diff --git a/src/PIL/ImageCms.py b/src/PIL/ImageCms.py
index ec10230f12b..b838b779c05 100644
--- a/src/PIL/ImageCms.py
+++ b/src/PIL/ImageCms.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 import sys
 from enum import IntEnum, IntFlag
 from functools import reduce
-from typing import Any, Literal, SupportsFloat, SupportsInt, Union
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Literal, SupportsFloat, SupportsInt, Union
 
 from . import Image, __version__
 from ._deprecate import deprecate
@@ -391,9 +391,10 @@ def get_display_profile(handle: SupportsInt | None = None) -> ImageCmsProfile |
 # pyCMS compatible layer
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------.
 
-_CmsProfileCompatible = Union[
-    str, SupportsRead[bytes], core.CmsProfile, ImageCmsProfile
-]
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    _CmsProfileCompatible = Union[
+        str, SupportsRead[bytes], core.CmsProfile, ImageCmsProfile
+    ]
 
 
 class PyCMSError(Exception):