diff --git a/kittens/ask/main.py b/kittens/ask/main.py
index be87f19ea..332fad47e 100644
--- a/kittens/ask/main.py
+++ b/kittens/ask/main.py
@@ -476,15 +476,6 @@ def main(args: List[str]) -> Response:
         loop.loop(phandler)
         return {'items': items, 'response': phandler.response}
 
-    rd = getattr(sys, 'kitty_run_data')
-    if 'prewarmed' in rd and 'launched_by_launch_services' in rd:
-        # bloody libedit doesnt work in the prewarmed process run from launch
-        # services for reasons I really dont care enough to investigate
-        loop = Loop()
-        phandler = Password(cli_opts, prompt, is_password=False, initial_text=cli_opts.default or '')
-        loop.loop(phandler)
-        return {'items': items, 'response': phandler.response}
-
     import readline as rl
     readline = rl
     from kitty.shell import init_readline
diff --git a/kittens/tui/path_completer.py b/kittens/tui/path_completer.py
index c78e09372..363dd7de1 100644
--- a/kittens/tui/path_completer.py
+++ b/kittens/tui/path_completer.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
 
 import os
-import sys
 from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, Generator, Optional, Sequence, Tuple
 
 from kitty.fast_data_types import wcswidth
@@ -149,9 +148,6 @@ class PathCompleter:
 
 
 def get_path(prompt: str = '> ') -> str:
-    rd = getattr(sys, 'kitty_run_data')
-    if 'prewarmed' in rd and 'launched_by_launch_services' in rd:
-        return input(prompt)
     return PathCompleter(prompt).input()
 
 
diff --git a/kitty/shell.py b/kitty/shell.py
index be266406b..0b5188e2e 100644
--- a/kitty/shell.py
+++ b/kitty/shell.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 # License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2018, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
 import os
-import readline
 import shlex
 import sys
 import traceback
@@ -39,6 +38,7 @@ def match_commands() -> Tuple[str, ...]:
 
 @run_once
 def init_readline() -> None:
+    import readline
     global is_libedit
     with suppress(OSError):
         readline.read_init_file()
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ class Completer:
         self.history_path = os.path.join(ddir, 'shell.history')
 
     def complete(self, text: str, state: int) -> Optional[str]:
+        import readline
         if state == 0:
             line = readline.get_line_buffer()
             cmdline = shlex.split(line)
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ class Completer:
         return None
 
     def __enter__(self) -> 'Completer':
+        import readline
         with suppress(Exception):
             readline.read_history_file(self.history_path)
         readline.set_completer(self.complete)
@@ -110,6 +112,7 @@ class Completer:
         return self
 
     def __exit__(self, *a: Any) -> None:
+        import readline
         readline.write_history_file(self.history_path)