diff --git a/contrib/hg-ssh b/contrib/hg-ssh
--- a/contrib/hg-ssh
+++ b/contrib/hg-ssh
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ You can use pattern matching of your nor
 command="cd repos && hg-ssh user/thomas/* projects/{mercurial,foo}"
 """
 
+# enable importing on demand to reduce startup time
+from mercurial import demandimport; demandimport.enable()
+
 from mercurial import dispatch
 
 import sys, os
diff --git a/contrib/hgwebdir.fcgi b/contrib/hgwebdir.fcgi
--- a/contrib/hgwebdir.fcgi
+++ b/contrib/hgwebdir.fcgi
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 #
 # An example CGI script to export multiple hgweb repos, edit as necessary
 
+# enable demandloading to reduce startup time
+from mercurial import demandimport; demandimport.enable()
+
 # send python tracebacks to the browser if an error occurs:
 import cgitb
 cgitb.enable()
diff --git a/hg b/hg
--- a/hg
+++ b/hg
@@ -7,5 +7,8 @@
 # This software may be used and distributed according to the terms
 # of the GNU General Public License, incorporated herein by reference.
 
+# enable importing on demand to reduce startup time
+from mercurial import demandimport; demandimport.enable()
+
 import mercurial.dispatch
 mercurial.dispatch.run()
diff --git a/hgweb.cgi b/hgweb.cgi
--- a/hgweb.cgi
+++ b/hgweb.cgi
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 #
 # An example CGI script to use hgweb, edit as necessary
 
+# enable importing on demand to reduce startup time
+from mercurial import demandimport; demandimport.enable()
+
 # send python tracebacks to the browser if an error occurs:
 import cgitb
 cgitb.enable()
diff --git a/hgwebdir.cgi b/hgwebdir.cgi
--- a/hgwebdir.cgi
+++ b/hgwebdir.cgi
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 #
 # An example CGI script to export multiple hgweb repos, edit as necessary
 
+# enable importing on demand to reduce startup time
+from mercurial import demandimport; demandimport.enable()
+
 # send python tracebacks to the browser if an error occurs:
 import cgitb
 cgitb.enable()
diff --git a/mercurial/hgweb/hgwebdir_mod.py b/mercurial/hgweb/hgwebdir_mod.py
--- a/mercurial/hgweb/hgwebdir_mod.py
+++ b/mercurial/hgweb/hgwebdir_mod.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 # This software may be used and distributed according to the terms
 # of the GNU General Public License, incorporated herein by reference.
 
-from mercurial import demandimport; demandimport.enable()
 import os, mimetools, cStringIO
 from mercurial.i18n import gettext as _
 from mercurial import ui, hg, util, templater
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@ from distutils.core import setup, Extens
 from distutils.command.install_data import install_data
 
 import mercurial.version
-import mercurial.demandimport
-mercurial.demandimport.enable = lambda: None
 
 extra = {}