diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/entrypoints/engine.py b/python/sglang/srt/entrypoints/engine.py
index 0a512f6bc..59d7b40fc 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/entrypoints/engine.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/entrypoints/engine.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import asyncio
 import atexit
 import dataclasses
+import gc
 import logging
 import multiprocessing as mp
 import os
@@ -1018,7 +1019,6 @@ class Engine(EngineScoreMixin, EngineBase):
         load_plugins()
 
         server_args.check_server_args()
-        _set_gc(server_args)
 
         # Allocate ports for inter-process communications
         if port_args is None:
@@ -1627,11 +1627,8 @@ def _set_envs_and_config(server_args: ServerArgs):
     # Set mp start method
     mp.set_start_method("spawn", force=True)
 
-
-def _set_gc(server_args: ServerArgs):
+    # Set gc threshold
     if gc_threshold := server_args.gc_threshold:
-        import gc
-
         gc.set_threshold(*gc_threshold)