diff --git a/lib/galaxy/app/__init__.py b/lib/galaxy/app/__init__.py
index 69076214a51..d969a1d5368 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/app/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/app/__init__.py
@@ -176,10 +176,15 @@ from galaxy.tools.data import ToolDataTableManager
 from galaxy.tools.data_manager.manager import DataManagers
 from galaxy.tools.error_reports import ErrorReports
 from galaxy.tools.evaluation import ToolTemplatingException
+from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
 from galaxy.tools.search import (
     LazyToolboxSearch,
     ToolBoxSearch,
 )
+from galaxy.tools.source_store import (
+    build_tool_source_store,
+    ToolSourceStore,
+)
 from galaxy.tools.special_tools import load_lib_tools
 from galaxy.tours import (
     build_tours_registry,
@@ -425,12 +430,6 @@ class MinimalGalaxyApplication(BasicSharedApp, HaltableContainer, SentryClientMi
         from ``build_tool_source_store`` — we let it propagate so the
         operator sees the failure at startup.
         """
-        # Local import: avoids a circular import between galaxy.app and galaxy.tools.
-        from galaxy.tools.source_store import (
-            build_tool_source_store,
-            ToolSourceStore,
-        )
-
         self.tool_source_store: ToolSourceStore | None = None
         if not self.config.use_lazy_toolbox:
             return
@@ -459,14 +458,11 @@ class MinimalGalaxyApplication(BasicSharedApp, HaltableContainer, SentryClientMi
 
     def _shutdown_lazy_toolbox(self) -> None:
         toolbox = getattr(self, "_toolbox", None)
-        # Lazy import: only relevant when the lazy path is in use.
-        try:
-            from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
-
-            if isinstance(toolbox, LazyToolBox):
+        if isinstance(toolbox, LazyToolBox):
+            try:
                 toolbox.close()
-        except Exception as e:
-            log.debug(f"_shutdown_lazy_toolbox: {e}")
+            except Exception as e:
+                log.debug(f"_shutdown_lazy_toolbox: {e}")
 
     def _use_lazy_toolbox(self) -> bool:
         """Determine whether to use LazyToolBox instead of regular ToolBox.
@@ -482,9 +478,6 @@ class MinimalGalaxyApplication(BasicSharedApp, HaltableContainer, SentryClientMi
 
     def _create_lazy_toolbox(self) -> "tools.ToolBox":
         """Create a LazyToolBox instance."""
-        # Lazy import: avoids circular import between galaxy.app and galaxy.tools.
-        from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
-
         cache_size = self.config.lazy_toolbox_cache_size
         log.info(f"Using LazyToolBox with cache_size={cache_size}")
 
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/queue_worker/__init__.py b/lib/galaxy/queue_worker/__init__.py
index 9224371fdf4..e71ca5f7c03 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/queue_worker/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/queue_worker/__init__.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ from galaxy.managers.sse import (
 from galaxy.model import User
 from galaxy.tools import ToolBox
 from galaxy.tools.data_manager.manager import DataManagers
+from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
 from galaxy.tools.special_tools import load_lib_tools
 
 logging.getLogger("kombu").setLevel(logging.WARNING)
@@ -290,9 +291,6 @@ def _get_new_toolbox(app: "UniverseApplication", save_integrated_tool_panel: boo
 
     new_toolbox: ToolBox
     if getattr(app.config, "use_lazy_toolbox", False) and getattr(app, "tool_source_store", None) is not None:
-        # Lazy import: avoids circular import between galaxy.queue_worker and galaxy.tools.
-        from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
-
         new_toolbox = LazyToolBox(
             config_filenames=tool_configs,
             tool_root_dir=app.config.tool_path,
@@ -399,8 +397,6 @@ def reload_tool_source_cache(app, **kwargs):
     This is typically triggered by an external process (like populate_store.py --watch)
     when tool files change on disk.
     """
-    from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
-
     log.debug("Executing tool source cache reload on '%s'", app.config.server_name)
 
