diff --git a/rest_framework/settings.py b/rest_framework/settings.py
index 9eb4c5653..96b664574 100644
--- a/rest_framework/settings.py
+++ b/rest_framework/settings.py
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ REST framework settings, checking for user settings first, then falling
 back to the defaults.
 """
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.test.signals import setting_changed
+# Import from `django.core.signals` instead of the official location
+# `django.test.signals` to avoid importing the test module unnecessarily.
+from django.core.signals import setting_changed
 from django.utils.module_loading import import_string
 
 from rest_framework import ISO_8601