diff --git a/esmvalcore/experimental/__init__.py b/esmvalcore/experimental/__init__.py
index 37d0124c41..aeea2c0f28 100644
--- a/esmvalcore/experimental/__init__.py
+++ b/esmvalcore/experimental/__init__.py
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 import logging
 import sys
 
+from esmvalcore.config import CFG
+
 from ._warnings import warnings  # prints experimental API warning
-from .config import CFG
 from .recipe import Recipe
 from .utils import RecipeList, get_all_recipes, get_recipe
 
diff --git a/esmvalcore/experimental/recipe.py b/esmvalcore/experimental/recipe.py
index eb68d58655..5b8d65b01b 100644
--- a/esmvalcore/experimental/recipe.py
+++ b/esmvalcore/experimental/recipe.py
@@ -10,9 +10,8 @@
 import yaml
 
 from esmvalcore._recipe import Recipe as RecipeEngine
-from esmvalcore.experimental.config import Session
+from esmvalcore.config import CFG, Session
 
-from . import CFG
 from ._logging import log_to_dir
 from .recipe_info import RecipeInfo
 from .recipe_output import RecipeOutput
diff --git a/esmvalcore/experimental/recipe_output.py b/esmvalcore/experimental/recipe_output.py
index 40de3150f5..fe3f1d7c13 100644
--- a/esmvalcore/experimental/recipe_output.py
+++ b/esmvalcore/experimental/recipe_output.py
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@
 
 import iris
 
-from ..config._config import TASKSEP
-from .config import Session
+from esmvalcore.config import Session
+from esmvalcore.config._config import TASKSEP
+
 from .recipe_info import RecipeInfo
 from .recipe_metadata import Contributor, Reference
 from .templates import get_template