diff --git a/api/src/opentrons/hardware_control/controller.py b/api/src/opentrons/hardware_control/controller.py
index a28bfa6230c..20b4aa1c622 100644
--- a/api/src/opentrons/hardware_control/controller.py
+++ b/api/src/opentrons/hardware_control/controller.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from typing_extensions import Final
 try:
     import aionotify  # type: ignore
-except OSError:
+except (OSError, ModuleNotFoundError):
     aionotify = None  # type: ignore
 
 from opentrons.drivers.smoothie_drivers import driver_3_0
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/conftest.py b/api/tests/opentrons/conftest.py
index 4e476654daa..f0f4e56bf06 100755
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/conftest.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/conftest.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 try:
     import aionotify
-except OSError:
+except (OSError, ModuleNotFoundError):
     aionotify = None  # type: ignore
 import asyncio
 import os
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/hardware_control/test_instruments.py b/api/tests/opentrons/hardware_control/test_instruments.py
index 2e00e9841fa..cd358c3edf6 100644
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/hardware_control/test_instruments.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/hardware_control/test_instruments.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from unittest import mock
 try:
     import aionotify
-except OSError:
+except (OSError, ModuleNotFoundError):
     aionotify = None  # type: ignore
 import pytest
 import typeguard
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/hardware_control/test_modules.py b/api/tests/opentrons/hardware_control/test_modules.py
index 406f373bad1..ecf15f79fbf 100644
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/hardware_control/test_modules.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/hardware_control/test_modules.py
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from unittest import mock
 import pytest
-try:
-    import aionotify
-except OSError:
-    aionotify = None  # type: ignore
 from opentrons.hardware_control import ExecutionManager
 from opentrons.hardware_control.modules import ModuleAtPort
 from opentrons.hardware_control.modules.types import (