diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index 15ac8e12..dbcbf121 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ Requires libvips v8.7.4.
   [#1601](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/pull/1601)
   [@Goues](https://github.com/Goues)
 
+* Improve help messaging should `require("sharp")` fail.
+  [#1638](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/pull/1638)
+  [@sidharthachatterjee](https://github.com/sidharthachatterjee)
+
 #### v0.22.0 - 18<sup>th</sup> March 2019
 
 * Remove functions previously deprecated in v0.21.0:
diff --git a/lib/constructor.js b/lib/constructor.js
index 0f85b02a..3924d050 100644
--- a/lib/constructor.js
+++ b/lib/constructor.js
@@ -9,22 +9,24 @@ const is = require('./is');
 require('./libvips').hasVendoredLibvips();
 
 let sharp;
-
 try {
-  sharp = require('bindings')('sharp.node');
-} catch (error) {
+  sharp = require('../build/Release/sharp.node');
+} catch (err) {
   // Bail early if bindings aren't available
-  console.error(
-    `
-      "sharp" does not seem to have been built or installed correctly.
-
-      - Try to reinstall packages and look for errors during installation
-      - Consult "sharp" installation page at http://sharp.pixelplumbing.com/en/stable/install/
-
-      If neither of the above work, please open an issue in https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues
-    `
+  const help = ['', 'Something went wrong installing the "sharp" module', '', err.message, ''];
+  if (/NODE_MODULE_VERSION/.test(err.message)) {
+    help.push('- Ensure the version of Node.js used at install time matches that used at runtime');
+  } else if (/invalid ELF header/.test(err.message)) {
+    help.push(`- Ensure "${process.platform}" is used at install time as well as runtime`);
+  } else {
+    help.push('- Remove the "node_modules/sharp" directory, run "npm install" and look for errors');
+  }
+  help.push(
+    '- Consult the installation documentation at https://sharp.pixelplumbing.com/en/stable/install/',
+    '- Search for this error at https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues', ''
   );
-  throw error;
+  console.error(help.join('\n'));
+  process.exit(1);
 }
 
 // Use NODE_DEBUG=sharp to enable libvips warnings
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 389c447c..d724db77 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@
     "vips"
   ],
   "dependencies": {
-    "bindings": "^1.5.0",
     "color": "^3.1.0",
     "detect-libc": "^1.0.3",
     "fs-copy-file-sync": "^1.1.1",