diff --git a/alf/config_util.py b/alf/config_util.py
index 9addf23bb..5335a88fb 100644
--- a/alf/config_util.py
+++ b/alf/config_util.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 
 from absl import logging
 import functools
-import gin
 import inspect
 from inspect import Parameter
 import os
@@ -23,6 +22,10 @@
 import runpy
 import shutil
 
+USE_GIN = os.environ.get('ALF_USE_GIN', "1") == "1"
+if USE_GIN:
+    import gin
+
 __all__ = [
     'config',
     'config1',
@@ -611,8 +614,7 @@ def _decorate(fn_or_cls, name, whitelist, blacklist):
     else:
         fn_or_cls = _make_wrapper(fn_or_cls, configs, signature, has_self=0)
 
-    if fn_or_cls.__module__ != '<run_path>' and os.environ.get(
-            'ALF_USE_GIN', "1") == "1":
+    if fn_or_cls.__module__ != '<run_path>' and USE_GIN:
         # If a file is executed using runpy.run_path(), the module name is
         # '<run_path>', which is not an acceptable name by gin.
         return gin.configurable(
diff --git a/alf/environments/utils.py b/alf/environments/utils.py
index 3f453c1a3..1bdaf03e7 100644
--- a/alf/environments/utils.py
+++ b/alf/environments/utils.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 import random
 
 import alf
-from alf.environments import suite_gym
 from alf.environments import thread_environment, parallel_environment, fast_parallel_environment
 from alf.environments import alf_wrappers
 
@@ -89,8 +88,8 @@ def _env_constructor(env_load_fn, env_name, batch_size_per_env, seed, env_id):
 
 
 @alf.configurable
-def create_environment(env_name='CartPole-v0',
-                       env_load_fn=suite_gym.load,
+def create_environment(env_name=None,
+                       env_load_fn=None,
                        eval_env_load_fn=None,
                        for_evaluation=False,
                        num_parallel_environments=30,
@@ -108,10 +107,10 @@ def create_environment(env_name='CartPole-v0',
     """Create a batched environment.
 
     Args:
-        env_name (str|list[str]): env name. If it is a list, ``MultitaskWrapper``
+        env_name (str|list[str]): env name (e.g 'CartPole-v0'). If it is a list, ``MultitaskWrapper``
             will be used to create multi-task environments. Each one of them
             consists of the environments listed in ``env_name``.
-        env_load_fn (Callable) : callable that create an environment
+        env_load_fn (Callable) : callable that create an environment (e.g. suite_gym.load)
             If env_load_fn has attribute ``batched`` and it is True,
             ``evn_load_fn(env_name, env_id=env_id, batch_size=batch_size_per_env)``
             will be used to create the batched environment. Otherwise,
@@ -172,6 +171,14 @@ def create_environment(env_name='CartPole-v0',
 
     """
 
+    if env_name is None:
+        # Keep compatibility with the old default env_name
+        env_name = 'CartPole-v0'
+    if env_load_fn is None:
+        # Keep compatibility with the old default env_name
+        from alf.environments import suite_gym
+        env_load_fn = suite_gym.load
+
     if for_evaluation:
         # for creating an evaluation environment, use ``eval_env_load_fn`` if
         # provided and fall back to ``env_load_fn`` otherwise
@@ -266,7 +273,7 @@ def create_environment(env_name='CartPole-v0',
 
 @alf.configurable
 def load_with_random_max_episode_steps(env_name,
-                                       env_load_fn=suite_gym.load,
+                                       env_load_fn,
                                        min_steps=200,
                                        max_steps=250):
     """Create environment with random max_episode_steps in range
diff --git a/alf/examples/diayn_pendulum.gin b/alf/examples/diayn_pendulum.gin
index 5f735b5ec..b5ba84554 100644
--- a/alf/examples/diayn_pendulum.gin
+++ b/alf/examples/diayn_pendulum.gin
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import alf.trainers.policy_trainer
 import alf.algorithms.diayn_algorithm
 import alf.algorithms.goal_generator
 import alf.networks.critic_networks
-
+import alf.environments.suite_gym
 
