diff --git a/guidance/_program.py b/guidance/_program.py
index 260be00d3..9120006a1 100644
--- a/guidance/_program.py
+++ b/guidance/_program.py
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ def __init__(self, text, llm=None, cache_seed=0, logprobs=None, silent='auto', a
 
         # see if we are in an ipython environment
         try:
+            from IPython import get_ipython
             self._ipython = get_ipython()
         except:
             self._ipython = None