@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Union
 from warnings import warn
 
+from cuda.pathfinder import DynamicLibNotFoundError
 from cuda.pathfinder._optional_cuda_import import _optional_cuda_import
 from cuda.core._device import Device
 from cuda.core._module import ObjectCode
@@ -683,22 +684,26 @@ def _decide_nvjitlink_or_driver() -> bool:
         " For best results, consider upgrading to a recent version of"
     )
 
-    nvjitlink_module = _optional_cuda_import(
-        "cuda.bindings.nvjitlink",
-        probe_function=lambda module: module.version(),  # probe triggers nvJitLink runtime load
-    )
+    nvjitlink_module = _optional_cuda_import("cuda.bindings.nvjitlink")
     if nvjitlink_module is None:
         warn_txt = f"cuda.bindings.nvjitlink is not available, therefore {warn_txt_common} cuda-bindings."
     else:
         from cuda.bindings._internal import nvjitlink
 
-        if _nvjitlink_has_version_symbol(nvjitlink):
-            _use_nvjitlink_backend = True
-            return False  # Use nvjitlink
-        warn_txt = (
-            f"{'nvJitLink*.dll' if sys.platform == 'win32' else 'libnvJitLink.so*'} is too old (<12.3)."
-            f" Therefore cuda.bindings.nvjitlink is not usable and {warn_txt_common} nvJitLink."
-        )
+        try:
+            has_version_symbol = _nvjitlink_has_version_symbol(nvjitlink)
+        except DynamicLibNotFoundError:
+            warn_txt = (
+                f"cuda.bindings.nvjitlink is not available, therefore {warn_txt_common} cuda-bindings."
+            )
+        else:
+            if has_version_symbol:
+                _use_nvjitlink_backend = True
+                return False  # Use nvjitlink
+            warn_txt = (
+                f"{'nvJitLink*.dll' if sys.platform == 'win32' else 'libnvJitLink.so*'} is too old (<12.3)."
+                f" Therefore cuda.bindings.nvjitlink is not usable and {warn_txt_common} nvJitLink."
+            )
 
     warn(warn_txt, stacklevel=2, category=RuntimeWarning)
     _driver = driver
 
@@ -25,6 +25,15 @@ Fixes and enhancements
   versions 12.2 or newer.
   (`#2352 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/cuda-python/issues/2352>`__)
 
+- :meth:`Linker.which_backend` and constructing a :class:`Linker` no longer
+  raise ``FunctionNotFoundError`` when an nvJitLink older than 12.3
+  (12.0–12.2) is installed. These versions do not export the unversioned
+  ``nvJitLinkVersion`` symbol, so probing the version crashed instead of
+  falling back. ``cuda.core`` now warns and falls back to the driver
+  (``cuLink``) backend, restoring the pre-0.7.0 behavior.
+  (`#2409 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/cuda-python/pull/2409>`__,
+  closes `#2408 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/cuda-python/issues/2408>`__)
+
 Deprecation Notices
 -------------------
 
 
@@ -303,6 +303,49 @@ def fake_decide():
         assert result == "nvJitLink"
         assert called, "_decide_nvjitlink_or_driver was not called"
 
+    @pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="grok-4.5")
+    def test_which_backend_falls_back_when_nvjitlink_too_old(self, monkeypatch):
+        """Regression test for #2408: old nvJitLink must not crash which_backend()."""
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_use_nvjitlink_backend", None)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_driver", None)
+
+        def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
+            assert modname == "cuda.bindings.nvjitlink"
+            assert probe_function is None
+            return object()
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_optional_cuda_import", fake__optional_cuda_import)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_nvjitlink_has_version_symbol", lambda _nvjitlink: False)
+
+        with pytest.warns(RuntimeWarning, match="too old \\(<12.3\\)"):
+            assert Linker.which_backend() == "driver"
+
+        assert _linker._use_nvjitlink_backend is False
+
+    @pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="grok-4.5")
+    def test_which_backend_falls_back_when_dylib_missing(self, monkeypatch):
+        """Missing nvJitLink dylib must fall back without raising."""
+        from cuda.pathfinder import DynamicLibNotFoundError
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_use_nvjitlink_backend", None)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_driver", None)
+
+        def raise_missing(_nvjitlink):
+            raise DynamicLibNotFoundError("missing")
+
+        def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
+            assert modname == "cuda.bindings.nvjitlink"
+            assert probe_function is None
+            return object()
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_nvjitlink_has_version_symbol", raise_missing)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_optional_cuda_import", fake__optional_cuda_import)
+
+        with pytest.warns(RuntimeWarning, match="cuda.bindings.nvjitlink is not available"):
+            assert Linker.which_backend() == "driver"
+
+        assert _linker._use_nvjitlink_backend is False
+
     def test_which_backend_is_classmethod(self):
         attr = inspect.getattr_static(Linker, "which_backend")
         assert isinstance(attr, classmethod)
 
