diff --git a/src/neuroconv/datainterfaces/behavior/neuralynx/neuralynx_nvt_interface.py b/src/neuroconv/datainterfaces/behavior/neuralynx/neuralynx_nvt_interface.py
index e161387f0..213adf731 100644
--- a/src/neuroconv/datainterfaces/behavior/neuralynx/neuralynx_nvt_interface.py
+++ b/src/neuroconv/datainterfaces/behavior/neuralynx/neuralynx_nvt_interface.py
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 
 from .nvt_utils import read_data, read_header
 from ....basetemporalalignmentinterface import BaseTemporalAlignmentInterface
-from ....utils import DeepDict, _NWBMetaDataEncoder, get_base_schema
+from ....utils import DeepDict, get_base_schema
+from ....utils.json_schema import _NWBMetaDataEncoder
 from ....utils.path import infer_path
 
 
diff --git a/src/neuroconv/tools/testing/data_interface_mixins.py b/src/neuroconv/tools/testing/data_interface_mixins.py
index fab049165..dc45cec53 100644
--- a/src/neuroconv/tools/testing/data_interface_mixins.py
+++ b/src/neuroconv/tools/testing/data_interface_mixins.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
     configure_backend,
     get_default_backend_configuration,
 )
-from neuroconv.utils import _NWBMetaDataEncoder
+from neuroconv.utils.json_schema import _NWBMetaDataEncoder
 
 
 class DataInterfaceTestMixin:
diff --git a/src/neuroconv/utils/__init__.py b/src/neuroconv/utils/__init__.py
index f7163f3ff..9c52bf1d9 100644
--- a/src/neuroconv/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/src/neuroconv/utils/__init__.py
@@ -62,3 +62,7 @@ def __getattr__(name):
         warn(message=message, category=DeprecationWarning, stacklevel=2)
 
         return Optional[DirectoryPath]
+
+    if name in globals():
+        return globals()[name]
+    raise ImportError(f"cannot import name '{name}' from '{__name__}'")