diff --git a/cuda_pathfinder/cuda/pathfinder/_optional_cuda_import.py b/cuda_pathfinder/cuda/pathfinder/_optional_cuda_import.py
index 0a3cc27b595..f4a5251cb9c 100644
--- a/cuda_pathfinder/cuda/pathfinder/_optional_cuda_import.py
+++ b/cuda_pathfinder/cuda/pathfinder/_optional_cuda_import.py
@@ -10,6 +10,21 @@
 from cuda.pathfinder._dynamic_libs.load_dl_common import DynamicLibNotFoundError
 
 
+def _target_is_unavailable(missing_modname: str | None, fully_qualified_modname: str) -> bool:
+    """Report whether a ModuleNotFoundError means "the target is not installed".
+
+    ``ModuleNotFoundError.name`` is the module that could not be found, which
+    for ``import a.b.c`` is the *outermost* missing name: if package ``a.b`` is
+    not installed at all, ``name`` is ``"a.b"``, not ``"a.b.c"``. A missing
+    ancestor makes the target just as unavailable as a missing leaf, so both
+    count. Anything else is a broken dependency of the target and must not be
+    swallowed.
+    """
+    if missing_modname is None:
+        return False
+    return fully_qualified_modname == missing_modname or fully_qualified_modname.startswith(missing_modname + ".")
+
+
 def _optional_cuda_import(
     fully_qualified_modname: str,
     *,
@@ -19,7 +34,8 @@ def _optional_cuda_import(
 
     Returns:
         The imported module if available and the optional probe succeeds,
-        otherwise ``None`` when the requested module is unavailable.
+        otherwise ``None`` when the requested module — or a package containing
+        it — is not installed.
 
     Raises:
         ModuleNotFoundError: If the import fails because a dependency of the
@@ -30,7 +46,7 @@ def _optional_cuda_import(
     try:
         module = importlib.import_module(fully_qualified_modname)
     except ModuleNotFoundError as err:
-        if err.name != fully_qualified_modname:
+        if not _target_is_unavailable(err.name, fully_qualified_modname):
             raise
         return None
 
diff --git a/cuda_pathfinder/tests/test_optional_cuda_import.py b/cuda_pathfinder/tests/test_optional_cuda_import.py
index 24c7425a9ce..da8f0a99bda 100644
--- a/cuda_pathfinder/tests/test_optional_cuda_import.py
+++ b/cuda_pathfinder/tests/test_optional_cuda_import.py
@@ -32,6 +32,42 @@ def fake_import_module(name):
     assert result is None
 
 
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="claude-opus-5")
+def test__optional_cuda_import_returns_none_when_parent_package_missing(monkeypatch):
+    def fake_import_module(_name):
+        # What CPython reports for `import cuda.bindings.nvjitlink` when the
+        # cuda.bindings package itself is not installed: the outermost missing
+        # name, not the fully qualified one that was requested.
+        err = ModuleNotFoundError("No module named 'cuda.bindings'")
+        err.name = "cuda.bindings"
+        raise err
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(optional_import_mod.importlib, "import_module", fake_import_module)
+
+    assert _optional_cuda_import("cuda.bindings.nvjitlink") is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="claude-opus-5")
+def test__optional_cuda_import_returns_none_for_a_really_uninstalled_package():
+    """Same as above, but through the real import machinery instead of a stub."""
+    assert _optional_cuda_import("cuda_pathfinder_no_such_package.sub.mod") is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="claude-opus-5")
+def test__optional_cuda_import_reraises_for_a_string_prefix_that_is_not_an_ancestor(monkeypatch):
+    """``cuda.bindings`` is a string prefix of ``cuda.bindings_extra``, not a parent of it."""
+
+    def fake_import_module(_name):
+        err = ModuleNotFoundError("No module named 'cuda.bindings'")
+        err.name = "cuda.bindings"
+        raise err
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(optional_import_mod.importlib, "import_module", fake_import_module)
+
+    with pytest.raises(ModuleNotFoundError, match="cuda.bindings"):
+        _optional_cuda_import("cuda.bindings_extra.mod")
+
+
 def test__optional_cuda_import_reraises_nested_module_not_found(monkeypatch):
     def fake_import_module(_name):
         err = ModuleNotFoundError("No module named 'not_a_real_dependency'")