diff --git a/src/sage/cpython/__init__.py b/src/sage/cpython/__init__.py
index 5deff221609..cb262984002 100644
--- a/src/sage/cpython/__init__.py
+++ b/src/sage/cpython/__init__.py
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
 # Monkey-patch ExtensionFileLoader to allow IPython to find the sources
 # of Cython files. See https://github.com/sagemath/sage/issues/24681
 from importlib.machinery import ExtensionFileLoader as _ExtensionFileLoader
-del _ExtensionFileLoader.get_source
+if hasattr(_ExtensionFileLoader, 'get_source'):
+    del _ExtensionFileLoader.get_source
 del _ExtensionFileLoader
 
 # Work around a Cygwin-specific bug caused by sqlite3; see