diff --git a/flash_mla/__init__.py b/flash_mla/__init__.py
index e37cd195..352d51dd 100644
--- a/flash_mla/__init__.py
+++ b/flash_mla/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,25 @@
 # Adapted from deepseek-ai/FlashMLA(https://github.com/deepseek-ai/FlashMLA)
 __version__ = "1.0.1"
 
-from flash_mla.flash_mla_interface import(
-    get_mla_metadata,
-    flash_mla_with_kvcache
-)
+__all__ = ["__version__", "get_mla_metadata", "flash_mla_with_kvcache"]
+
+
+def _load_interface():
+    try:
+        from flash_mla.flash_mla_interface import flash_mla_with_kvcache, get_mla_metadata
+    except ImportError as exc:
+        raise ImportError(
+            "flash_mla_cuda is not available. Build and install FlashMLA from source "
+            "in a configured MACA environment before calling FlashMLA kernels."
+        ) from exc
+    return get_mla_metadata, flash_mla_with_kvcache
+
+
+def get_mla_metadata(*args, **kwargs):
+    metadata_func, _ = _load_interface()
+    return metadata_func(*args, **kwargs)
+
+
+def flash_mla_with_kvcache(*args, **kwargs):
+    _, flash_func = _load_interface()
+    return flash_func(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/tests/test_lazy_import.py b/tests/test_lazy_import.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..41530435
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_lazy_import.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import importlib
+import unittest
+
+
+class LazyImportTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_import_package_without_compiled_extension(self):
+        module = importlib.import_module("flash_mla")
+
+        self.assertEqual(module.__version__, "1.0.1")
+        self.assertTrue(callable(module.get_mla_metadata))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()