diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 2f068970d..26ada45f1 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ matrix:
       - { python: "3.6", env: DJANGO=master }
       - { python: "3.6", env: DJANGO=1.11 }
       - { python: "3.6", env: DJANGO=2.0 }
+      - { python: "3.6", env: DJANGO=2.0 }
+      - { python: "3.6", env: TOXENV=py36-django20-optionals }
       - { python: "3.6", env: DJANGO=2.1 }
       - { python: "3.6", env: TOXENV=base }
       - { python: "2.7", env: TOXENV=lint }
@@ -33,6 +35,13 @@ matrix:
           - tox --installpkg ./dist/djangorestframework-*.whl
           - tox  # test sdist
 
+      - python: "3.6"
+        env: TOXENV=dist-optionals
+        script:
+          - python setup.py bdist_wheel
+          - tox --installpkg ./dist/djangorestframework-*.whl
+          - tox  # test sdist
+
     exclude:
       - { python: "2.7", env: DJANGO=master }
       - { python: "2.7", env: DJANGO=2.0 }
diff --git a/rest_framework/compat.py b/rest_framework/compat.py
index 7783bced3..7db548f00 100644
--- a/rest_framework/compat.py
+++ b/rest_framework/compat.py
@@ -139,16 +139,6 @@ except ImportError:
     requests = None
 
 
-# Django-guardian is optional. Import only if guardian is in INSTALLED_APPS
-# Fixes (#1712). We keep the try/except for the test suite.
-guardian = None
-try:
-    if 'guardian' in settings.INSTALLED_APPS:
-        import guardian  # noqa
-except ImportError:
-    pass
-
-
 # PATCH method is not implemented by Django
 if 'patch' not in View.http_method_names:
     View.http_method_names = View.http_method_names + ['patch']
diff --git a/rest_framework/filters.py b/rest_framework/filters.py
index cf8f6d1f7..3b52e5c19 100644
--- a/rest_framework/filters.py
+++ b/rest_framework/filters.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from django.utils import six
 from django.utils.encoding import force_text
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 
-from rest_framework.compat import coreapi, coreschema, distinct, guardian
+from rest_framework.compat import coreapi, coreschema, distinct
 from rest_framework.settings import api_settings
 
 
@@ -282,7 +282,11 @@ class DjangoObjectPermissionsFilter(BaseFilterBackend):
     has read object level permissions.
     """
     def __init__(self):
-        assert guardian, 'Using DjangoObjectPermissionsFilter, but django-guardian is not installed'
+        try:
+            import guardian
+        except ImportError:
+            raise ImportError('Using DjangoObjectPermissionsFilter, but django-guardian is not installed')
+        self.guardian_version = guardian.VERSION
 
     perm_format = '%(app_label)s.view_%(model_name)s'
 
@@ -300,7 +304,7 @@ class DjangoObjectPermissionsFilter(BaseFilterBackend):
             'model_name': model_cls._meta.model_name
         }
         permission = self.perm_format % kwargs
-        if tuple(guardian.VERSION) >= (1, 3):
+        if tuple(self.guardian_version) >= (1, 3):
             # Maintain behavior compatibility with versions prior to 1.3
             extra = {'accept_global_perms': False}
         else:
diff --git a/tests/test_permissions.py b/tests/test_permissions.py
index 80b666180..f34c91682 100644
--- a/tests/test_permissions.py
+++ b/tests/test_permissions.py
@@ -12,12 +12,16 @@ from rest_framework import (
     HTTP_HEADER_ENCODING, authentication, generics, permissions, serializers,
     status, views
 )
-from rest_framework.compat import guardian
 from rest_framework.filters import DjangoObjectPermissionsFilter
 from rest_framework.routers import DefaultRouter
 from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory
 from tests.models import BasicModel
 
+try:
+    import guardian
+except ImportError:
+    guardian = None
+
 factory = APIRequestFactory()
 
 
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index dcd44f161..ae3c872b3 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ deps =
         django20: Django>=2.0,<2.1
         django21: Django>=2.1b1,<2.2
         djangomaster: https://github.com/django/django/archive/master.tar.gz
+        optionals: -rrequirements/requirements-optionals.txt
         -rrequirements/requirements-testing.txt
-        -rrequirements/requirements-optionals.txt
 
 [testenv:base]
 ; Ensure optional dependencies are not required
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ commands = ./runtests.py --fast {posargs} --no-pkgroot --staticfiles -rw
 deps =
         django
         -rrequirements/requirements-testing.txt
+
+[testenv:dist-optionals]
+commands = {[testenv:dist]commands}
+deps = {[testenv:dist]deps}
         -rrequirements/requirements-optionals.txt
 
 [testenv:lint]