diff --git a/cuda_core/cuda/core/__init__.py b/cuda_core/cuda/core/__init__.py
index 69caf1c0de..7a3ce9ceb8 100644
--- a/cuda_core/cuda/core/__init__.py
+++ b/cuda_core/cuda/core/__init__.py
@@ -4,29 +4,29 @@
 
 from cuda.core._version import __version__
 
-try:
+
+def _import_versioned_module():
+    import importlib
+
     from cuda import bindings
-except ImportError:
-    raise ImportError("cuda.bindings 12.x or 13.x must be installed") from None
-else:
-    cuda_major, cuda_minor = bindings.__version__.split(".")[:2]
+
+    cuda_major = bindings.__version__.split(".")[0]
     if cuda_major not in ("12", "13"):
         raise ImportError("cuda.bindings 12.x or 13.x must be installed")
 
-import importlib
+    subdir = f"cu{cuda_major}"
+    try:
+        versioned_mod = importlib.import_module(f".{subdir}", __package__)
+        # Import all symbols from the module
+        globals().update(versioned_mod.__dict__)
+    except ImportError:
+        # This is not a wheel build, but a conda or local build, do nothing
+        pass
+
+
+_import_versioned_module()
+del _import_versioned_module
 
-subdir = f"cu{cuda_major}"
-try:
-    versioned_mod = importlib.import_module(f".{subdir}", __package__)
-    # Import all symbols from the module
-    globals().update(versioned_mod.__dict__)
-except ImportError:
-    # This is not a wheel build, but a conda or local build, do nothing
-    pass
-else:
-    del versioned_mod
-finally:
-    del bindings, importlib, subdir, cuda_major, cuda_minor
 
 from cuda.core import system, utils
 from cuda.core._device import Device