diff --git a/cli/src/pcluster/api/controllers/import_cdk.py b/cli/src/pcluster/api/controllers/import_cdk.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4bd503849c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/src/pcluster/api/controllers/import_cdk.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import logging
+import time
+from threading import Thread
+
+LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def import_cdk():
+    """Import cdk libraries."""
+    LOGGER.info("Start importing")
+    begin = time.time()
+    from aws_cdk.core import App  # noqa: F401 pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+
+    from pcluster.templates.cluster_stack import ClusterCdkStack  # noqa: F401 pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+
+    LOGGER.info("Import complete in %i seconds", time.time() - begin)
+
+
+def start():
+    """
+    Import cdk libraries in a separate thread.
+
+    :return: thread importing cdk libraries
+    """
+    thread = Thread(target=import_cdk)
+    thread.start()
+    return thread
diff --git a/cli/src/pcluster/models/cluster.py b/cli/src/pcluster/models/cluster.py
index 3c92169757..423c2c664c 100644
--- a/cli/src/pcluster/models/cluster.py
+++ b/cli/src/pcluster/models/cluster.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 from jinja2.sandbox import SandboxedEnvironment
 from marshmallow import ValidationError
 
+from pcluster.api.controllers.import_cdk import start as start_cdk_import
 from pcluster.api.models import Metadata
 from pcluster.aws.aws_api import AWSApi
 from pcluster.aws.common import AWSClientError, BadRequestError, LimitExceededError, StackNotFoundError, get_region
@@ -352,6 +353,7 @@ def create(
         raises ClusterActionError: in case of generic error
         raises ConfigValidationError: if configuration is invalid
         """
+        start_cdk_import()
         creation_result = None
         artifact_dir_generated = False
         try:
@@ -887,6 +889,7 @@ def update(
         raises ConfigValidationError: if configuration is invalid
         raises ClusterUpdateError: if update is not allowed
         """
+        start_cdk_import()
         try:
             target_config, changes, ignored_validation_failures = self.validate_update_request(
                 target_source_config, validator_suppressors, validation_failure_level, force