diff --git a/.github/workflows/cache_data.yaml b/.github/workflows/cache_data.yaml
index 907e26560c9..bc36c6ac867 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cache_data.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cache_data.yaml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: |
           mamba install gmt=6.3.0 numpy pandas xarray netCDF4 packaging \
-                        build matplotlib
+                        build
 
       # Install the package that we want to test
       - name: Install the package
diff --git a/pygmt/helpers/testing.py b/pygmt/helpers/testing.py
index a398f3c30d5..7d85e80fcf0 100644
--- a/pygmt/helpers/testing.py
+++ b/pygmt/helpers/testing.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 import os
 import string
 
-from matplotlib.testing.compare import compare_images
 from pygmt.exceptions import GMTImageComparisonFailure
 from pygmt.io import load_dataarray
 from pygmt.src import which
@@ -77,7 +76,9 @@ def check_figures_equal(*, extensions=("png",), tol=0.0, result_dir="result_imag
     KEYWORD_ONLY = inspect.Parameter.KEYWORD_ONLY
 
     def decorator(func):
-        import pytest  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+        # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+        import pytest
+        from matplotlib.testing.compare import compare_images
 
         os.makedirs(result_dir, exist_ok=True)
         old_sig = inspect.signature(func)