diff --git a/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qkeymap.py b/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qkeymap.py
index be0f5cc..f63a790 100644
--- a/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qkeymap.py
+++ b/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qkeymap.py
@@ -2,13 +2,18 @@
 from functools import reduce
 from typing import Dict, Optional, cast
 
-from qtpy import QT6
 from qtpy.QtCore import Qt
 from qtpy.QtGui import QKeySequence
 
 from ...types._constants import OperatingSystem
 from ...types._keys import KeyBinding, KeyCode, KeyMod, SimpleKeyBinding
 
+try:
+    from qtpy import QT6
+except ImportError:
+    QT6 = False
+
+
 QMETA = Qt.KeyboardModifier.MetaModifier
 QCTRL = Qt.KeyboardModifier.ControlModifier
 
diff --git a/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qmenu.py b/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qmenu.py
index 490d206..cbef6fd 100644
--- a/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qmenu.py
+++ b/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qmenu.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
     Union,
 )
 
-from qtpy import QT6
 from qtpy.QtCore import QObject
 from qtpy.QtWidgets import QMenu, QMenuBar, QToolBar
 
@@ -21,6 +20,11 @@
 from ._qaction import QMenuItemAction
 from ._util import to_qicon
 
+try:
+    from qtpy import QT6
+except ImportError:
+    QT6 = False
+
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from qtpy.QtWidgets import QAction, QWidget
 
diff --git a/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qmenubar.py b/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qmenubar.py
index 560692f..1a2f1be 100644
--- a/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qmenubar.py
+++ b/src/app_model/backends/qt/_qmenubar.py
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 from typing import List, Mapping, Optional, Union
 
-from qtpy import QT6
 from qtpy.QtWidgets import QMenuBar, QWidget
 
 from ... import Application
 from ._qaction import QMenuItemAction
 from ._qmenu import QModelMenu
 
+try:
+    from qtpy import QT6
+except ImportError:
+    QT6 = False
+
 
 class QModelMenuBar(QMenuBar):
     """QMenuBar that is built from a list of model menu ids."""