diff --git a/distributed/shuffle/_merge.py b/distributed/shuffle/_merge.py
index 2aa91f66cdb..5793df7e2d9 100644
--- a/distributed/shuffle/_merge.py
+++ b/distributed/shuffle/_merge.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 
 from dask.base import tokenize
 from dask.core import keys_in_tasks
-from dask.dataframe.core import Index, new_dd_object
 from dask.dataframe.shuffle import partitioning_index
 from dask.highlevelgraph import HighLevelGraph
 from dask.layers import Layer
@@ -37,6 +36,8 @@ def hash_join_p2p(
     suffixes=("_x", "_y"),
     indicator=False,
 ):
+    from dask.dataframe.core import Index, new_dd_object
+
     if npartitions is None:
         npartitions = max(lhs.npartitions, rhs.npartitions)