diff --git a/specutils/utils/quantity_model.py b/specutils/utils/quantity_model.py
index a25d661dd..149536026 100644
--- a/specutils/utils/quantity_model.py
+++ b/specutils/utils/quantity_model.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 __all__ = ['QuantityModel']
 _NUMPY_COPY_IF_NEEDED = False if np.__version__.startswith("1.") else None
 
+_NUMPY_COPY_IF_NEEDED = False if np.__version__.startswith("1.") else None
+
 
 class QuantityModel:
     """