diff --git a/pywb/webapp/live_rewrite_handler.py b/pywb/webapp/live_rewrite_handler.py
index 797c6d24..505f8a0b 100644
--- a/pywb/webapp/live_rewrite_handler.py
+++ b/pywb/webapp/live_rewrite_handler.py
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ class RewriteHandler(SearchPageWbUrlHandler):
             msg = ('youtube-dl is not installed, pip install youtube-dl to ' +
                    'enable improved video proxy')
 
-            return WbResponse.text_response(msg=msg, status='404 Not Found')
+            return WbResponse.text_response(text=msg, status='404 Not Found')
 
         #if info and info.formats and len(info.formats) == 1:
 
@@ -256,14 +256,14 @@ class RewriteHandler(SearchPageWbUrlHandler):
 
 #=================================================================
 class YoutubeDLWrapper(object):
-    """ YoutubeDL wrapper, inits youtubee-dil if it is available
+    """ YoutubeDL wrapper, inits youtubee-dl if it is available
     """
     def __init__(self):
         try:
             from youtube_dl import YoutubeDL as YoutubeDL
         except ImportError:  #pragma: no cover
             self.ydl = None
-            pass
+            return
 
         self.ydl = YoutubeDL(dict(simulate=True,
                                   youtube_include_dash_manifest=False))
diff --git a/tests/test_live_proxy.py b/tests/test_live_proxy.py
index e5cfc106..6e6b7161 100644
--- a/tests/test_live_proxy.py
+++ b/tests/test_live_proxy.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ from pywb.webapp.pywb_init import create_wb_router
 from pywb.framework.wsgi_wrappers import init_app
 import webtest
 import shutil
-import pytest
 
 import pywb.webapp.live_rewrite_handler
 
@@ -48,6 +47,14 @@ class ProxyRequest(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         self.do_GET()
 
 
+#=================================================================
+class MockYTDWrapper(object):
+    def extract_info(self, url):
+        return {'mock': 'youtube_dl_data'}
+
+
+pywb.webapp.live_rewrite_handler.YoutubeDLWrapper = MockYTDWrapper
+
 #=================================================================
 class TestProxyLiveRewriter:
     def setup(self):
@@ -163,8 +170,6 @@ class TestProxyLiveRewriter:
         assert len(self.cache) == 1
 
     def test_echo_proxy_video_info(self):
-        yt = pytest.importorskip('youtube_dl')
-
         resp = self.testapp.get('/rewrite/vi_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjFZyFWSt1M')
         assert resp.status_int == 200
         assert resp.content_type == RewriteHandler.YT_DL_TYPE, resp.content_type
@@ -181,8 +186,6 @@ class TestProxyLiveRewriter:
         assert RewriteHandler.create_cache_key('v:', 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjFZyFWSt1M') in self.cache
 
     def test_echo_proxy_video_with_referrer(self):
-        yt = pytest.importorskip('youtube_dl')
-
         headers = [('Range', 'bytes=1000-2000'), ('Referer', 'http://localhost:80/rewrite/https://example.com/')]
         resp = self.testapp.get('/rewrite/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjFZyFWSt1M', headers=headers)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_live_rewriter.py b/tests/test_live_rewriter.py
index 741d527f..f07e1cbb 100644
--- a/tests/test_live_rewriter.py
+++ b/tests/test_live_rewriter.py
@@ -2,9 +2,19 @@ from pywb.webapp.live_rewrite_handler import RewriteHandler
 from pywb.apps.cli import LiveCli
 from pywb.framework.wsgi_wrappers import init_app
 import webtest
-import pytest
+import pywb.webapp.live_rewrite_handler
 
 
+#=================================================================
+class MockYTDWrapper(object):
+    def extract_info(self, url):
+        return {'mock': 'youtube_dl_data'}
+
+
+pywb.webapp.live_rewrite_handler.YoutubeDLWrapper = MockYTDWrapper
+
+
+#=================================================================
 class TestLiveRewriter:
     def setup(self):
         self.app = LiveCli(['-f']).application
@@ -41,7 +51,6 @@ class TestLiveRewriter:
         assert resp.status_int == 400
 
     def test_live_video_info(self):
-        yt = pytest.importorskip('youtube_dl')
         resp = self.testapp.get('/live/vi_/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjFZyFWSt1M')
         assert resp.status_int == 200
         assert resp.content_type == RewriteHandler.YT_DL_TYPE, resp.content_type