     # Invalidate the lazy toolbox cache if the active toolbox is a LazyToolBox.
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tool_shed/galaxy_install/tools/tool_panel_manager.py b/lib/galaxy/tool_shed/galaxy_install/tools/tool_panel_manager.py
index 5883852ccb7..8f4aceaeaac 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tool_shed/galaxy_install/tools/tool_panel_manager.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tool_shed/galaxy_install/tools/tool_panel_manager.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ from galaxy.tool_shed.galaxy_install.client import InstallationTarget
 from galaxy.tool_shed.util.basic_util import strip_path
 from galaxy.tool_shed.util.repository_util import get_repository_owner
 from galaxy.tool_shed.util.shed_util_common import get_tool_panel_config_tool_path_install_dir
+from galaxy.tool_util.toolbox.base import resolve_tool_path
+from galaxy.tools.source_store.populator import populate_for_paths
 from galaxy.util import (
     Element,
     parse_xml_string,
@@ -31,14 +33,9 @@ def _collect_new_tool_paths(elem_list, tool_path: str, shed_tool_conf: str) -> d
     — either top-level ``<tool>`` elements or ``<section>`` elements with
     nested ``<tool>`` children. Paths must match what
     ``galaxy.tools.source_store.discover.discover_tools`` yields for the
-    rewritten conf byte-for-byte (the partial populate filters on the string):
-    a relative ``tool_path`` resolves against the conf file's directory, not
-    the process cwd, so route through the same ``resolve_tool_path``.
+    rewritten conf byte-for-byte (the partial populate filters on the string),
+    so route through the same ``resolve_tool_path`` discover uses.
     """
-    # Local import: keeps galaxy.tools.source_store out of the eager
-    # tool-shed install path's module graph.
-    from galaxy.tools.source_store.discover import resolve_tool_path
-
     resolved_base = resolve_tool_path(tool_path, shed_tool_conf)
     path_guids: dict[str, str | None] = {}
 
@@ -178,8 +175,6 @@ class ToolPanelManager:
                     load_elem_list, tool_path, shed_tool_conf_dict["config_filename"]
                 )
                 if new_path_guids:
-                    from galaxy.tools.source_store.populator import populate_for_paths
-
                     populate_for_paths(
                         self.app.config,
                         paths=list(new_path_guids),
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tools/lazy_toolbox.py b/lib/galaxy/tools/lazy_toolbox.py
index ff4e32c2dcf..760c4dd633e 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tools/lazy_toolbox.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tools/lazy_toolbox.py
@@ -1323,6 +1323,8 @@ class LazyToolBox(ToolBox):
                 # broadcasts an invalidation; removals must broadcast too or
                 # peer web workers keep serving the uninstalled tool until an
                 # unrelated populate happens to run.
+                # Local import: genuine circularity — galaxy.queue_worker
+                # imports LazyToolBox at module level.
                 from galaxy.queue_worker import send_control_task
 
                 try:
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tools/search/__init__.py b/lib/galaxy/tools/search/__init__.py
index ed6887ab4de..d207681ef39 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tools/search/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tools/search/__init__.py
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@ from whoosh.scoring import (
 from whoosh.writing import AsyncWriter
 
 from galaxy.config import GalaxyAppConfiguration
+from galaxy.tools.source_store.populator import (
+    DEFAULT_STORE_NAME,
+    whoosh_dir_for_store,
+)
+from galaxy.tools.source_store.search import (
+    ToolSearchTuning,
+    ToolWhooshIndex,
+)
 from galaxy.util import (
     ExecutionTimer,
     unicodify,
@@ -156,16 +164,6 @@ class LazyToolboxSearch(ToolBoxSearch):
         self.index_count += 1
 
     def search(self, q: str, panel_view: str, config: GalaxyAppConfiguration) -> list[str]:
-        # Lazy import: avoids pulling populator's deps into module load.
-        from galaxy.tools.source_store.populator import (
-            DEFAULT_STORE_NAME,
-            whoosh_dir_for_store,
-        )
-        from galaxy.tools.source_store.search import (
-            ToolSearchTuning,
-            ToolWhooshIndex,
-        )
-
         if not config.tool_search_index_dir:
             # No index dir means whoosh search is off entirely.
             return []
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tools/source_store/benchmarks.py b/lib/galaxy/tools/source_store/benchmarks.py
index bc3ee867ab6..402d47857d6 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tools/source_store/benchmarks.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tools/source_store/benchmarks.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from collections.abc import Callable
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from pathlib import Path
 
+from galaxy.tool_util.parser.factory import TOOL_SOURCE_FACTORIES
 from .index import (
     ToolIndex,
     ToolIndexEntry,
@@ -162,12 +163,6 @@ class ToolSourceBenchmarks:
             print("No tools found for XML parsing benchmark")
             return None
 
