diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
index 25b614f1e4..939a999974 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
@@ -318,9 +318,10 @@ class BBCooker:
                     try:
                         with hashserv.create_client(upstream) as client:
                             client.ping()
-                    except ConnectionError as e:
+                    except (ConnectionError, ImportError) as e:
                         bb.warn("BB_HASHSERVE_UPSTREAM is not valid, unable to connect hash equivalence server at '%s': %s"
                                  % (upstream, repr(e)))
+                        upstream = None
 
                 self.hashservaddr = "unix://%s/hashserve.sock" % self.data.getVar("TOPDIR")
                 self.hashserv = hashserv.create_server(