diff --git a/esphome/__main__.py b/esphome/__main__.py
index ff97961811..cdd90aa0b1 100644
--- a/esphome/__main__.py
+++ b/esphome/__main__.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import os
 import random
 import sys
 
-from esphome import const, core_config, platformio_api, wizard, writer, yaml_util
+from esphome import const, core_config, writer, yaml_util
 from esphome.config import get_component, iter_components, read_config, strip_default_ids
 from esphome.const import CONF_BAUD_RATE, CONF_BROKER, CONF_ESPHOME, CONF_LOGGER, \
     CONF_USE_CUSTOM_CODE
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ def get_port_type(port):
 
 def run_miniterm(config, port):
     import serial
+    from esphome import platformio_api
+
     if CONF_LOGGER not in config:
         _LOGGER.info("Logger is not enabled. Not starting UART logs.")
         return
@@ -155,6 +157,8 @@ def write_cpp(config):
 
 
 def compile_program(args, config):
+    from esphome import platformio_api
+
     _LOGGER.info("Compiling app...")
     rc = platformio_api.run_compile(config, args.verbose)
     if rc != 0 and CORE.is_dev_esphome_core_version and not is_dev_esphome_version():
@@ -185,6 +189,8 @@ def upload_using_esptool(config, port):
 def upload_program(config, args, host):
     # if upload is to a serial port use platformio, otherwise assume ota
     if get_port_type(host) == 'SERIAL':
+        from esphome import platformio_api
+
         if CORE.is_esp8266:
             return upload_using_esptool(config, host)
         return platformio_api.run_upload(config, args.verbose, host)
@@ -268,6 +274,8 @@ def setup_log(debug=False):
 
 
 def command_wizard(args):
+    from esphome import wizard
+
     return wizard.wizard(args.configuration)
 
 
diff --git a/esphome/helpers.py b/esphome/helpers.py
index 01b31111b9..8c07677998 100644
--- a/esphome/helpers.py
+++ b/esphome/helpers.py
@@ -1,13 +1,9 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 
-import errno
 import logging
 import os
-import socket
-import subprocess
 
 from esphome.py_compat import char_to_byte, text_type
-from esphome.zeroconf import Zeroconf
 
 _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -73,6 +69,8 @@ def color(the_color, message=''):
 
 
 def run_system_command(*args):
+    import subprocess
+
     p = subprocess.Popen(args, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
     stdout, stderr = p.communicate()
     rc = p.returncode
@@ -80,6 +78,8 @@ def run_system_command(*args):
 
 
 def mkdir_p(path):
+    import errno
+
     try:
         os.makedirs(path)
     except OSError as exc:
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ def is_ip_address(host):
 
 def _resolve_with_zeroconf(host):
     from esphome.core import EsphomeError
+    from esphome.zeroconf import Zeroconf
+
     try:
         zc = Zeroconf()
     except Exception:
@@ -122,6 +124,7 @@ def _resolve_with_zeroconf(host):
 
 def resolve_ip_address(host):
     from esphome.core import EsphomeError
+    import socket
 
     try:
         ip = socket.gethostbyname(host)
diff --git a/esphome/writer.py b/esphome/writer.py
index 9c2bc8fbd8..12bc2ed9be 100644
--- a/esphome/writer.py
+++ b/esphome/writer.py
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 import codecs
-import json
 import logging
 import os
 import re
-import shutil
 
 from esphome.config import iter_components
 from esphome.const import ARDUINO_VERSION_ESP32_1_0_0, ARDUINO_VERSION_ESP8266_2_5_0, \
@@ -15,7 +13,6 @@ from esphome.const import ARDUINO_VERSION_ESP32_1_0_0, ARDUINO_VERSION_ESP8266_2
 from esphome.core import CORE, EsphomeError
 from esphome.core_config import GITHUB_ARCHIVE_ZIP, LIBRARY_URI_REPO, VERSION_REGEX
 from esphome.helpers import mkdir_p, run_system_command
-from esphome.symlink_ops import symlink, islink, readlink, unlink
 from esphome.pins import ESP8266_FLASH_SIZES, ESP8266_LD_SCRIPTS
 from esphome.py_compat import IS_PY3, string_types
 from esphome.storage_json import StorageJSON, storage_path
@@ -217,6 +214,8 @@ def update_storage_json():
 
 
 def symlink_esphome_core_version(esphome_core_version):
+    from esphome.symlink_ops import symlink, islink, readlink, unlink
+
     lib_path = CORE.relative_build_path('lib')
     dst_path = CORE.relative_build_path('lib', 'esphome-core')
     if CORE.is_local_esphome_core_copy:
@@ -250,6 +249,8 @@ def format_ini(data):
 
 
 def gather_lib_deps():
+    import json
+
     lib_deps = set()
     if CONF_REPOSITORY in CORE.esphome_core_version:
         repo = CORE.esphome_core_version[CONF_REPOSITORY]
@@ -509,6 +510,8 @@ def write_cpp(code_s):
 
 
 def clean_build():
+    import shutil
+
     pioenvs = CORE.relative_pioenvs_path()
     if os.path.isdir(pioenvs):
         _LOGGER.info("Deleting %s", pioenvs)