diff --git a/deepface/basemodels/FbDeepFace.py b/deepface/basemodels/FbDeepFace.py
index 278f5cc..5e41c7d 100644
--- a/deepface/basemodels/FbDeepFace.py
+++ b/deepface/basemodels/FbDeepFace.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ if tf_major == 1:
         Flatten,
         Dense,
         Dropout,
+        LocallyConnected2D,
     )
 else:
     from tensorflow.keras.models import Model, Sequential
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ else:
         Flatten,
         Dense,
         Dropout,
+        LocallyConnected2D,
     )
 
 
@@ -43,14 +45,6 @@ class DeepFaceClient(FacialRecognition):
     """
 
     def __init__(self):
-        # DeepFace requires tf 2.12 or less
-        if tf_major == 2 and tf_minor > 12:
-            # Ref: https://github.com/serengil/deepface/pull/1079
-            raise ValueError(
-                "DeepFace model requires LocallyConnected2D but it is no longer supported"
-                f" after tf 2.12 but you have {tf_major}.{tf_minor}. You need to downgrade your tf."
-            )
-
         self.model = load_model()
         self.model_name = "DeepFace"
         self.input_shape = (152, 152)
@@ -75,13 +69,6 @@ def load_model(
     """
     Construct DeepFace model, download its weights and load
     """
-    # we have some checks for this dependency in the init of client
-    # putting this in global causes library initialization
-    if tf_major == 1:
-        from keras.layers import LocallyConnected2D
-    else:
-        from tensorflow.keras.layers import LocallyConnected2D
-
     base_model = Sequential()
     base_model.add(
         Convolution2D(32, (11, 11), activation="relu", name="C1", input_shape=(152, 152, 3))