diff --git a/islpy/__init__.py b/islpy/__init__.py
index ec1a5ab913d605de5a1e3e222bd0a38b14a1ae45..c46c43a2eb2cf4926e6ffc3c656a0800cf6a39cf 100644
--- a/islpy/__init__.py
+++ b/islpy/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,24 @@
+from __future__ import division
+
+
+# {{{ check gmpy version
+
+def _check_gmpy_version():
+    import gmpy
+    gmpy_ver_num = tuple(int(s) for s in gmpy.version().split("."))
+
+    import sys
+    if sys.version_info >= (3,) and gmpy_ver_num < (1, 17):
+        raise ImportError("gmpy 1.17 or newer is required for "
+                "Python 3 support")
+
+try:
+    _check_gmpy_version()
+except ValueError:
+    pass
+
+# }}}
+
 from islpy._isl import *  # noqa
 from islpy.version import *  # noqa
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 0e88db284a2550015879a3eb5cd5d10ee49a6dd9..611cab1398b6b54ab0afe9b78ace960f541124e4 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ def main():
 
           install_requires=[
               "pytest>=2",
-              "gmpy>=1,<2",
+              "gmpy>=1.17,<2",
               # "Mako>=0.3.6",
               ],
           ext_modules=[
diff --git a/src/wrapper/gmpy.h b/src/wrapper/gmpy.h
index 276c560a4d5b461226719248b2a873a7c584d3bd..57476def05c364808ff00ccd04c62770ce17d771 100644
--- a/src/wrapper/gmpy.h
+++ b/src/wrapper/gmpy.h
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ static Pympf_new_RETURN Pympf_new Pympf_new_PROTO;
 static Pympf_dealloc_RETURN Pympf_dealloc Pympf_dealloc_PROTO;
 static Pympf_convert_arg_RETURN Pympf_convert_arg Pympf_convert_arg_PROTO;
 
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION < 3
 #define export_gmpy(m) { \
       PyObject *d; \
       static void *Pygmpy_API[Pygmpy_API_pointers]; \
@@ -159,6 +160,7 @@ static Pympf_convert_arg_RETURN Pympf_convert_arg Pympf_convert_arg_PROTO;
       d = PyModule_GetDict(m);\
       PyDict_SetItemString(d, "_C_API", c_api_object);\
     }
+#endif
 
 #else
 /* This section is used in other C-coded modules that use gmpy's API */
@@ -194,6 +196,7 @@ static void **Pygmpy_API;
 #define Pympf_convert_arg \
   (*(Pympf_convert_arg_RETURN (*)Pympf_convert_arg_PROTO) Pygmpy_API[Pympf_convert_arg_NUM])
 
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION < 3
 #define import_gmpy() \
      {  \
        PyObject *module = PyImport_ImportModule("gmpy");\
@@ -205,7 +208,14 @@ static void **Pygmpy_API;
          } \
        } \
      }
-
+#else
+static int
+import_gmpy(void)
+{
+    Pygmpy_API = (void **)PyCapsule_Import("gmpy._C_API", 0);
+    return (Pygmpy_API != NULL) ? 0 : -1;
+}
+#endif
 #endif
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus