diff --git a/src/calibre/customize/builtins.py b/src/calibre/customize/builtins.py
index eb68780a86..d34c21d825 100644
--- a/src/calibre/customize/builtins.py
+++ b/src/calibre/customize/builtins.py
@@ -1761,7 +1761,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
         for x in ('lxml', 'calibre.ebooks.BeautifulSoup', 'uuid',
             'calibre.utils.terminal', 'calibre.utils.magick', 'PIL', 'Image',
-            'sqlite3', 'mechanize', 'httplib', 'xml', 'inspect', 'urllib'):
+            'sqlite3', 'mechanize', 'httplib', 'xml', 'inspect', 'urllib',
+            'calibre.utils.date'):
             if x in sys.modules:
                 ret = 1
                 print (x, 'has been loaded by a plugin')
diff --git a/src/calibre/devices/apple/driver.py b/src/calibre/devices/apple/driver.py
index 4ff1eef714..1bedd298a9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/devices/apple/driver.py
+++ b/src/calibre/devices/apple/driver.py
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata import (author_to_author_sort, authors_to_string,
     MetaInformation, title_sort)
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.base import Metadata
 from calibre.utils.config import config_dir, dynamic, prefs
-from calibre.utils.date import now, parse_date
 from calibre.utils.zipfile import ZipFile
 
 DEBUG = CALIBRE_DEBUG
 
 def strftime(fmt='%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S', dt=None):
+    from calibre.utils.date import now
 
     if not hasattr(dt, 'timetuple'):
         dt = now()
@@ -413,6 +413,7 @@ class ITUNES(DriverBase):
         list of device books.
 
         """
+        from calibre.utils.date import parse_date
         if not oncard:
             if DEBUG:
                 logger().info("%s.books():" % self.__class__.__name__)
@@ -1557,6 +1558,7 @@ class ITUNES(DriverBase):
     def _create_new_book(self, fpath, metadata, path, db_added, lb_added, thumb, format):
         '''
         '''
+        from calibre.utils.date import parse_date
         if DEBUG:
             logger().info(" %s._create_new_book()" % self.__class__.__name__)
 
@@ -2776,6 +2778,7 @@ class ITUNES(DriverBase):
     def _update_epub_metadata(self, fpath, metadata):
         '''
         '''
+        from calibre.utils.date import parse_date, now
         from calibre.ebooks.metadata.epub import set_metadata
         from lxml import etree
 
@@ -3248,6 +3251,7 @@ class ITUNES_ASYNC(ITUNES):
         list of device books.
 
         """
+        from calibre.utils.date import parse_date
         if not oncard:
             if DEBUG:
                 logger().info("%s.books()" % self.__class__.__name__)
diff --git a/src/calibre/devices/kobo/books.py b/src/calibre/devices/kobo/books.py
index c9bfe8d622..7e552e8de1 100644
--- a/src/calibre/devices/kobo/books.py
+++ b/src/calibre/devices/kobo/books.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.devices.usbms.books import Book as Book_
 from calibre.devices.usbms.books import CollectionsBookList
 from calibre.utils.config import prefs
-from calibre.utils.date import parse_date
 from calibre.devices.usbms.driver import debug_print
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import author_to_author_sort
 
@@ -19,6 +18,7 @@ class Book(Book_):
 
     def __init__(self, prefix, lpath, title=None, authors=None, mime=None, date=None, ContentType=None,
                  thumbnail_name=None, size=None, other=None):
+        from calibre.utils.date import parse_date
 #        debug_print('Book::__init__ - title=', title)
         show_debug = title is not None and title.lower().find("xxxxx") >= 0
         if show_debug:
diff --git a/src/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py b/src/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py
index b1850c9e49..20a637a317 100644
--- a/src/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py
+++ b/src/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ from calibre.devices.mtp.base import debug
 from calibre.devices.mtp.defaults import DeviceDefaults
 from calibre.ptempfile import SpooledTemporaryFile, PersistentTemporaryDirectory
 from calibre.utils.config import from_json, to_json, JSONConfig
-from calibre.utils.date import now, isoformat, utcnow
 from calibre.utils.filenames import shorten_components_to
 
