diff --git a/src/dask_histogram/core.py b/src/dask_histogram/core.py
index 4f3cec7..64d5f19 100644
--- a/src/dask_histogram/core.py
+++ b/src/dask_histogram/core.py
@@ -524,7 +524,9 @@ def _get_optimization_function():
     # running this optimization even in cases where it's unncessary
     # because if no AwkwardInputLayers from dask-awkward are
     # detected then the original graph is returned unchanged.
-    if dask.config.get("awkward", default=False):
+    import importlib.metadata
+
+    if importlib.metadata.distribution("dask_awkward"):
         from dask_awkward.lib.optimize import all_optimizations
 
         return all_optimizations