diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index aa56174d..625cd5b7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-__VERSION__ = "3.6.17"
+__VERSION__ = "3.6.18"
 
 bump:
 	bump2version --allow-dirty --current-version $(__VERSION__) patch Makefile custom_components/spotcast/manifest.json
diff --git a/custom_components/spotcast/__init__.py b/custom_components/spotcast/__init__.py
index 5a997263..a55786e1 100644
--- a/custom_components/spotcast/__init__.py
+++ b/custom_components/spotcast/__init__.py
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@
 
 
 def setup(hass, config):
+    
+    # get spotify core integration status
+    if not helpers.get_spotify_install_status(hass):
+        _LOGGER.error("Spotify integration was not found, aborting setup...")
+        return False
+    
     """Setup the Spotcast service."""
     conf = config[DOMAIN]
 
diff --git a/custom_components/spotcast/helpers.py b/custom_components/spotcast/helpers.py
index 438b9fdc..b66f5bdc 100644
--- a/custom_components/spotcast/helpers.py
+++ b/custom_components/spotcast/helpers.py
@@ -36,6 +36,19 @@ def get_spotify_devices(hass, spotify_user_id):
         _LOGGER.debug("get_spotify_devices: %s", resp)
         return resp
 
+def get_spotify_install_status(hass):
+
+    platform_string = "spotify"
+    platforms = entity_platform.async_get_platforms(hass, platform_string)
+    platform_count = len(platforms)
+
+    if platform_count == 0:
+        _LOGGER.error("%s integration not found", platform_string)
+    else:
+        _LOGGER.debug("%s integration found", platform_string)
+
+    return platform_count != 0
+
 
 def get_cast_devices(hass):
     platforms = entity_platform.async_get_platforms(hass, "cast")
diff --git a/custom_components/spotcast/manifest.json b/custom_components/spotcast/manifest.json
index d16dbe66..36ba4913 100644
--- a/custom_components/spotcast/manifest.json
+++ b/custom_components/spotcast/manifest.json
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   "requirements": [
     "spotify_token==1.0.0"
   ],
-  "version": "v3.6.17",
+  "version": "v3.6.18",
   "dependencies": [
     "spotify"
   ],
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 30d77cf2..56cda372 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [bumpversion]
-current_version = 3.6.17
+current_version = 3.6.18
 
 [flake8]
 exclude = .venv,.git,.tox,docs,venv,bin,lib,deps,build