diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5f70fb3d7..84710b91b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 .idea
 *.swp
 *.swo
+.vscode
+
 
 # Compiled source #
 ###################
diff --git a/neo/rawio/plexon2rawio/pypl2/pypl2lib.py b/neo/rawio/plexon2rawio/pypl2/pypl2lib.py
index 59ba26967..ae35aac7c 100644
--- a/neo/rawio/plexon2rawio/pypl2/pypl2lib.py
+++ b/neo/rawio/plexon2rawio/pypl2/pypl2lib.py
@@ -8,22 +8,26 @@
 # You are free to modify or share this file, provided that the above
 # copyright notice is kept intact.
 
-from sys import platform
-import os
+import platform
+import subprocess
 import pathlib
 import warnings
+import numpy as np
 
-if any(platform.startswith(name) for name in ("linux", "darwin", "freebsd")):
-    from zugbruecke import CtypesSession
+platform_is_windows = platform.system() == "Windows"
 
-    ctypes = CtypesSession(log_level=100)
-
-elif platform.startswith("win"):
+if platform_is_windows:
     import ctypes
 else:
-    raise SystemError("unsupported platform")
+    is_wine_available = subprocess.run(
+                ["which", "wine"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, check=False
+            )
+    if is_wine_available.returncode != 0:
+        raise ImportError("Wine is not installed. Please install wine to use the PL2FileReader.dll")
 
-import numpy as np
+    from zugbruecke import CtypesSession
+
+    ctypes = CtypesSession(log_level=100)
 
 
 class tm(ctypes.Structure):