diff --git a/Lib/importlib/util.py b/Lib/importlib/util.py
index 3743e6aa912fef..4b836f471202db 100644
--- a/Lib/importlib/util.py
+++ b/Lib/importlib/util.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
 import _imp
 import sys
-import threading
 import types
 
 
@@ -253,6 +252,9 @@ def create_module(self, spec):
 
     def exec_module(self, module):
         """Make the module load lazily."""
+        # Threading is only needed for lazy loading, and importlib.util can
+        # be pulled in at interpreter startup, so defer until needed.
+        import threading
         module.__spec__.loader = self.loader
         module.__loader__ = self.loader
         # Don't need to worry about deep-copying as trying to set an attribute
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-06-07-10-10-32.gh-issue-117983.NeMR9n.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-06-07-10-10-32.gh-issue-117983.NeMR9n.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..cca97f50a20496
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-06-07-10-10-32.gh-issue-117983.NeMR9n.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Defer the ``threading`` import in ``importlib.util`` until lazy loading is
+used.