diff --git a/src/radical/utils/__init__.py b/src/radical/utils/__init__.py
index ce7b304c..f9794ace 100644
--- a/src/radical/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/src/radical/utils/__init__.py
@@ -92,12 +92,12 @@
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
-import os
+import os as _os
 
-_mod_root = os.path.dirname (__file__)
+_mod_root = _os.path.dirname (__file__)
 
 version_short, version_base, version_branch, version_tag, version_detail \
-        =  get_version(_mod_root)
+             = get_version(_mod_root)
 version      = version_short
 __version__  = version_detail