diff --git a/git/__init__.py b/git/__init__.py
index 05a02a7ff..5b55e59eb 100644
--- a/git/__init__.py
+++ b/git/__init__.py
@@ -6,38 +6,11 @@
 # flake8: noqa
 # @PydevCodeAnalysisIgnore
 from git.exc import *  # @NoMove @IgnorePep8
-import os
-import os.path as osp
-import sys
-
 from typing import List, Optional, Sequence, Tuple, Union, TYPE_CHECKING
 from git.types import PathLike
 
 __version__ = "git"
 
-
-# { Initialization
-def _init_externals() -> None:
-    """Initialize external projects by putting them into the path"""
-    if __version__ == "git" and "PYOXIDIZER" not in os.environ:
-        sys.path.insert(1, osp.join(osp.dirname(__file__), "ext", "gitdb"))
-
-    try:
-        import gitdb
-    except ImportError as e:
-        raise ImportError("'gitdb' could not be found in your PYTHONPATH") from e
-    # END verify import
-
-
-# } END initialization
-
-
-#################
-_init_externals()
-#################
-
-# { Imports
-
 from gitdb.util import to_hex_sha
 
 try:
@@ -62,8 +35,6 @@ def _init_externals() -> None:
 except GitError as _exc:
     raise ImportError("%s: %s" % (_exc.__class__.__name__, _exc)) from _exc
 
-# } END imports
-
 # __all__ must be statically defined by py.typed support
 # __all__ = [name for name, obj in locals().items() if not (name.startswith("_") or inspect.ismodule(obj))]
 __all__ = [
diff --git a/test/test_installation.py b/test/test_installation.py
index 0cb0c71fa..3a0e43973 100644
--- a/test/test_installation.py
+++ b/test/test_installation.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ def setUp_venv(self, rw_dir):
     @with_rw_directory
     def test_installation(self, rw_dir):
         self.setUp_venv(rw_dir)
+
         result = subprocess.run(
             [self.pip, "install", "."],
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
@@ -35,12 +36,32 @@ def test_installation(self, rw_dir):
             result.returncode,
             msg=result.stderr or result.stdout or "Can't install project",
         )
-        result = subprocess.run([self.python, "-c", "import git"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, cwd=self.sources)
+
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [self.python, "-c", "import git"],
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            cwd=self.sources,
+        )
         self.assertEqual(
             0,
             result.returncode,
             msg=result.stderr or result.stdout or "Selftest failed",
         )
+
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [self.python, "-c", "import gitdb; import smmap"],
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            cwd=self.sources,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            0,
+            result.returncode,
+            msg=result.stderr or result.stdout or "Dependencies not installed",
+        )
+
+        # Even IF gitdb or any other dependency is supplied during development
+        # by inserting its location into PYTHONPATH or otherwise patched into
+        # sys.path, make sure it is not wrongly inserted as the *first* entry.
         result = subprocess.run(
             [self.python, "-c", "import sys;import git; print(sys.path)"],
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
@@ -53,4 +74,3 @@ def test_installation(self, rw_dir):
             syspath[0],
             msg="Failed to follow the conventions for https://docs.python.org/3/library/sys.html#sys.path",
         )
-        self.assertTrue(syspath[1].endswith("gitdb"), msg="Failed to add gitdb to sys.path")