diff --git a/README b/README
index 6b47adab..b4841a6b 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ Windows prerequisites
 
 - Visual Studio 2008 (Express is enough) is needed to build C extensions. (http://www.microsoft.com/Express/)
 - PyQt 4.7 (http://www.riverbankcomputing.co.uk/news)
-- Python Imaging Library for dupeGuru PE. (http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/)
 - cx_Freeze, if you want to build a exe. You don't need it if you just want to run dupeGuru. (http://cx-freeze.sourceforge.net/)
 - Advanced Installer, if you want to build the installer file. (http://www.advancedinstaller.com/)
 
diff --git a/qt/me/start.py b/qt/me/start.py
index 07f883cd..1044b1b8 100644
--- a/qt/me/start.py
+++ b/qt/me/start.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 # http://www.hardcoded.net/licenses/hs_license
 
 import sys
+import sip
+sip.setapi('QVariant', 1)
 
 from PyQt4.QtCore import QCoreApplication
 from PyQt4.QtGui import QApplication, QIcon, QPixmap
diff --git a/qt/pe/app.py b/qt/pe/app.py
index ad4c9879..2f96ed2a 100644
--- a/qt/pe/app.py
+++ b/qt/pe/app.py
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@
 import os.path as op
 import logging
 
-from PyQt4.QtGui import QImage
-import PIL.Image
+from PyQt4.QtGui import QImage, QImageReader
 
 from hsutil.str import get_file_ext
 
@@ -41,9 +40,13 @@ class File(fs.File):
         fs.File._read_info(self, field)
         if field == 'dimensions':
             try:
-                im = PIL.Image.open(str(self.path))
-                self.dimensions = im.size
-            except IOError:
+                ir = QImageReader(str(self.path))
+                size = ir.size()
+                if size.isValid():
+                    self.dimensions = (size.width(), size.height())
+                else:
+                    self.dimensions = (0, 0)
+            except EnvironmentError:
                 self.dimensions = (0, 0)
                 logging.warning("Could not read image '%s'", str(self.path))
     
diff --git a/qt/pe/start.py b/qt/pe/start.py
index d7a0f485..0ea87719 100644
--- a/qt/pe/start.py
+++ b/qt/pe/start.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 # http://www.hardcoded.net/licenses/hs_license
 
 import sys
+import sip
+sip.setapi('QVariant', 1)
 
 from PyQt4.QtCore import QCoreApplication
 from PyQt4.QtGui import QApplication, QIcon, QPixmap
@@ -16,8 +18,6 @@ from app import DupeGuru
 
 if sys.platform == 'win32':
     import base.cxfreeze_fix
-    # This is a workaround for a cxfreeze problem where compiled dupeguru can't read tiff files
-    from PIL import TiffImagePlugin, TiffTags
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     app = QApplication(sys.argv)