTool without tavily-python installed and answering 'n' (or piping 'n'/EOF to stdin) to the 'Would you like to install it?' prompt.

Common situations: Non-interactive scripts where stdin is closed so click.confirm defaults to declining; minimal installs of crewai-tools without tool extras; CI pipelines that never answer prompts.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of crewAIInc/crewAI@754d7323be (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e809dcdc0691853b. Report an issue: GitHub.