diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 31ca672f3..460574b36 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -197,9 +197,15 @@ jobs:
               "$PKG_NAME==$VERSION" \
           )
 
-          # Replace all dashes in the package name with underscores,
-          # since that's how Python imports packages with dashes in the name.
-          IMPORT_NAME="$(echo "$PKG_NAME" | sed s/-/_/g)"
+          if [[ "$PKG_NAME" == *checkpoint* ]]; then
+            # since checkpoint packages are namespace packages, import them with . convention
+            # i.e. import langgraph.checkpoint or langgraph.checkpoint.sqlite
+            IMPORT_NAME="$(echo "$PKG_NAME" | sed s/-/./g)"
+          else
+            # Replace all dashes in the package name with underscores,
+            # since that's how Python imports packages with dashes in the name.
+            IMPORT_NAME="$(echo "$PKG_NAME" | sed s/-/_/g)"
+          fi
 
           poetry run python -c "import $IMPORT_NAME; print(dir($IMPORT_NAME))"