diff --git a/abr-testing/abr_testing/automation/google_sheets_tool.py b/abr-testing/abr_testing/automation/google_sheets_tool.py
index afac386bc40..7e8b4dc0f29 100644
--- a/abr-testing/abr_testing/automation/google_sheets_tool.py
+++ b/abr-testing/abr_testing/automation/google_sheets_tool.py
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@
 """
 
 
+class google_interaction_error(gspread.exceptions.APIError):
+    """Internal use exception so we don't need to import gspread directly in other projects."""
+
+    pass
+
+
 class google_sheet:
     """Google Sheets Tool."""
 
diff --git a/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/__main__.py b/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/__main__.py
index 674767da40a..b1fc67a2d2e 100644
--- a/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/__main__.py
+++ b/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/__main__.py
@@ -39,8 +39,15 @@
     liquid_sense_ot3_p1000_single_vial,
 )
 
-from abr_testing.automation import google_sheets_tool
+try:
+    from abr_testing.automation import google_sheets_tool
+except ImportError:
+    ui.print_error(
+        "Unable to import abr repo if this isn't a simulation push the abr_testing package"
+    )
+    from . import google_sheets_tool  # type: ignore[no-redef]
 
+    pass
 
 CREDENTIALS_PATH = "/var/lib/jupyter/notebooks/abr.json"
 
diff --git a/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/execute.py b/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/execute.py
index d421a06c71e..53193c8ad8a 100644
--- a/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/execute.py
+++ b/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/execute.py
@@ -28,7 +28,15 @@
 
 from opentrons_shared_data.errors.exceptions import LiquidNotFoundError
 
-from abr_testing.automation import google_sheets_tool
+try:
+    from abr_testing.automation import google_sheets_tool
+except ImportError:
+    ui.print_error(
+        "Unable to import abr repo if this isn't a simulation push the abr_testing package"
+    )
+    from . import google_sheets_tool  # type: ignore[no-redef]
+
+    pass
 
 
 PROBE_MAX_TIME: Dict[int, float] = {
diff --git a/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/post_process.py b/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/post_process.py
index 089f42047e3..680f8c7cdc4 100644
--- a/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/post_process.py
+++ b/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/post_process.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 """Post process script csvs."""
 import csv
-import gspread
 import math
 import os
 import statistics
@@ -9,6 +8,16 @@
 
 from hardware_testing.data import ui
 
+try:
+    from abr_testing.automation import google_sheets_tool
+except ImportError:
+    ui.print_error(
+        "Unable to import abr repo if this isn't a simulation push the abr_testing package"
+    )
+    from . import google_sheets_tool  # type: ignore[no-redef]
+
+    pass
+
 COL_TRIAL_CONVERSION = {
     1: "E",
     2: "H",
@@ -170,7 +179,7 @@ def process_csv_directory(  # noqa: C901
                     google_sheet.batch_update_cells(
                         pressure_header_for_google_sheet, "H", 10, sheet_id
                     )
-                except gspread.exceptions.APIError:
+                except google_sheets_tool.google_interaction_error:
                     ui.print_error("Header did not write on google sheet.")
             # we want to line up the z height's of each trial at time==0
             # to do this we drop the results at the beginning of each of the trials
@@ -243,7 +252,7 @@ def process_csv_directory(  # noqa: C901
                         google_sheet.batch_update_cells(
                             sheet_name, transposed_pressure_rows, "H", 11, sheet_id
                         )
-                    except gspread.exceptions.APIError:
+                    except google_sheets_tool.google_interaction_error:
                         ui.print_error("Did not write pressure data to google sheet.")
                 if google_drive:
                     new_folder_id = google_drive.create_folder(new_folder_name)
@@ -299,7 +308,7 @@ def process_google_sheet(
             [accuracy, precision, 100.0 - 100.0 * repeatability_error],
         ]
         google_sheet.batch_update_cells(sheet_name, summary, "D", 2, sheet_id)
-    except gspread.exceptions.APIError:
+    except google_sheets_tool.google_interaction_error:
         ui.print_error("stats didn't work.")
 
     # Create Graphs
diff --git a/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/report.py b/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/report.py
index acca567025f..ba7332077a6 100644
--- a/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/report.py
+++ b/hardware-testing/hardware_testing/liquid_sense/report.py
@@ -1,13 +1,21 @@
 """Format the csv report for a liquid-sense run."""
 
-import gspread
 import statistics
 from typing import List, Union, Optional
 
-from abr_testing.automation import google_sheets_tool
-
 from hardware_testing.data import ui
 
+try:
+    from abr_testing.automation import google_sheets_tool
+except ImportError:
+    ui.print_error(
+        "Unable to import abr repo if this isn't a simulation push the abr_testing package"
+    )
+    from . import google_sheets_tool  # type: ignore[no-redef]
+
+    pass
+
+
 from hardware_testing.data.csv_report import (
     CSVReport,
     CSVSection,
@@ -176,7 +184,7 @@ def store_baseline_trial(
     if google_sheet:
         try:
             google_sheet.update_cell(sheet_title, 9, 2, height)
-        except gspread.exceptions.APIError:
+        except google_sheets_tool.google_interaction_error:
             ui.print_error("did not store baseline trial on google sheet.")
     report(
         "TRIALS",
@@ -250,7 +258,7 @@ def store_trial(
             google_sheet.batch_update_cells(
                 trial_for_google_sheet, "A", 11 + int(trial), sheet_id
             )
-        except gspread.exceptions.APIError:
+        except google_sheets_tool.google_interaction_error:
             ui.print_error(f"did not log trial {trial+1} to google sheet.")