 BASE = importlib.import_module('calibre.devices.mtp.%s.driver'%(
@@ -103,6 +102,7 @@ class MTP_DEVICE(BASE):
                 del self.prefs[x]
 
     def open(self, device, library_uuid):
+        from calibre.utils.date import isoformat, utcnow
         self.current_library_uuid = library_uuid
         self.location_paths = None
         self.driveinfo = {}
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ class MTP_DEVICE(BASE):
 
     # Device information {{{
     def _update_drive_info(self, storage, location_code, name=None):
+        from calibre.utils.date import isoformat, now
         import uuid
         f = storage.find_path((self.DRIVEINFO,))
         dinfo = {}
diff --git a/src/calibre/devices/smart_device_app/driver.py b/src/calibre/devices/smart_device_app/driver.py
index 844932f5e3..1c41e2c585 100644
--- a/src/calibre/devices/smart_device_app/driver.py
+++ b/src/calibre/devices/smart_device_app/driver.py
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ from calibre.library.server import server_config as content_server_config
 from calibre.ptempfile import PersistentTemporaryFile
 from calibre.utils.ipc import eintr_retry_call
 from calibre.utils.config import from_json, tweaks
-from calibre.utils.date import isoformat, now
 from calibre.utils.filenames import ascii_filename as sanitize, shorten_components_to
 from calibre.utils.mdns import (publish as publish_zeroconf, unpublish as
         unpublish_zeroconf, get_all_ips)
@@ -374,6 +373,7 @@ class SMART_DEVICE_APP(DeviceConfig, DevicePlugin):
 
     # copied from USBMS. Perhaps this could be a classmethod in usbms?
     def _update_driveinfo_record(self, dinfo, prefix, location_code, name=None):
+        from calibre.utils.date import isoformat, now
         import uuid
         if not isinstance(dinfo, dict):
             dinfo = {}
@@ -817,6 +817,7 @@ class SMART_DEVICE_APP(DeviceConfig, DevicePlugin):
 
     @synchronous('sync_lock')
     def open(self, connected_device, library_uuid):
+        from calibre.utils.date import isoformat, now
         self._debug()
         if not self.is_connected:
             # We have been called to retry the connection. Give up immediately
diff --git a/src/calibre/devices/usbms/driver.py b/src/calibre/devices/usbms/driver.py
index 5ade700b7f..3b4fe434e5 100644
--- a/src/calibre/devices/usbms/driver.py
+++ b/src/calibre/devices/usbms/driver.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ from calibre.devices.usbms.device import Device
 from calibre.devices.usbms.books import BookList, Book
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.json_codec import JsonCodec
 from calibre.utils.config import from_json, to_json
-from calibre.utils.date import now, isoformat
 
 BASE_TIME = None
 def debug_print(*args):
@@ -58,6 +57,7 @@ class USBMS(CLI, Device):
     SCAN_FROM_ROOT = False
 
     def _update_driveinfo_record(self, dinfo, prefix, location_code, name=None):
+        from calibre.utils.date import now, isoformat
         import uuid
         if not isinstance(dinfo, dict):
             dinfo = {}
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/base.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/base.py
index 256751223b..2f11ca9326 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/base.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/base.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book import (SC_COPYABLE_FIELDS,
         SC_FIELDS_COPY_NOT_NULL, STANDARD_METADATA_FIELDS,
         TOP_LEVEL_IDENTIFIERS, ALL_METADATA_FIELDS)
 from calibre.library.field_metadata import FieldMetadata
-from calibre.utils.date import isoformat, format_date, parse_only_date
 from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 # Special sets used to optimize the performance of getting and setting
@@ -602,6 +601,7 @@ class Metadata(object):
         returns the tuple (display_name, formatted_value, original_value,
         field_metadata)
         '''
+        from calibre.utils.date import format_date
 
