diff --git a/ase/__init__.py b/ase/__init__.py
index f26c2a34a4f8d708659c2aaea2749b6d706a1aa6..6ebfd9a6bb27b38af4f17c3395acb5df00222a16 100644
--- a/ase/__init__.py
+++ b/ase/__init__.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 """Atomic Simulation Environment."""
 
 import sys
-from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 import numpy as np
 
 
@@ -12,11 +11,6 @@ if sys.version_info[0] == 2:
     raise ImportError('ASE requires Python3. This is Python2.')
 
 
-if LooseVersion(np.__version__) < '1.9':
-    raise ImportError(
-        'ASE needs NumPy-1.9.0 or later. You have: %s' % np.__version__)
-
-
 __all__ = ['Atoms', 'Atom']
 __version__ = '3.21.1'