diff --git a/docs/release.rst b/docs/release.rst
index 5c8f83b9..4402ad15 100644
--- a/docs/release.rst
+++ b/docs/release.rst
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ Fixes
 ~~~~~
 * Fixes issue with ``Delta`` Zarr 3 codec not working with ``astype``.
   By :user:`Norman Rzepka <normanrz>`, :issue:`664`
+* Cleanup ``PCodec`` soft dependency.
+  Previously importing ``numcodecs.pcodec`` would work if ``pcodec`` is not installed,
+  but now it will fail to import. This mirrors the behaviour of other optional dependencies.
+  By :user:`John Kirkham <jakirkham>`, :issue:`647`
 * Fixes issues with the upcoming ``zarr`` 3.0.0 release.
   By :user:`Norman Rzepka <normanrz>`, :issue:`675`
 
diff --git a/numcodecs/pcodec.py b/numcodecs/pcodec.py
index da063ae5..995a1ce0 100644
--- a/numcodecs/pcodec.py
+++ b/numcodecs/pcodec.py
@@ -2,12 +2,7 @@
 
 from numcodecs.abc import Codec
 from numcodecs.compat import ensure_contiguous_ndarray
-
-try:
-    from pcodec import ChunkConfig, DeltaSpec, ModeSpec, PagingSpec, standalone
-except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover
-    standalone = None
-
+from pcodec import ChunkConfig, DeltaSpec, ModeSpec, PagingSpec, standalone
 
 DEFAULT_MAX_PAGE_N = 262144
 
@@ -58,9 +53,6 @@ def __init__(
         delta_encoding_order: int | None = None,
         equal_pages_up_to: int = DEFAULT_MAX_PAGE_N,
     ):
-        if standalone is None:  # pragma: no cover
-            raise ImportError("pcodec must be installed to use the PCodec codec.")
-
         # note that we use `level` instead of `compression_level` to
         # match other codecs
         self.level = level
diff --git a/numcodecs/tests/test_pcodec.py b/numcodecs/tests/test_pcodec.py
index 63a2fb51..b35f618e 100644
--- a/numcodecs/tests/test_pcodec.py
+++ b/numcodecs/tests/test_pcodec.py
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 import numpy as np
 import pytest
 
-from numcodecs.pcodec import PCodec
-
 try:
-    # initializing codec triggers ImportError
-    PCodec()
+    from numcodecs.pcodec import PCodec
 except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover
     pytest.skip("pcodec not available", allow_module_level=True)