         # Handle custom series index
         if key.startswith('#') and key.endswith('_index'):
@@ -686,6 +686,7 @@ class Metadata(object):
         A string representation of this object, suitable for printing to
         console
         '''
+        from calibre.utils.date import isoformat
         from calibre.ebooks.metadata import authors_to_string
         ans = []
         def fmt(x, y):
@@ -778,6 +779,7 @@ def field_from_string(field, raw, field_metadata):
     elif dt == 'rating':
         val = float(raw) * 2
     elif dt == 'datetime':
+        from calibre.utils.date import parse_only_date
         val = parse_only_date(raw)
     elif dt == 'bool':
         if raw.lower() in {'true', 'yes', 'y'}:
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/json_codec.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/json_codec.py
index e9cec8acc7..fc95749f12 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/json_codec.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/book/json_codec.py
@@ -11,17 +11,18 @@ from datetime import datetime, time
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book import SERIALIZABLE_FIELDS
 from calibre.constants import filesystem_encoding, preferred_encoding
 from calibre.library.field_metadata import FieldMetadata
-from calibre.utils.date import parse_date, isoformat, UNDEFINED_DATE, local_tz
 from calibre import isbytestring
 
 # Translate datetimes to and from strings. The string form is the datetime in
 # UTC. The returned date is also UTC
 def string_to_datetime(src):
+    from calibre.utils.date import parse_date
     if src == "None":
         return None
     return parse_date(src)
 
 def datetime_to_string(dateval):
+    from calibre.utils.date import isoformat, UNDEFINED_DATE, local_tz
     if dateval is None:
         return "None"
     if not isinstance(dateval, datetime):
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/amazon.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/amazon.py
index c9df67c999..eb9e5a18cc 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/amazon.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/amazon.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata import check_isbn
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.sources.base import (Source, Option, fixcase,
         fixauthors)
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.base import Metadata
-from calibre.utils.date import parse_only_date
 from calibre.utils.localization import canonicalize_lang
 
 class Worker(Thread):  # Get details {{{
@@ -494,6 +493,7 @@ class Worker(Thread):  # Get details {{{
     def parse_pubdate(self, pd):
         for x in reversed(pd.xpath(self.publisher_xpath)):
             if x.tail:
+                from calibre.utils.date import parse_only_date
                 ans = x.tail
                 date = ans.rpartition('(')[-1].replace(')', '').strip()
                 date = self.delocalize_datestr(date)
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/base.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/base.py
index 13069eb86f..cb2729fe1c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/base.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/base.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ from future_builtins import map
 from calibre import browser, random_user_agent
 from calibre.customize import Plugin
 from calibre.utils.config import JSONConfig
-from calibre.utils.titlecase import titlecase
 from calibre.utils.icu import capitalize, lower, upper
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import check_isbn
 
@@ -162,6 +161,7 @@ def fixauthors(authors):
 
 def fixcase(x):
     if x:
+        from calibre.utils.titlecase import titlecase
         x = titlecase(x)
     return x
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/google.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/google.py
index 4df5c84c02..e2a89c272e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/google.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/google.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata import check_isbn
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.sources.base import Source
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.base import Metadata
 from calibre.ebooks.chardet import xml_to_unicode
-from calibre.utils.date import parse_date, utcnow
 from calibre.utils.cleantext import clean_ascii_chars
 from calibre.utils.localization import canonicalize_lang
 from calibre import as_unicode
@@ -130,6 +129,7 @@ def to_metadata(browser, log, entry_, timeout): # {{{
     # pubdate
     pubdate = get_text(extra, date)
     if pubdate:
+        from calibre.utils.date import parse_date, utcnow
         try:
             default = utcnow().replace(day=15)
             mi.pubdate = parse_date(pubdate, assume_utc=True, default=default)
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/ozon.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/ozon.py
index a3c5421214..b630910e15 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/ozon.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/sources/ozon.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ from calibre import as_unicode
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import check_isbn
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.sources.base import Source
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.base import Metadata
-from calibre.utils.date import parse_only_date
 
 class Ozon(Source):
     name = 'OZON.ru'
@@ -460,6 +459,7 @@ def _normalizeAuthorNameWithInitials(name): # {{{
 # }}}
 
 def toPubdate(log, yearAsString): # {{{
+    from calibre.utils.date import parse_only_date
     res = None
     if yearAsString:
         try: