diff --git a/ssh_tools/README.md b/ssh_tools/README.md
index d31bd35..f3ed071 100644
--- a/ssh_tools/README.md
+++ b/ssh_tools/README.md
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ remote files that are not in the local copy will be deleted (rsync's
 Please note that unlike rsync, prsync cannot handle multiple local files,
 therefore the `-P` option is ignored when passed along with `-r` or `-R`.
 
-**Dependencies**: `parallel-scp` (`pscp`), `parallel-rsync` (`prsync`),
-`multiping` (see above)
+**Dependencies (optional)**: `parallel-scp` (`pscp`), `parallel-rsync`
+(`prsync`), `multiping` (see above)
 
 **Ansible replacement**: use Ansible `copy` module. See also modules `fetch`
 (to retrieve files instead of pushing them), `synchronize`, `rsync` and
diff --git a/ssh_tools/multicopy.sh b/ssh_tools/multicopy.sh
index 081074e..df12b71 100755
--- a/ssh_tools/multicopy.sh
+++ b/ssh_tools/multicopy.sh
@@ -129,9 +129,9 @@ fi
 
 MULTIPING=$(command -v multiping)
 if [ -z "$MULTIPING" ] ; then
-  err "multiping (which should have been provided along with this" \
-      "script) is required for this script to work."
-  exit $EXIT_DEPENDENCY
+  warn "multiping (which should have been provided along with this" \
+       "script) is not available. For best results, make sure it is" \
+       "reachable from your PATH."
 fi
 
 # Hosts list file
@@ -153,14 +153,20 @@ if [ -n "$LOGIN" ] ; then
   LOGIN="-l $LOGIN"
 fi
 
-# Test the connection to the first alive host and get the destination
-# directory (home directory of the remote user)
-FIRST_HOST=$($MULTIPING "$HOSTS_LIST_NAME" 2>/dev/null \
-           | sed -n "s/ is alive$//p" | head -n1)
-if [ -z "$FIRST_HOST" ] ; then
-  err "None of the remote hosts is alive."
-  exit $EXIT_HOSTS_DEAD
+# Test the connection to the first alive host
+if [ -n "$MULTIPING" ] ; then
+  FIRST_HOST=$($MULTIPING "$HOSTS_LIST_NAME" 2>/dev/null \
+             | sed -n "s/ is alive$//p" | head -n1)
+  if [ -z "$FIRST_HOST" ] ; then
+    err "None of the remote hosts is alive."
+    exit $EXIT_HOSTS_DEAD
+  fi
+else # multiping is not available
+  warn "multiping is not available, using the first host in the hosts list."
+  FIRST_HOST="$(grep -v '^#' "$HOSTS" | head -n 1)"
 fi
+
+# Get the destination directory (home directory of the remote user)
 echo "Testing connection to $FIRST_HOST..."
 DEST_DIR="$(ssh "${SSH_LOGIN}${FIRST_HOST}" 'echo $HOME' 2>/dev/null)"
 if [ -z "$DEST_DIR" ] ; then