diff --git a/openml/__init__.py b/openml/__init__.py
index 374ebfc48..9b2a1a6dd 100644
--- a/openml/__init__.py
+++ b/openml/__init__.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 # License: BSD 3-Clause
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+__version__ = "0.16.0"
+
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 from . import (
@@ -34,7 +36,6 @@
     tasks,
     utils,
 )
-from .__version__ import __version__
 from ._api import _backend
 from .datasets import OpenMLDataFeature, OpenMLDataset
 from .datasets.functions import get_dataset, list_datasets
diff --git a/openml/__version__.py b/openml/__version__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index cf5a8535d..000000000
--- a/openml/__version__.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-"""Version information."""
-
-# License: BSD 3-Clause
-
-# The following line *must* be the last in the module, exactly as formatted:
-from __future__ import annotations
-
-__version__ = "0.16.0"
diff --git a/openml/_api_calls.py b/openml/_api_calls.py
index 179c814e7..9e59e712a 100644
--- a/openml/_api_calls.py
+++ b/openml/_api_calls.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 import openml
 
-from .__version__ import __version__
+from . import __version__
 from .exceptions import (
     OpenMLAuthenticationError,
     OpenMLHashException,
diff --git a/openml/_config.py b/openml/_config.py
index d6850b7b0..26b5e0411 100644
--- a/openml/_config.py
+++ b/openml/_config.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 from openml.enums import APIVersion, ServerMode
 
-from .__version__ import __version__
+from . import __version__
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 openml_logger = logging.getLogger("openml")
diff --git a/openml/cli.py b/openml/cli.py
index 1415d0af9..9f3fc5452 100644
--- a/openml/cli.py
+++ b/openml/cli.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 import openml
-from openml.__version__ import __version__
+from openml import __version__
 from openml.enums import APIVersion
 
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 8c463968b..de75eae43 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ namespaces = false
 openml = ["*.txt", "*.md", "py.typed"]
 
 [tool.setuptools.dynamic]
-version = {attr = "openml.__version__.__version__"}
+version = {attr = "openml.__version__"}
 
 # https://docs.pytest.org/en/7.2.x/reference/reference.html#ini-options-ref
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]