diff --git a/python/cuml/_thirdparty/sklearn/preprocessing/_column_transformer.py b/python/cuml/_thirdparty/sklearn/preprocessing/_column_transformer.py
index 01c1912e5d..e248656a83 100644
--- a/python/cuml/_thirdparty/sklearn/preprocessing/_column_transformer.py
+++ b/python/cuml/_thirdparty/sklearn/preprocessing/_column_transformer.py
@@ -15,8 +15,11 @@
 import functools
 import timeit
 import numbers
-from sklearn.base import clone
-from sklearn.utils import Bunch
+from cuml.common.import_utils import has_sklearn
+
+if has_sklearn():
+    from sklearn.base import clone
+    from sklearn.utils import Bunch
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from collections import defaultdict
 import warnings
@@ -30,6 +33,7 @@
 import cuml
 from cuml.internals.global_settings import _global_settings_data
 from cuml.common.array_sparse import SparseCumlArray
+from cuml.common.import_utils import has_sklearn
 from cuml.internals import _deprecate_pos_args
 from ..utils.skl_dependencies import TransformerMixin, BaseComposition, \
     BaseEstimator
@@ -549,6 +553,9 @@ def __init__(self,
                  n_jobs=None,
                  transformer_weights=None,
                  verbose=False):
+        if not has_sklearn():
+            raise ImportError("Scikit-learn is needed to use the "
+                              "Column Transformer")
         if not transformers:
             warnings.warn('Transformers are required')
         self.transformers = transformers
diff --git a/python/cuml/model_selection/__init__.py b/python/cuml/model_selection/__init__.py
index 130c3f6810..746fc7b413 100644
--- a/python/cuml/model_selection/__init__.py
+++ b/python/cuml/model_selection/__init__.py
@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@
 #
 
 from cuml.model_selection._split import train_test_split
-from sklearn.model_selection import GridSearchCV
+from cuml.common.import_utils import has_sklearn
 
+if has_sklearn():
+    from sklearn.model_selection import GridSearchCV
 
-GridSearchCV.__doc__ = """
-This code is developed and maintained by scikit-learn and imported
-by cuML to maintain the familiar sklearn namespace structure.
-cuML includes tests to ensure full compatibility of these wrappers
-with CUDA-based data and cuML estimators, but all of the underlying code
-is due to the scikit-learn developers.\n\n""" + GridSearchCV.__doc__
+    GridSearchCV.__doc__ = """
+    This code is developed and maintained by scikit-learn and imported
+    by cuML to maintain the familiar sklearn namespace structure.
+    cuML includes tests to ensure full compatibility of these wrappers
+    with CUDA-based data and cuML estimators, but all of the underlying code
+    is due to the scikit-learn developers.\n\n""" + GridSearchCV.__doc__
 
 __all__ = ['train_test_split', 'GridSearchCV']
diff --git a/python/cuml/multiclass/multiclass.py b/python/cuml/multiclass/multiclass.py
index 01bdacd802..c1a8a2d884 100644
--- a/python/cuml/multiclass/multiclass.py
+++ b/python/cuml/multiclass/multiclass.py
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@
 #
 
 import cuml.internals
-import sklearn.multiclass
 
 from cuml.common.array import CumlArray
 from cuml.common.base import Base
+from cuml.common.import_utils import has_sklearn
 from cuml.common.mixins import ClassifierMixin
 from cuml.common.doc_utils import generate_docstring
 from cuml.common import input_to_host_array
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ def fit(self, X, y) -> 'MulticlassClassifier':
         """
         Fit a multiclass classifier.
         """
+        if not has_sklearn():
+            raise ImportError("Scikit-learn is needed to use "
+                              "MulticlassClassifier derived classes.")
+        import sklearn.multiclass
         if self.strategy == 'ovr':
             self.multiclass_estimator = sklearn.multiclass.\
                 OneVsRestClassifier(self.estimator, n_jobs=None)
diff --git a/python/cuml/pipeline/__init__.py b/python/cuml/pipeline/__init__.py
index 1a7c1dd2f5..b18a153c77 100644
--- a/python/cuml/pipeline/__init__.py
+++ b/python/cuml/pipeline/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
-from sklearn.pipeline import Pipeline, make_pipeline
+from cuml.common.import_utils import has_sklearn
+
+if has_sklearn():
+    from sklearn.pipeline import Pipeline, make_pipeline
 
 disclaimer = """
 This code is developed and maintained by scikit-learn and imported