diff --git a/numcodecs/tests/test_entrypoints_backport.py b/numcodecs/tests/test_entrypoints_backport.py
index 5c69fd81..21f245aa 100644
--- a/numcodecs/tests/test_entrypoints_backport.py
+++ b/numcodecs/tests/test_entrypoints_backport.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
+import importlib
 import os.path
-import pkgutil
 import sys
 from multiprocessing import Process
 
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 import numcodecs.registry
 
-if not pkgutil.find_loader("importlib_metadata"):  # pragma: no cover
+if not importlib.util.find_spec("importlib_metadata").loader:  # pragma: no cover
     pytest.skip(
         "This test module requires importlib_metadata to be installed",
         allow_module_level=True,