diff --git a/REQUIREMENTS b/REQUIREMENTS
index cfaf9ad..3bbcc88 100644
--- a/REQUIREMENTS
+++ b/REQUIREMENTS
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ domaintools_api
 pygeoip
 bs4
 oauth2
-yara-python
+yara-python==3.8.0
 sigmatools
 stix2-patterns
 maclookup
diff --git a/misp_modules/modules/expansion/yara_query.py b/misp_modules/modules/expansion/yara_query.py
index a071bb4..9b24c88 100644
--- a/misp_modules/modules/expansion/yara_query.py
+++ b/misp_modules/modules/expansion/yara_query.py
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import json
 import re
+try:
+    import yara
+except (OSError, ImportError):
+    print("yara is missing, use 'pip3 install -I -r REQUIREMENTS' from the root of this repository to install it.")
 
 misperrors = {'error': 'Error'}
 moduleinfo = {'version': '1', 'author': 'Christian STUDER',
@@ -30,7 +34,12 @@ def handler(q=False):
     rule_start = 'import "hash" \r\nrule %s_%s {' % (attribute_type.upper(), re.sub(r'\W+', '_', uuid)) if uuid else 'import "hash"\r\nrule %s {' % attribute_type.upper()
     condition = '\tcondition:\r\n\t\t{}'.format(condition)
     rule = '\r\n'.join([rule_start, condition, '}'])
-    return {'results': [{'types': mispattributes['output'], 'values': [rule]}]}
+    try:
+        yara.compile(source=rule)
+    except Exception as e:
+        misperrors['error'] = 'Syntax error: {}'.format(e)
+        return misperrors
+    return {'results': [{'types': mispattributes['output'], 'values': rule}]}
 
 def introspection():
     return mispattributes
diff --git a/misp_modules/modules/expansion/yara_syntax_validator.py b/misp_modules/modules/expansion/yara_syntax_validator.py
index c68d934..804ebd9 100644
--- a/misp_modules/modules/expansion/yara_syntax_validator.py
+++ b/misp_modules/modules/expansion/yara_syntax_validator.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import requests
 try:
     import yara
 except (OSError, ImportError):
-    print("yara is missing, use 'pip3 install yara' to install it.")
+    print("yara is missing, use 'pip3 install -I -r REQUIREMENTS' from the root of this repository to install it.")
 
 misperrors = {'error': 'Error'}
 mispattributes = {'input': ['yara'], 'output': ['text']}