diff --git a/src/ngio/core/image_like_handler.py b/src/ngio/core/image_like_handler.py
index 104e454..c1ad1a9 100644
--- a/src/ngio/core/image_like_handler.py
+++ b/src/ngio/core/image_like_handler.py
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@
 import numpy as np
 import zarr
 from dask.delayed import Delayed
-from dask.distributed import Lock
 from scipy.ndimage import zoom
 
 from ngio._common_types import ArrayLike
 from ngio.core.dimensions import Dimensions
 from ngio.core.roi import WorldCooROI
+from ngio.core.utils import Lock
 from ngio.io import StoreOrGroup, open_group_wrapper
 from ngio.ngff_meta import (
     Dataset,
@@ -229,6 +229,10 @@ def on_disk_shape(self) -> tuple[int, ...]:
     # Methods to get the image data in the canonical order
     def init_lock(self, lock_id: str | None = None) -> None:
         """Set the lock for the Dask array."""
+        if Lock is None:
+            raise ImportError(
+                "Lock is not available. Please install dask[distributed]."
+            )
         # Unique zarr array identifier
         array_path = (
             Path(self._group.store.path) / self._group.path / self._dataset.path
diff --git a/src/ngio/core/utils.py b/src/ngio/core/utils.py
index 6ba7832..6bad216 100644
--- a/src/ngio/core/utils.py
+++ b/src/ngio/core/utils.py
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@
     TimeUnits,
 )
 
+try:
+    from dask.distributed import Lock
+except ImportError:
+    Lock = None
+
 
 def _build_empty_pyramid(
     group,