diff --git a/src/quacc/atoms/phonons.py b/src/quacc/atoms/phonons.py
index 2f811849a7..83e61092a5 100644
--- a/src/quacc/atoms/phonons.py
+++ b/src/quacc/atoms/phonons.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from importlib.util import find_spec
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -10,18 +11,15 @@
 from pymatgen.io.phonopy import get_phonopy_structure, get_pmg_structure
 from pymatgen.symmetry.analyzer import SpacegroupAnalyzer
 
-try:
-    import phonopy
+has_phonopy = find_spec("phonopy")
 
-    has_phonopy = True
-except ImportError:
-    has_phonopy = False
+if has_phonopy:
+    from phonopy import Phonopy
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ase.atoms import Atoms
 
-    if phonopy:
-        from phonopy import Phonopy
+    if has_phonopy:
         from phonopy.structure.atoms import PhonopyAtoms
 
 
@@ -71,7 +69,7 @@ def get_phonopy(
             np.round(np.ceil(min_lengths / np.array(symmetrized_structure.lattice.abc)))
         )
 
-    phonon = phonopy.Phonopy(
+    phonon = Phonopy(
         get_phonopy_structure(symmetrized_structure),
         symprec=symprec,
         supercell_matrix=supercell_matrix,