diff --git a/nilearn/image/image.py b/nilearn/image/image.py
index 1ef2e27c18..79a74e3eb8 100644
--- a/nilearn/image/image.py
+++ b/nilearn/image/image.py
@@ -1380,7 +1380,6 @@ def clean_img(
     """
     # Avoid circular import
     from .. import masking
-    from .image import new_img_like
 
     imgs_ = check_niimg_4d(imgs)