diff --git a/faiss/python/swigfaiss.swig b/faiss/python/swigfaiss.swig
index a0cc752c0..7582e01de 100644
--- a/faiss/python/swigfaiss.swig
+++ b/faiss/python/swigfaiss.swig
@@ -1236,9 +1236,23 @@ struct PythonInterruptCallback: faiss::InterruptCallback {
 
 %}
 
+%{
+/* See https://github.com/facebookresearch/faiss/issues/4845 */
+static int _faiss_init_numpy() {
+    import_array1(-1);
+    return 0;
+}
+%}
+
 %init %{
     /* needed, else crash at runtime */
-    import_array();
+    if (_faiss_init_numpy() < 0) {
+#if SWIG_VERSION >= 0x040400
+        return -1;
+#else
+        return NULL;
+#endif
+    }
 
     PythonInterruptCallback::reset();
 %}