diff --git a/ibis/__init__.py b/ibis/__init__.py
index 6192887f3076..2026ad4f9455 100644
--- a/ibis/__init__.py
+++ b/ibis/__init__.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 """Initialize Ibis module."""
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import importlib.metadata as _importlib_metadata
-
 # Converting an Ibis schema to a pandas DataFrame requires registering
 # some type conversions that are currently registered in the pandas backend
 import ibis.backends.pandas
@@ -23,20 +21,10 @@
 _KNOWN_BACKENDS = ['bigquery', 'heavyai']
 
 
-def _get_backend_entrypoints() -> list[_importlib_metadata.EntryPoint]:
-    """Get the list of installed `ibis.backend` entrypoints"""
-    import sys
-
-    if sys.version_info < (3, 10):
-        return list(_importlib_metadata.entry_points()['ibis.backends'])
-    else:
-        return list(_importlib_metadata.entry_points(group="ibis.backends"))
-
-
 def __dir__() -> list[str]:
     """Adds tab completion for ibis backends to the top-level module"""
     out = set(__all__)
-    out.update(ep.name for ep in _get_backend_entrypoints())
+    out.update(ep.name for ep in util.backend_entry_points())
     return sorted(out)
 
 
@@ -55,7 +43,9 @@ def __getattr__(name: str) -> BaseBackend:
     the `ibis.backends` entrypoints. If successful, the `ibis.sqlite`
     attribute is "cached", so this function is only called the first time.
     """
-    entry_points = {ep for ep in _get_backend_entrypoints() if ep.name == name}
+    entry_points = {
+        ep for ep in util.backend_entry_points() if ep.name == name
+    }
 
     if not entry_points:
         msg = f"module 'ibis' has no attribute '{name}'. "
diff --git a/ibis/util.py b/ibis/util.py
index d52bdc05b21c..810418980774 100644
--- a/ibis/util.py
+++ b/ibis/util.py
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@
 import abc
 import collections
 import functools
+import importlib.metadata as _importlib_metadata
 import itertools
 import logging
 import operator
 import os
+import sys
 import textwrap
 import types
 import warnings
@@ -523,3 +525,13 @@ class ToFrame(abc.ABC):
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def to_frame(self) -> pd.DataFrame:
         ...
+
+
+def backend_entry_points() -> list[_importlib_metadata.EntryPoint]:
+    """Get the list of installed `ibis.backend` entrypoints"""
+
+    if sys.version_info < (3, 10):
+        eps = _importlib_metadata.entry_points()["ibis.backends"]
+    else:
+        eps = _importlib_metadata.entry_points(group="ibis.backends")
+    return sorted(eps)