diff --git a/swh/storage/__init__.py b/swh/storage/__init__.py
--- a/swh/storage/__init__.py
+++ b/swh/storage/__init__.py
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
 import importlib
-from typing import Any, Dict, List
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, TYPE_CHECKING
 import warnings
 
-from .interface import StorageInterface
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from .interface import StorageInterface
 
 
 STORAGE_IMPLEMENTATIONS = {
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@
 }
 
 
-def get_storage(cls: str, **kwargs) -> StorageInterface:
+def get_storage(cls: str, **kwargs) -> "StorageInterface":
     """Get a storage object of class `storage_class` with arguments
     `storage_args`.
 
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@
 
 def get_storage_pipeline(
     steps: List[Dict[str, Any]], check_config=None
-) -> StorageInterface:
+) -> "StorageInterface":
     """Recursively get a storage object that may use other storage objects
     as backends.
 
diff --git a/swh/storage/cli.py b/swh/storage/cli.py
--- a/swh/storage/cli.py
+++ b/swh/storage/cli.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2015-2019  The Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2015-2020  The Software Heritage developers
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
-import functools
+# WARNING: do not import unnecessary things here to keep cli startup time under
+# control
 import logging
 import os
 
@@ -11,11 +12,7 @@
 
 import click
 
-from swh.core import config
 from swh.core.cli import CONTEXT_SETTINGS
-from swh.journal.client import get_journal_client
-from swh.storage import get_storage
-from swh.storage.api.server import app
 
 try:
     from systemd.daemon import notify
@@ -45,6 +42,8 @@
 @click.pass_context
 def storage(ctx, config_file, check_config):
     """Software Heritage Storage tools."""
+    from swh.core import config
+
     if not config_file:
         config_file = os.environ.get("SWH_CONFIG_FILENAME")
 
@@ -90,6 +89,8 @@
 
     Do NOT use this in a production environment.
     """
+    from swh.storage.api.server import app
+
     if "log_level" in ctx.obj:
         logging.getLogger("werkzeug").setLevel(ctx.obj["log_level"])
     ensure_check_config(ctx.obj["config"], ctx.obj["check_config"], "write")
@@ -164,6 +165,10 @@
     There can be several 'replayers' filling a Storage as long as they use
     the same `group-id`.
     """
+    import functools
+
+    from swh.journal.client import get_journal_client
+    from swh.storage import get_storage
     from swh.storage.replay import process_replay_objects
 
     ensure_check_config(ctx.obj["config"], ctx.obj["check_config"], "write")
diff --git a/swh/storage/tests/test_cli.py b/swh/storage/tests/test_cli.py
--- a/swh/storage/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/swh/storage/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 def swh_storage():
     """An swh-storage object that gets injected into the CLI functions."""
     storage = get_storage(**CLI_CONFIG["storage"])
-    with patch("swh.storage.cli.get_storage") as get_storage_mock:
+    with patch("swh.storage.get_storage") as get_storage_mock:
         get_storage_mock.return_value = storage
         yield storage