diff --git a/tests/test_completion/test_sanitization.py b/tests/test_completion/test_sanitization.py
index 9150b94cd5..0f931bd64b 100644
--- a/tests/test_completion/test_sanitization.py
+++ b/tests/test_completion/test_sanitization.py
@@ -1,38 +1,36 @@
-from importlib.machinery import ModuleSpec
-from unittest.mock import patch
-
 import pytest
+import typer._completion_classes
 from typer._completion_classes import _sanitize_help_text
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    "find_spec, help_text, expected",
+    "has_rich, help_text, expected",
     [
         (
-            ModuleSpec("rich", loader=None),
+            True,
             "help text without rich tags",
             "help text without rich tags",
         ),
         (
-            None,
+            False,
             "help text without rich tags",
             "help text without rich tags",
         ),
         (
-            ModuleSpec("rich", loader=None),
+            True,
             "help [bold]with[/] rich tags",
             "help with rich tags",
         ),
         (
-            None,
+            False,
             "help [bold]with[/] rich tags",
             "help [bold]with[/] rich tags",
         ),
     ],
 )
 def test_sanitize_help_text(
-    find_spec: ModuleSpec | None, help_text: str, expected: str
+    has_rich: bool, help_text: str, expected: str, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
 ):
-    with patch("importlib.util.find_spec", return_value=find_spec) as mock_find_spec:
-        assert _sanitize_help_text(help_text) == expected
-    mock_find_spec.assert_called_once_with("rich")
+    # we can't monkeypatch typer.core.HAS_RICH because _completion_classes will already have imported it before this test runs
+    monkeypatch.setattr(typer._completion_classes, "HAS_RICH", has_rich)
+    assert _sanitize_help_text(help_text) == expected
diff --git a/typer/_completion_classes.py b/typer/_completion_classes.py
index 8548fb4d6a..f5fdc221fa 100644
--- a/typer/_completion_classes.py
+++ b/typer/_completion_classes.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import importlib.util
 import os
 import re
 import sys
@@ -16,11 +15,12 @@
     COMPLETION_SCRIPT_ZSH,
     Shells,
 )
+from .core import HAS_RICH
 
 
 def _sanitize_help_text(text: str) -> str:
     """Sanitizes the help text by removing rich tags"""
-    if not importlib.util.find_spec("rich"):
+    if not HAS_RICH:
         return text
     from . import rich_utils