diff --git a/python/instrumentation/openinference-instrumentation-guardrails/src/openinference/instrumentation/guardrails/__init__.py b/python/instrumentation/openinference-instrumentation-guardrails/src/openinference/instrumentation/guardrails/__init__.py
index 316ef2d5d..6d0120fce 100644
--- a/python/instrumentation/openinference-instrumentation-guardrails/src/openinference/instrumentation/guardrails/__init__.py
+++ b/python/instrumentation/openinference-instrumentation-guardrails/src/openinference/instrumentation/guardrails/__init__.py
@@ -50,8 +50,6 @@ def instrumentation_dependencies(self) -> Collection[str]:
         return _instruments
 
     def _instrument(self, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
-        import guardrails as gd
-
         version = Version(metadata.version("guardrails-ai"))
         global GUARDRAILS_VERSION
         GUARDRAILS_VERSION = (version.major, version.minor, version.micro)
@@ -60,6 +58,8 @@ def _instrument(self, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
             logger.info("Guardrails version >= 0.5.2 detected, skipping instrumentation")
             return
 
+        import guardrails as gd
+
         if not (tracer_provider := kwargs.get("tracer_provider")):
             tracer_provider = trace_api.get_tracer_provider()
         if not (config := kwargs.get("config")):