diff --git a/thunder/core/functionalization.py b/thunder/core/functionalization.py
index aac6f1502..fc6594748 100644
--- a/thunder/core/functionalization.py
+++ b/thunder/core/functionalization.py
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ def bsym_of_to_return_self(bsym: BoundSymbol):
 
 def check_inplace_to_views(computation_trace: Trace) -> dict[VariableInterface, TensorProxy]:
     """Error out if in-place op that outputs of different number of elements from the input and the input has other consumers."""
-    from thunder.core import utils
     import thunder.torch as ltorch
 
     producer_bsyms = producers(computation_trace)
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ def has_tag(bsym: BoundSymbol, tag: prims.OpTags) -> bool:
         return bsym.sym.tags and tag in bsym.sym.tags
 
     swap_map: dict[VariableInterface, TensorProxy] = {}
-    consumers = utils.consumers(computation_trace)
+    consumer_map = consumers(computation_trace)
     bsym: BoundSymbol
     for bsym in filter(lambda b: has_tag(b, prims.OpTags.IN_PLACE), computation_trace.bound_symbols):
         in_tensor: TensorProxy = list(filter(lambda p: isinstance(p, TensorProxy), bsym.flat_proxy_args))[0]
@@ -72,7 +71,7 @@ def has_tag(bsym: BoundSymbol, tag: prims.OpTags) -> bool:
             # assuming `prod_bsym` is a tensor factory method such as `torch.empty`, `torch.zeros`, and `torch.ones`
             continue
         orig_tensor = flat_tensor_proxy_args[0]
-        consumer_of_orig_tensor = consumers[orig_tensor]
+        consumer_of_orig_tensor = consumer_map[orig_tensor]
         # When the orig tensor is not used by consumers other than `prod_bsym`, it'd be safe.
         # Otherwise, we'd need to replace the use of ``orig_tensor`` with a view, unless the original
         # is an arg or a kwarg.