[mod_python] import requires apache restart?

I've noticed something, and I wonder if someone could please confirm if 
this is the correct behaviour.  In my httpd.conf file, I've included the 
path to a location where my python files are using the PythonPath 
directive.  In my handler code file, I issue a standard "import" 
statement rather than the mod_python (or for that matter, 
vampire.importModule) versions of the import.  To give light protection 
  (against authoring infringement) to my source files, after I 
py_compile them, I delete the original .py files.

Even after changing the source of the files in the PythonPath, and after 
py_compiling them, and after removing the original .py files, I found 
that an Apache restart is required for the changes to be effected.  Does 
this make sense?  If that is the case, is there some copy of the python 
file being made by mod_python somewhere?