diff --git a/nightwatch/__main__.py b/nightwatch/__main__.py
index fd1cfd0..1fa4c3b 100644
--- a/nightwatch/__main__.py
+++ b/nightwatch/__main__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,20 @@
 # Initialization
 def main() -> None:
 
+    # Check urwid
+    def invalid_urwid_distrib():
+        exit("ERROR: Nightwatch requires urwid to have a specific unicode patch not currently included in upstream urwid.\n\n" \
+            "To fix this, run:\npip install -U urwid@git+https://github.com/iiPythonx/urwid\n\n" \
+            "and relaunch Nightwatch.")
+
+    try:
+        from urwid import is_iipython_urwid
+        if not is_iipython_urwid:
+            invalid_urwid_distrib()
+
+    except ImportError:
+        invalid_urwid_distrib()
+
     # Modules
     from argparse import ArgumentParser
     from nightwatch.client import start_client
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index f421a21..73e3e02 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ classifiers = [
 dependencies = [
     "websockets",
     "orjson",
-    "urwid@git+https://github.com/iiPythonx/urwid",
+    "urwid",  # NEEDED: urwid@git+https://github.com/iiPythonx/urwid
     "nanoid"
 ]