diff --git a/dandi/cli/cmd_ls.py b/dandi/cli/cmd_ls.py
index 7241dd48b..0cfacaeb3 100644
--- a/dandi/cli/cmd_ls.py
+++ b/dandi/cli/cmd_ls.py
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ def get_metadata_ls(
     path, keys, errors, flatten=False, schema=None, use_fake_digest=False
 ):
     from ..dandiset import Dandiset
-    from ..metadata import get_metadata, nwb2asset
+    from ..metadata.nwb import get_metadata, nwb2asset
     from ..pynwb_utils import get_nwb_version, ignore_benign_pynwb_warnings
     from ..support.digests import get_digest
 
diff --git a/dandi/metadata/nwb.py b/dandi/metadata/nwb.py
index fcdd2f04d..0c7583922 100644
--- a/dandi/metadata/nwb.py
+++ b/dandi/metadata/nwb.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def get_metadata(
     dict
     """
 
-    from .files import bids, dandi_file, find_bids_dataset_description
+    from ..files import bids, dandi_file, find_bids_dataset_description
 
     # when we run in parallel, these annoying warnings appear
     ignore_benign_pynwb_warnings()