diff --git a/electrum/ecc_fast.py b/electrum/ecc_fast.py
index d3ae8d61d..f325639a6 100644
--- a/electrum/ecc_fast.py
+++ b/electrum/ecc_fast.py
@@ -186,8 +186,10 @@ def _prepare_monkey_patching_of_python_ecdsa_internals_with_libsecp256k1():
 
 def do_monkey_patching_of_python_ecdsa_internals_with_libsecp256k1():
     if not _libsecp256k1:
-        raise Exception('libsecp256k1 library not available. '
-                        'Verifying Lightning channels is too computationally expensive without libsecp256k1, aborting.')
+        # FIXME logging 'verbosity' is not yet initialised
+        _logger.info('libsecp256k1 library not available, falling back to python-ecdsa. '
+                     'This means signing operations will be slower.')
+        return
     if not _patched_functions.prepared_to_patch:
         raise Exception("can't patch python-ecdsa without preparations")
     ecdsa.ecdsa.Private_key.sign      = _patched_functions.fast_sign
diff --git a/electrum/lnworker.py b/electrum/lnworker.py
index 724f80edf..c7d0ec3e0 100644
--- a/electrum/lnworker.py
+++ b/electrum/lnworker.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ from .lntransport import LNTransport, LNResponderTransport
 from .lnpeer import Peer, LN_P2P_NETWORK_TIMEOUT
 from .lnaddr import lnencode, LnAddr, lndecode
 from .ecc import der_sig_from_sig_string
+from .ecc_fast import is_using_fast_ecc
 from .lnchannel import Channel, ChannelJsonEncoder
 from . import lnutil
 from .lnutil import (Outpoint, calc_short_channel_id, LNPeerAddr,
@@ -251,6 +252,7 @@ class LNGossip(LNWorker):
         self.localfeatures |= LnLocalFeatures.GOSSIP_QUERIES_OPT
         self.localfeatures |= LnLocalFeatures.GOSSIP_QUERIES_REQ
         self.unknown_ids = set()
+        assert is_using_fast_ecc(), "verifying LN gossip msgs without libsecp256k1 is hopeless"
 
     def start_network(self, network: 'Network'):
         super().start_network(network)
diff --git a/run_electrum b/run_electrum
index 8bfe257a1..5663a2d7e 100755
--- a/run_electrum
+++ b/run_electrum
@@ -329,8 +329,6 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     # todo: defer this to gui
     config = SimpleConfig(config_options)
 
-    cmdname = config.get('cmd')
-
     if config.get('testnet'):
         constants.set_testnet()
     elif config.get('regtest'):
@@ -338,7 +336,15 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     elif config.get('simnet'):
         constants.set_simnet()
     elif config.get('lightning') and not config.get('reckless'):
-        raise Exception('lightning branch not available on mainnet')
+        raise Exception('lightning option not available on mainnet')
+
+    if config.get('lightning'):
+        from electrum.ecc_fast import is_using_fast_ecc
+        if not is_using_fast_ecc():
+            raise Exception('libsecp256k1 library not available. '
+                            'Verifying Lightning channels is too computationally expensive without libsecp256k1, aborting.')
+
+    cmdname = config.get('cmd')
 
     if cmdname == 'daemon' and config.get("detach"):
         # fork before creating the asyncio event loop