diff --git a/cuda_bindings/setup.py b/cuda_bindings/setup.py
index 7c8725ee..38882778 100644
--- a/cuda_bindings/setup.py
+++ b/cuda_bindings/setup.py
@@ -308,9 +308,9 @@ def build_extension(self, ext):
             # Allow extensions to discover libraries at runtime
             # relative their wheels installation.
             if ext.name == "cuda.bindings._bindings.cynvrtc":
-                ldflag = f"-Wl,--disable-new-dtags,-rpath,$ORIGIN/../../../nvidia/cuda_nvrtc/lib"
+                ldflag = "-Wl,--disable-new-dtags,-rpath,$ORIGIN/../../../nvidia/cuda_nvrtc/lib"
             elif ext.name == "cuda.bindings._internal.nvjitlink":
-                ldflag = f"-Wl,--disable-new-dtags,-rpath,$ORIGIN/../../../nvidia/nvjitlink/lib"
+                ldflag = "-Wl,--disable-new-dtags,-rpath,$ORIGIN/../../../nvidia/nvjitlink/lib"
             else:
                 ldflag = None
 
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ def build_extension(self, ext):
 cmdclass = {
     "bdist_wheel": WheelsBuildExtensions,
     "build_ext": ParallelBuildExtensions,
-    }
+}
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Setup
diff --git a/cuda_bindings/tests/test_nvjitlink.py b/cuda_bindings/tests/test_nvjitlink.py
index 4a2c1a6b..000ef52e 100644
--- a/cuda_bindings/tests/test_nvjitlink.py
+++ b/cuda_bindings/tests/test_nvjitlink.py
@@ -55,9 +55,7 @@ def ptx_header(version, arch):
 def check_nvjitlink_usable():
     from cuda.bindings._internal import nvjitlink as inner_nvjitlink
 
-    if inner_nvjitlink._inspect_function_pointer("__nvJitLinkVersion") == 0:
-        return False
-    return True
+    return inner_nvjitlink._inspect_function_pointer("__nvJitLinkVersion") != 0
 
 
 pytestmark = pytest.mark.skipif(
diff --git a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_launcher.py b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_launcher.py
index 91379d57..91b6856d 100644
--- a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_launcher.py
+++ b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_launcher.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-NVIDIA-SOFTWARE-LICENSE
 
-import importlib.metadata
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Optional, Union
 
@@ -11,7 +10,7 @@
 from cuda.core.experimental._kernel_arg_handler import ParamHolder
 from cuda.core.experimental._module import Kernel
 from cuda.core.experimental._stream import Stream
-from cuda.core.experimental._utils import CUDAError, check_or_create_options, handle_return
+from cuda.core.experimental._utils import CUDAError, check_or_create_options, get_binding_version, handle_return
 
 # TODO: revisit this treatment for py313t builds
 _inited = False
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ def _lazy_init():
 
     global _use_ex
     # binding availability depends on cuda-python version
-    _py_major_minor = tuple(int(v) for v in (importlib.metadata.version("cuda-python").split(".")[:2]))
+    _py_major_minor = get_binding_version()
     _driver_ver = handle_return(cuda.cuDriverGetVersion())
     _use_ex = (_driver_ver >= 11080) and (_py_major_minor >= (11, 8))
     _inited = True
diff --git a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_module.py b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_module.py
index 5dc2801b..89f31b9f 100644
--- a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_module.py
+++ b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_module.py
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-NVIDIA-SOFTWARE-LICENSE
 
-import importlib.metadata
 
 from cuda import cuda
-from cuda.core.experimental._utils import handle_return, precondition
+from cuda.core.experimental._utils import get_binding_version, handle_return, precondition
 
 _backend = {
     "old": {
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ def _lazy_init():
 
     global _py_major_ver, _driver_ver, _kernel_ctypes
     # binding availability depends on cuda-python version
-    _py_major_ver = int(importlib.metadata.version("cuda-python").split(".")[0])
+    _py_major_ver, _ = get_binding_version()
     if _py_major_ver >= 12:
         _backend["new"] = {
             "file": cuda.cuLibraryLoadFromFile,
diff --git a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_utils.py b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_utils.py
index 9cb47a33..b672b4ac 100644
--- a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_utils.py
+++ b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_utils.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-NVIDIA-SOFTWARE-LICENSE
 
 import functools
+import importlib.metadata
 from collections import namedtuple
 from typing import Callable, Dict
 
@@ -134,3 +135,11 @@ def get_device_from_ctx(ctx_handle) -> int:
         assert ctx_handle == handle_return(cuda.cuCtxPopCurrent())
         handle_return(cuda.cuCtxPushCurrent(prev_ctx))
     return device_id
+
+
+def get_binding_version():
+    try:
+        major_minor = importlib.metadata.version("cuda-bindings").split(".")[:2]
+    except importlib.metadata.PackageNotFoundError:
+        major_minor = importlib.metadata.version("cuda-python").split(".")[:2]
+    return tuple(int(v) for v in major_minor)