diff --git a/confluence-mdx/bin/converter/context.py b/confluence-mdx/bin/converter/context.py
index bc4c846e6..b9f59de98 100644
--- a/confluence-mdx/bin/converter/context.py
+++ b/confluence-mdx/bin/converter/context.py
@@ -21,9 +21,11 @@
 
 try:
     import emoji
-    EMOJI_AVAILABLE = True
 except ImportError:
-    EMOJI_AVAILABLE = False
+    raise SystemExit(
+        "Required package 'emoji' is not installed.\n"
+        "Run: pip install 'emoji>=2.8.0'"
+    )
 
 
 # Type definitions for page_v1 structure
diff --git a/confluence-mdx/bin/converter/core.py b/confluence-mdx/bin/converter/core.py
index 2f6a595ec..2dfa2e317 100644
--- a/confluence-mdx/bin/converter/core.py
+++ b/confluence-mdx/bin/converter/core.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 import converter.context as ctx
 from converter.context import (
     PAGES_BY_TITLE,
-    CONFLUENCE_COLOR_TO_BADGE_COLOR, EMOJI_AVAILABLE,
+    CONFLUENCE_COLOR_TO_BADGE_COLOR,
     confluence_url, parse_confluence_url, convert_confluence_url,
     get_page_v1, get_attachments, set_page_v1, set_attachments,
     relative_path_to_titled_page, resolve_external_link,
@@ -333,24 +333,13 @@ def convert_recursively(self, node):
                 self.markdown_lines.append(fallback)
             elif shortname:
                 # Convert shortname to actual emoji
-                if EMOJI_AVAILABLE:
-                    # Use emoji library to convert shortname to actual emoji
-                    emoji_char = emoji.emojize(shortname, language='alias')
-                    if emoji_char != shortname:
-                        # Conversion successful (converted to actual emoji)
-                        self.markdown_lines.append(emoji_char)
-                    else:
-                        # Conversion failed (use fallback or shortname as-is)
-                        if fallback:
-                            self.markdown_lines.append(fallback)
-                        else:
-                            self.markdown_lines.append(shortname)
+                emoji_char = emoji.emojize(shortname, language='alias')
+                if emoji_char != shortname:
+                    self.markdown_lines.append(emoji_char)
+                elif fallback:
+                    self.markdown_lines.append(fallback)
                 else:
-                    # emoji library not available, use fallback or shortname
-                    if fallback:
-                        self.markdown_lines.append(fallback)
-                    else:
-                        self.markdown_lines.append(shortname)
+                    self.markdown_lines.append(shortname)
             elif fallback:
                 # No shortname but fallback is available
                 self.markdown_lines.append(fallback)