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 from cuda.core import _linker, _program
+from cuda.pathfinder import DynamicLibNotFoundError
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
 def test_decide_nvjitlink_or_driver_reraises_nested_module_not_found(monkeypatch):
     def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
         assert modname == "cuda.bindings.nvjitlink"
-        assert probe_function is not None
+        assert probe_function is None
         err = ModuleNotFoundError("No module named 'not_a_real_dependency'")
         err.name = "not_a_real_dependency"
         raise err
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
 def test_decide_nvjitlink_or_driver_falls_back_when_module_missing(monkeypatch):
     def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
         assert modname == "cuda.bindings.nvjitlink"
-        assert probe_function is not None
+        assert probe_function is None
         return None
 
     monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_optional_cuda_import", fake__optional_cuda_import)
@@ -103,3 +104,85 @@ def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
 
     assert use_driver_backend is True
     assert _linker._use_nvjitlink_backend is False
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="grok-4.5")
+def test_decide_nvjitlink_or_driver_falls_back_when_dylib_missing(monkeypatch):
+    """Missing nvJitLink dylib must fall back via DynamicLibNotFoundError."""
+
+    def raise_missing(_nvjitlink):
+        raise DynamicLibNotFoundError("libnvJitLink missing")
+
+    def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
+        assert modname == "cuda.bindings.nvjitlink"
+        assert probe_function is None
+        return object()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_optional_cuda_import", fake__optional_cuda_import)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_nvjitlink_has_version_symbol", raise_missing)
+
+    with pytest.warns(RuntimeWarning, match="cuda.bindings.nvjitlink is not available"):
+        use_driver_backend = _linker._decide_nvjitlink_or_driver()
+
+    assert use_driver_backend is True
+    assert _linker._use_nvjitlink_backend is False
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="grok-4.5")
+def test_decide_nvjitlink_or_driver_falls_back_when_nvjitlink_too_old(monkeypatch):
+    def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
+        assert modname == "cuda.bindings.nvjitlink"
+        assert probe_function is None
+        return object()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_optional_cuda_import", fake__optional_cuda_import)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_nvjitlink_has_version_symbol", lambda _nvjitlink: False)
+
+    with pytest.warns(RuntimeWarning, match="too old \\(<12.3\\)"):
+        use_driver_backend = _linker._decide_nvjitlink_or_driver()
+
+    assert use_driver_backend is True
+    assert _linker._use_nvjitlink_backend is False
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="grok-4.5")
+def test_decide_nvjitlink_or_driver_selects_nvjitlink_when_version_symbol_present(monkeypatch):
+    def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
+        assert modname == "cuda.bindings.nvjitlink"
+        assert probe_function is None
+        return object()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_optional_cuda_import", fake__optional_cuda_import)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_nvjitlink_has_version_symbol", lambda _nvjitlink: True)
+
+    use_driver_backend = _linker._decide_nvjitlink_or_driver()
+
+    assert use_driver_backend is False
+    assert _linker._use_nvjitlink_backend is True
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="grok-4.5")
+def test_decide_nvjitlink_or_driver_does_not_call_version(monkeypatch):
+    """Regression guard for #2408: must not call module.version()."""
+    called = {"version": False, "inspect": False}
+
+    class FakeModule:
+        def version(self):
+            called["version"] = True
+            raise AssertionError("module.version() must not be used for nvJitLink probing")
+
+    def fake_has_version(_nvjitlink):
+        called["inspect"] = True
+        return True
+
+    def fake__optional_cuda_import(modname, probe_function=None):
+        assert modname == "cuda.bindings.nvjitlink"
+        assert probe_function is None
+        return FakeModule()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_optional_cuda_import", fake__optional_cuda_import)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_linker, "_nvjitlink_has_version_symbol", fake_has_version)
+
+    assert _linker._decide_nvjitlink_or_driver() is False
+    assert called["inspect"] is True
+    assert called["version"] is False