This might be an isolated problem, but figured I'd ask in case someone has thoughts on a graceful approach to address it. Here's the setup: -------- views.py -------- from django.http import HttpResponse import shortcuts def mood_dispatcher(request): mood = magic_function_to_guess_my_mood(request) return HttpResponse('Please go to %s' % shortcuts.MOODS.get(mood, somedefault)) ------------ shortcuts.py ------------ MOODS = # expensive load that causes a reverse to happen The issue is that shortcuts.py causes an exception to be thrown when a reverse is attempted before django is done building the urls. However, views.py doesn't yet need to import shortcuts.py (used only when mood_dispatcher is actually called). Obvious initial solutions are: 1) Import shortcuts inline (just not very nice stylistically) 2) Make shortcuts.py build MOODS lazily (just more work) What I ideally would like is to be able to say, at the top of views.py, "import shortcuts except when loading urls"