diff --git a/_appmap/recording.py b/_appmap/recording.py
index ea05b0d7..dafe9c1f 100644
--- a/_appmap/recording.py
+++ b/_appmap/recording.py
@@ -54,6 +54,33 @@ def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, tb):
         return False
 
 
+class NoopRecording:
+    """
+    A noop context manager to export as "Recording" instead of class
+    Recording when not Env.current.enabled.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, exit_hook=None):
+        self.exit_hook = exit_hook
+
+    def start(self):
+        pass
+
+    def stop(self):
+        pass
+
+    def is_running(self):
+        return False
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        pass
+
+    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, tb):
+        if self.exit_hook is not None:
+            self.exit_hook(self)
+        return False
+
+
 def write_appmap(
     appmap, appmap_fname, recorder_type, metadata=None, basedir=Env.current.output_dir
 ):
diff --git a/appmap/__init__.py b/appmap/__init__.py
index a1638b17..b5750595 100644
--- a/appmap/__init__.py
+++ b/appmap/__init__.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 # execute the imports in a function, the modules all get put into the funtion's
 # globals, rather than into appmap's globals.
 _enabled = os.environ.get("APPMAP", None)
+_recording_exported = False
 if _enabled is None or _enabled.upper() == "TRUE":
     if _enabled is not None:
         # Use setdefault so tests can manage _APPMAP as necessary
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@
         from _appmap.labels import labels  # noqa: F401
         from _appmap.noappmap import decorator as noappmap  # noqa: F401
         from _appmap.recording import Recording  # noqa: F401
+        _recording_exported = True
 
         try:
             from . import django  # noqa: F401
@@ -51,4 +53,11 @@ def enabled():
     else:
         os.environ.pop("_APPMAP", None)
 else:
-    os.environ.setdefault("_APPMAP", "false")
\ No newline at end of file
+    os.environ.setdefault("_APPMAP", "false")
+
+if not _recording_exported:
+    # Client code that imports appmap.Recording should run correctly
+    # even when not Env.current.enabled (not APPMAP=true).
+    # This prevents:
+    #   ImportError: cannot import name 'Recording' from 'appmap'...
+    from _appmap.recording import NoopRecording as Recording # noqa: F401
diff --git a/ci/smoketest.sh b/ci/smoketest.sh
index 79ad567f..ba4ed9d3 100755
--- a/ci/smoketest.sh
+++ b/ci/smoketest.sh
@@ -27,3 +27,22 @@ else
   find $PWD
   exit 1
 fi
+
+# Ensure that client code using appmap.Recording does not fail when APPMAP=false
+export APPMAP=false
+
+cat <<EOF > test_client.py
+from appmap import Recording
+
+with Recording():
+  print("Hello from appmap library client")
+EOF
+
+python test_client.py
+
+if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+  echo 'Script executed successfully with APPMAP=false'
+else
+  echo 'Script execution failed with APPMAP=false'
+  exit 1
+fi
\ No newline at end of file