--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -32,12 +32,24 @@ extensions = ['sphinx.ext.autodoc', 'sph
               'sphinx.ext.inheritance_diagram',
               'matplotlib.sphinxext.plot_directive',
               'matplotlib.sphinxext.only_directives',
-              'IPython.sphinxext.ipython_console_highlighting',
-              'IPython.sphinxext.ipython_directive',
               'numpy_ext.numpydoc',
               'github' # for GitHub links
               ]
 
+try:
+    import IPython.sphinxext.ipython_console_highlighting as _
+    import IPython.sphinxext.ipython_directive as _
+    extensions += [
+        'IPython.sphinxext.ipython_console_highlighting',
+        'IPython.sphinxext.ipython_directive'
+        ]
+except:
+    # If systems have older IPython, just use shipped copies
+    extensions += [
+        'ipython_console_highlighting',
+        'ipython_directive'
+        ]
+
 import sphinx
 if sphinx.__version__ == '1.1.3':
     print ("WARNING: Not building inheritance diagrams on sphinx 1.1.3. "
