diff --git a/warcprox/dedup.py b/warcprox/dedup.py
index 7ac99d8..baa5fc3 100644
--- a/warcprox/dedup.py
+++ b/warcprox/dedup.py
@@ -1,13 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
-try:
-    import dbm.gnu as dbm_gnu
-except ImportError:
-    try:
-        import gdbm as dbm_gnu
-    except ImportError:
-        import anydbm as dbm_gnu
-
 import logging
 import os
 import json
@@ -19,6 +11,14 @@ class DedupDb(object):
     logger = logging.getLogger("warcprox.dedup.DedupDb")
 
     def __init__(self, dbm_file='./warcprox-dedup.db', options=warcprox.Options()):
+        try:
+            import dbm.gnu as dbm_gnu
+        except ImportError:
+            try:
+                import gdbm as dbm_gnu
+            except ImportError:
+                import anydbm as dbm_gnu
+
         if os.path.exists(dbm_file):
             self.logger.info('opening existing deduplication database {}'.format(dbm_file))
         else:
diff --git a/warcprox/playback.py b/warcprox/playback.py
index 30a5cb8..089fc64 100644
--- a/warcprox/playback.py
+++ b/warcprox/playback.py
@@ -12,14 +12,6 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     import SocketServer as socketserver
 
-try:
-    import dbm.gnu as dbm_gnu
-except ImportError:
-    try:
-        import gdbm as dbm_gnu
-    except ImportError:
-        import anydbm as dbm_gnu
-
 import logging
 import os
 from hanzo import warctools
@@ -203,6 +195,14 @@ class PlaybackIndexDb(object):
     logger = logging.getLogger("warcprox.playback.PlaybackIndexDb")
 
     def __init__(self, dbm_file='./warcprox-playback-index.db'):
+        try:
+            import dbm.gnu as dbm_gnu
+        except ImportError:
+            try:
+                import gdbm as dbm_gnu
+            except ImportError:
+                import anydbm as dbm_gnu
+
         if os.path.exists(dbm_file):
             self.logger.info('opening existing playback index database {}'.format(dbm_file))
         else:
diff --git a/warcprox/stats.py b/warcprox/stats.py
index a6a8298..68f7586 100644
--- a/warcprox/stats.py
+++ b/warcprox/stats.py
@@ -1,13 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
-try:
-    import dbm.gnu as dbm_gnu
-except ImportError:
-    try:
-        import gdbm as dbm_gnu
-    except ImportError:
-        import anydbm as dbm_gnu
-
 import logging
 import os
 import json
@@ -42,6 +34,14 @@ class StatsDb:
     logger = logging.getLogger("warcprox.stats.StatsDb")
 
     def __init__(self, dbm_file='./warcprox-stats.db', options=warcprox.Options()):
+        try:
+            import dbm.gnu as dbm_gnu
+        except ImportError:
+            try:
+                import gdbm as dbm_gnu
+            except ImportError:
+                import anydbm as dbm_gnu
+
         if os.path.exists(dbm_file):
             self.logger.info('opening existing stats database {}'.format(dbm_file))
         else: