diff --git a/distributed/nanny.py b/distributed/nanny.py
index 78ddc44bde4..9e7be25c3ce 100644
--- a/distributed/nanny.py
+++ b/distributed/nanny.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 from time import sleep as sync_sleep
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Callable, ClassVar, Literal
 
-import tornado.util
 from toolz import merge
 from tornado.ioloop import IOLoop