diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 072b75ed35..8748905290 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ jobs:
           command: |
               . venv/bin/activate && pip install --no-cache-dir --upgrade -e . --progress-bar off && mkdir packages
               cd dash-renderer && renderer build && python setup.py sdist && mv dist/* ../packages/ && cd ..
-              git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/plotly/dash-core-components.git
+              git clone --depth 1 -b import-test https://github.com/plotly/dash-core-components.git
               cd dash-core-components && npm ci && npm run build && python setup.py sdist && mv dist/* ../packages/  && cd ..
               ls -la packages
       - persist_to_workspace:
diff --git a/dash/__init__.py b/dash/__init__.py
index 647c457edd..a2afee8814 100644
--- a/dash/__init__.py
+++ b/dash/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+__plotly_dash = True  # for the "make sure you don't have a dash.py" check
 from .dash import Dash, no_update  # noqa: F401
 from . import dependencies  # noqa: F401
 from . import development  # noqa: F401
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a39ad82e26..5aef8e9a94 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     "private::test.R.deploy-nested": "npm run private::test.setup-nested && cd \\@plotly/dash-generator-test-component-nested && sudo R CMD INSTALL .",
     "private::test.R.deploy-standard": "npm run private::test.setup-standard && cd \\@plotly/dash-generator-test-component-standard && sudo R CMD INSTALL .",
     "private::test.unit-dash": "pytest tests/unit",
+    "private::test.unit-dash-import": "cd tests/unit/dash && python dash_import_test.py",
     "private::test.unit-renderer": "cd dash-renderer && npm run test",
     "private::test.integration-dash": "TESTFILES=$(circleci tests glob \"tests/integration/**/test_*.py\" | circleci tests split --split-by=timings) && pytest --headless --nopercyfinalize --junitxml=test-reports/junit_intg.xml ${TESTFILES}",
     "format": "run-s private::format.*",
diff --git a/tests/unit/dash/dash_import_test.py b/tests/unit/dash/dash_import_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ab9b78868
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/dash/dash_import_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# NOTE: this is NOT a pytest test. Just run it as a regular Python script.
+# pytest does some magic that makes the issue we're trying to test disappear.
+
+import types
+import os
+
+import dash
+
+assert isinstance(dash, types.ModuleType), "dash can be imported"
+
+this_dir = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+with open(os.path.join(this_dir, "../../../dash/version.py")) as fp:
+    assert dash.__version__ in fp.read(), "version is consistent"
+
+assert (
+    getattr(dash, "Dash").__name__ == "Dash"
+), "access to main Dash class is valid"
diff --git a/tests/unit/dash/org.py b/tests/unit/dash/org.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9cf7a3aeca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/dash/org.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# used implicitly by dash_import_test
+# to test https://github.com/plotly/dash/issues/1143
+import dash_core_components as dcc  # noqa: F401
diff --git a/tests/unit/dash/test_dash_import.py b/tests/unit/dash/test_dash_import.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 35465fc7f5..0000000000
--- a/tests/unit/dash/test_dash_import.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-import importlib
-import types
-
-
-def test_dddi001_dash_import_is_correct():
-    imported = importlib.import_module("dash")
-    assert isinstance(imported, types.ModuleType), "dash can be imported"
-
-    with open("./dash/version.py") as fp:
-        assert imported.__version__ in fp.read(), "version is consistent"
-
-    assert (
-        getattr(imported, "Dash").__name__ == "Dash"
-    ), "access to main Dash class is valid"
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_import.py b/tests/unit/test_import.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 5448882471..0000000000
--- a/tests/unit/test_import.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-import importlib
-import types
-
-
-def test_dash_import_is_correct():
-    imported = importlib.import_module("dash")
-    assert isinstance(imported, types.ModuleType), "dash can be imported"
-
-    with open("./dash/version.py") as fp:
-        assert imported.__version__ in fp.read(), "version is consistent"
-
-    assert (
-        getattr(imported, "Dash").__name__ == "Dash"
-    ), "access to main Dash class is valid"