 # skill related
 num_of_skills=5
diff --git a/alf/examples/hybrid_rl/hybrid_sac_pendulum.gin b/alf/examples/hybrid_rl/hybrid_sac_pendulum.gin
index cd2391972..c28045cb5 100644
--- a/alf/examples/hybrid_rl/hybrid_sac_pendulum.gin
+++ b/alf/examples/hybrid_rl/hybrid_sac_pendulum.gin
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 include 'sac_pendulum.gin'
 
 # Example config for Hybrid RL training.
diff --git a/alf/examples/icm_mountain_car.gin b/alf/examples/icm_mountain_car.gin
index 4ed90738d..93a143ad7 100644
--- a/alf/examples/icm_mountain_car.gin
+++ b/alf/examples/icm_mountain_car.gin
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import alf.algorithms.agent
 import alf.algorithms.actor_critic_loss
 import alf.algorithms.icm_algorithm
 import alf.algorithms.entropy_target_algorithm
-
+import alf.environments.suite_gym
 
 # environment config
 create_environment.num_parallel_environments=30
diff --git a/alf/examples/mdq_pendulum.gin b/alf/examples/mdq_pendulum.gin
index 083e34766..6e96eb777 100644
--- a/alf/examples/mdq_pendulum.gin
+++ b/alf/examples/mdq_pendulum.gin
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import alf.utils.math_ops
 import alf.algorithms.agent
 import alf.algorithms.mdq_algorithm
-
+import alf.environments.suite_gym
 
 observation_spec=@get_observation_spec()
 action_spec=@get_action_spec()
diff --git a/alf/examples/ppo_bullet_humanoid.gin b/alf/examples/ppo_bullet_humanoid.gin
index 9935d09b6..1708f32fb 100644
--- a/alf/examples/ppo_bullet_humanoid.gin
+++ b/alf/examples/ppo_bullet_humanoid.gin
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import alf.environments.suite_gym
 include 'ppo.gin'
 
 # environment config
diff --git a/alf/examples/sac_pendulum.gin b/alf/examples/sac_pendulum.gin
index a9968d3ef..879fd4bf9 100644
--- a/alf/examples/sac_pendulum.gin
+++ b/alf/examples/sac_pendulum.gin
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-
+import alf.environments.suite_gym
 include 'sac.gin'
 
 import alf.utils.math_ops
diff --git a/alf/examples/sarsa_ddpg_pendulum.gin b/alf/examples/sarsa_ddpg_pendulum.gin
index 3623e7bc4..76659c779 100644
--- a/alf/examples/sarsa_ddpg_pendulum.gin
+++ b/alf/examples/sarsa_ddpg_pendulum.gin
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import alf.environments.suite_gym
 include 'sarsa_ddpg.gin'
 
 # environment config
diff --git a/alf/examples/sarsa_sac_bipedal_walker.gin b/alf/examples/sarsa_sac_bipedal_walker.gin
index 00f41f098..ff1d0d1b6 100644
--- a/alf/examples/sarsa_sac_bipedal_walker.gin
+++ b/alf/examples/sarsa_sac_bipedal_walker.gin
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 include 'sarsa_sac.gin'
+import alf.environments.suite_gym
 
 # Need to install Box2D by "pip install box2d-py"
 create_environment.env_name="BipedalWalker-v2"
diff --git a/alf/examples/sarsa_sac_pendulum.gin b/alf/examples/sarsa_sac_pendulum.gin
index 4a622c0b3..3f1ccb02b 100644
--- a/alf/examples/sarsa_sac_pendulum.gin
+++ b/alf/examples/sarsa_sac_pendulum.gin
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import alf.environments.suite_gym
 include 'sarsa_sac.gin'
 
 # environment config