diff --git a/src/emacs/lean-input.el b/src/emacs/lean-input.el
index e3996fa39..342b6bd65 100644
--- a/src/emacs/lean-input.el
+++ b/src/emacs/lean-input.el
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@
 ;;; Code:
 
 (require 'quail)
-(require 'cl)
+
+(eval-when-compile
+  (require 'cl))
 ;; Quail is quite stateful, so be careful when editing this code.  Note
 ;; that with-temp-buffer is used below whenever buffer-local state is
 ;; modified.