diff --git a/airflow-core/src/airflow/utils/db_manager.py b/airflow-core/src/airflow/utils/db_manager.py
index ef0f515a9452f..58fd8adb34f6f 100644
--- a/airflow-core/src/airflow/utils/db_manager.py
+++ b/airflow-core/src/airflow/utils/db_manager.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 import os
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
-from alembic import command
 from sqlalchemy import inspect
 
 from airflow import settings
@@ -50,6 +49,12 @@ def _callable_accepts_use_migration_files(callable_) -> bool:
     )
 
 
+def _get_alembic_command():
+    from alembic import command
+
+    return command
+
+
 class BaseDBManager(LoggingMixin):
     """Abstract Base DB manager for external DBs."""
 
@@ -126,7 +131,7 @@ def create_db_from_orm(self):
         engine = self.session.get_bind().engine
         self.metadata.create_all(engine)
         config = self.get_alembic_config()
-        command.stamp(config, "head")
+        _get_alembic_command().stamp(config, "head")
         self.log.info("%s tables have been created from the ORM", self.__class__.__name__)
 
     def drop_tables(self, connection):
@@ -180,7 +185,7 @@ def upgradedb(self, to_revision=None, from_revision=None, show_sql_only=False, u
             return
 
         config = self.get_alembic_config()
-        command.upgrade(config, revision=to_revision or "heads", sql=show_sql_only)
+        _get_alembic_command().upgrade(config, revision=to_revision or "heads", sql=show_sql_only)
         self.log.info("Migrated the %s database", self.__class__.__name__)
 
     def downgrade(self, to_revision, from_revision=None, show_sql_only=False):
diff --git a/airflow-core/tests/unit/utils/test_db_manager.py b/airflow-core/tests/unit/utils/test_db_manager.py
index 61716e11c7d2b..fc84f7db2286d 100644
--- a/airflow-core/tests/unit/utils/test_db_manager.py
+++ b/airflow-core/tests/unit/utils/test_db_manager.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 # under the License.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import importlib
+import sys
 from contextlib import nullcontext
 from unittest import mock
 
@@ -97,6 +99,23 @@ def _create_run_db_manager(*managers):
 
 
 class TestBaseDBManager:
+    def test_importing_db_manager_does_not_eagerly_import_alembic(self):
+        original_db_manager_module = sys.modules.get("airflow.utils.db_manager")
+
+        try:
+            sys.modules.pop("airflow.utils.db_manager", None)
+            for module_name in list(sys.modules):
+                if module_name == "alembic" or module_name.startswith("alembic."):
+                    sys.modules.pop(module_name)
+
+            module = importlib.import_module("airflow.utils.db_manager")
+
+            assert hasattr(module, "RunDBManager")
+            assert not any(name == "alembic" or name.startswith("alembic.") for name in sys.modules)
+        finally:
+            if original_db_manager_module is not None:
+                sys.modules["airflow.utils.db_manager"] = original_db_manager_module
+
     @mock.patch.object(BaseDBManager, "get_alembic_config")
     @mock.patch.object(BaseDBManager, "get_current_revision")
     @mock.patch.object(BaseDBManager, "create_db_from_orm")