diff --git a/julia/core.py b/julia/core.py
index 48d1d32d..02dc975a 100644
--- a/julia/core.py
+++ b/julia/core.py
@@ -267,9 +267,14 @@ def determine_if_statically_linked():
      'pyprogramname', 'libpython'])
 
 
-def juliainfo(runtime='julia'):
-    output = subprocess.check_output(
-        [runtime, "-e",
+def juliainfo(runtime='julia', **popen_kwargs):
+    # Use the original environment variables to avoid a cryptic
+    # error "fake-julia/../lib/julia/sys.so: cannot open shared
+    # object file: No such file or directory":
+    popen_kwargs.setdefault("env", _enviorn)
+
+    proc = subprocess.Popen(
+        [runtime, "--startup-file=no", "-e",
          """
          println(VERSION < v"0.7.0-DEV.3073" ? JULIA_HOME : Base.Sys.BINDIR)
          if VERSION >= v"0.7.0-DEV.3630"
@@ -282,7 +287,11 @@ def juliainfo(runtime='julia'):
              PyCall_depsfile = Pkg.dir("PyCall","deps","deps.jl")
          else
              modpath = Base.locate_package(Base.identify_package("PyCall"))
-             PyCall_depsfile = joinpath(dirname(modpath),"..","deps","deps.jl")
+             if modpath == nothing
+                 PyCall_depsfile = nothing
+             else
+                 PyCall_depsfile = joinpath(dirname(modpath),"..","deps","deps.jl")
+             end
          end
          if PyCall_depsfile !== nothing && isfile(PyCall_depsfile)
              include(PyCall_depsfile)
@@ -290,11 +299,26 @@ def juliainfo(runtime='julia'):
              println(libpython)
          end
          """],
-        # Use the original environment variables to avoid a cryptic
-        # error "fake-julia/../lib/julia/sys.so: cannot open shared
-        # object file: No such file or directory":
-        env=_enviorn)
-    args = output.decode("utf-8").rstrip().split("\n")
+        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+        stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+        universal_newlines=True,
+        **popen_kwargs)
+
+    stdout, stderr = proc.communicate()
+    retcode = proc.wait()
+    if retcode != 0:
+        raise subprocess.CalledProcessError(
+            retcode,
+            [runtime, "-e", "..."],
+            stdout,
+            stderr,
+        )
+
+    stderr = stderr.strip()
+    if stderr:
+        warnings.warn("{} warned:\n{}".format(runtime, stderr))
+
+    args = stdout.rstrip().split("\n")
     args.extend([None] * (len(JuliaInfo._fields) - len(args)))
     return JuliaInfo(*args)
 
diff --git a/test/test_juliainfo.py b/test/test_juliainfo.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ec3f7cb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_juliainfo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import os
+import subprocess
+
+from julia.core import juliainfo, _enviorn
+
+
+def check_core_juliainfo(jlinfo):
+    assert os.path.exists(jlinfo.JULIA_HOME)
+    assert os.path.exists(jlinfo.libjulia_path)
+    assert os.path.exists(jlinfo.image_file)
+
+
+def test_juliainfo_normal():
+    jlinfo = juliainfo(os.getenv("JULIA_EXE", "julia"))
+    check_core_juliainfo(jlinfo)
+    assert os.path.exists(jlinfo.pyprogramname)
+    # Note: jlinfo.libpython is probably not a full path so we are not
+    # testing it here.
+
+
+def test_juliainfo_without_pycall(tmpdir):
+    """
+    `juliainfo` should not fail even when PyCall.jl is not installed.
+    """
+
+    runtime = os.getenv("JULIA_EXE", "julia")
+
+    env_var = subprocess.check_output(
+        [runtime, "--startup-file=no", "-e", """
+        if VERSION < v"0.7-"
+            println("JULIA_PKGDIR")
+            print(ARGS[1])
+        else
+            paths = [ARGS[1], DEPOT_PATH[2:end]...]
+            println("JULIA_DEPOT_PATH")
+            print(join(paths, Sys.iswindows() ? ';' : ':'))
+        end
+        """, str(tmpdir)],
+        env=_enviorn,
+        universal_newlines=True)
+    name, val = env_var.split("\n", 1)
+
+    jlinfo = juliainfo(
+        runtime,
+        env=dict(_enviorn, **{name: val}))
+
+    check_core_juliainfo(jlinfo)
+    assert jlinfo.pyprogramname is None
+    assert jlinfo.libpython is None