diff --git a/app/controllers/login_controller.rb b/app/controllers/login_controller.rb
index b2198a7c..0c1037ed 100644
--- a/app/controllers/login_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/login_controller.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class LoginController < ApplicationController
     # This will allow the user to view the index page without authentication
     # but will process CAS authentication data if the user already
     # has an SSO session open.
-    if (CASClient rescue nil)
+    if defined? CASClient
       # Only require sub-library if gem is installed and loaded
       require 'casclient/frameworks/rails/filter'
       before_filter CASClient::Frameworks::Rails::GatewayFilter, :only => :login_cas
diff --git a/config/environment.rb b/config/environment.rb
index 221f8daf..7e3faa69 100644
--- a/config/environment.rb
+++ b/config/environment.rb
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ end
 
 if ( SITE_CONFIG['authentication_schemes'].include? 'cas')
   #requires rubycas-client gem to be installed
-  if (CASClient rescue nil)
+  if defined? CASClient
     require 'casclient/frameworks/rails/filter'
     CASClient::Frameworks::Rails::Filter.configure(
         :cas_base_url => SITE_CONFIG['cas_server'] ,