diff --git a/dask_cuda/__init__.py b/dask_cuda/__init__.py
index 1a95f0a7..a93cb1cb 100644
--- a/dask_cuda/__init__.py
+++ b/dask_cuda/__init__.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 import dask
 import dask.utils
-import dask.dataframe as dd
 import dask.dataframe.shuffle
 from .explicit_comms.dataframe.shuffle import patch_shuffle_expression
 from distributed.protocol.cuda import cuda_deserialize, cuda_serialize
@@ -18,17 +17,6 @@
 from .proxify_device_objects import proxify_decorator, unproxify_decorator
 
 
-try:
-    if not dd._dask_expr_enabled():
-        raise ValueError(
-            "Dask-CUDA no longer supports the legacy Dask DataFrame API. "
-            "Please set the 'dataframe.query-planning' config to `True` "
-            "or None, or downgrade RAPIDS to <=24.12."
-        )
-except AttributeError:
-    pass
-
-
 # Monkey patching Dask to make use of explicit-comms when `DASK_EXPLICIT_COMMS=True`
 patch_shuffle_expression()
 # Monkey patching Dask to make use of proxify and unproxify in compatibility mode
diff --git a/dask_cuda/explicit_comms/dataframe/shuffle.py b/dask_cuda/explicit_comms/dataframe/shuffle.py
index 2d80cebe..b2a313dc 100644
--- a/dask_cuda/explicit_comms/dataframe/shuffle.py
+++ b/dask_cuda/explicit_comms/dataframe/shuffle.py
@@ -31,6 +31,20 @@
 Proxify = Callable[[T], T]
 
 
+try:
+    from dask.dataframe import dask_expr
+
+except ImportError:
+    # TODO: Remove when pinned to dask>2024.12.1
+    import dask_expr
+
+    if not dd._dask_expr_enabled():
+        raise ValueError(
+            "The legacy DataFrame API is not supported in dask_cudf>24.12. "
+            "Please enable query-planning, or downgrade to dask_cudf<=24.12"
+        )
+
+
 def get_proxify(worker: Worker) -> Proxify:
     """Get function to proxify objects"""
     from dask_cuda.proxify_host_file import ProxifyHostFile
@@ -576,7 +590,6 @@ def patch_shuffle_expression() -> None:
     an `ECShuffle` expression when the 'explicit-comms'
     config is set to `True`.
     """
-    import dask_expr
 
     class ECShuffle(dask_expr._shuffle.TaskShuffle):
         """Explicit-Comms Shuffle Expression."""