-        try:
-            from galaxy.tool_util.parser.factory import TOOL_SOURCE_FACTORIES
-        except ImportError:
-            print("Could not import TOOL_SOURCE_FACTORIES")
-            return None
-
         # Use a representative tool
         path, content = tools[0]
         factory = TOOL_SOURCE_FACTORIES.get("XmlToolSource")
@@ -188,12 +183,6 @@ class ToolSourceBenchmarks:
             print("No tools found for deserialization benchmark")
             return None
 
-        try:
-            from galaxy.tool_util.parser.factory import TOOL_SOURCE_FACTORIES
-        except ImportError:
-            print("Could not import TOOL_SOURCE_FACTORIES")
-            return None
-
         path, content = tools[0]
 
         # Simulate DB storage format
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/services/tools.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/services/tools.py
index ce766024680..6c2f2797bff 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/services/tools.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/services/tools.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ from typing import (
     cast,
     get_args,
     Optional,
-    TYPE_CHECKING,
 )
 from uuid import UUID
 
@@ -62,14 +61,12 @@ from galaxy.tool_util_models.parameters import (
 )
 from galaxy.tools import Tool
 from galaxy.tools._types import InputFormatT
+from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
 from galaxy.tools.search import ToolBoxSearch
 from galaxy.util.path import safe_contains
 from galaxy.webapps.galaxy.services._fetch_util import validate_and_normalize_targets
 from galaxy.webapps.galaxy.services.base import ServiceBase
 
-if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
-
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 ToolRunPayload = dict[str, Any]
@@ -563,8 +560,6 @@ class ToolsService(ServiceBase):
 
     def _get_lazy_toolbox(self, trans: ProvidesUserContext) -> Optional["LazyToolBox"]:
         """Return the active toolbox if it's a LazyToolBox, else None."""
-        from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
-
         toolbox = trans.app.toolbox
         return toolbox if isinstance(toolbox, LazyToolBox) else None
 
diff --git a/lib/galaxy_test/driver/uses_shed.py b/lib/galaxy_test/driver/uses_shed.py
index cc8cd1c9012..b061bdbb03c 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy_test/driver/uses_shed.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy_test/driver/uses_shed.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from unittest import SkipTest
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 from galaxy.app import UniverseApplication
+from galaxy.tools.source_store.populator import reconcile_index
 from galaxy.util.tool_shed.tool_shed_registry import DEFAULT_TOOL_SHED_URL
 from galaxy.util.unittest_utils import is_site_up
 from galaxy_test.base.populators import DEFAULT_TIMEOUT
@@ -90,8 +91,6 @@ class UsesShed(UsesShedApi):
         # would otherwise survive the ``reload_toolbox`` below: ``LazyToolBox``
         # only re-runs the populator when discovery turns up a *new* path.
         try:
-            from galaxy.tools.source_store.populator import reconcile_index
-
             reconcile_index(self._app.config, rebuild_whoosh=True)
         except Exception as e:
             log.warning("reset_shed_tools: reconcile_index raised (continuing): %s", e)
diff --git a/test/integration/test_tool_source_storage.py b/test/integration/test_tool_source_storage.py
index 9aa16a6afb3..b4fe1b511ff 100644
--- a/test/integration/test_tool_source_storage.py
+++ b/test/integration/test_tool_source_storage.py
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@ import tempfile
 
 import pytest
 
+from galaxy.queue_worker import reload_toolbox
+from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
+from galaxy.tools.source_store import ToolIndex
+from galaxy.tools.source_store.composite import CompositeToolSourceStore
+from galaxy.tools.source_store.sqlalchemy import SqlAlchemyToolSourceStore
 from galaxy_test.base.populators import DatasetPopulator
 from galaxy_test.driver import integration_util
 
@@ -70,8 +75,6 @@ class TestSqliteToolSourceStorage(BaseToolSourceStorageIntegrationTestCase):
         self._test_api_tools_show()
 
     def test_default_store_is_sqlalchemy_backend(self):
-        from galaxy.tools.source_store.sqlalchemy import SqlAlchemyToolSourceStore
-
         assert isinstance(self._app.tool_source_store, SqlAlchemyToolSourceStore)
 
 
@@ -93,8 +96,6 @@ class TestCompositeToolSourceStorage(BaseToolSourceStorageIntegrationTestCase):
         cls._tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="composite_tss_")
         cls._sqlite_path = os.path.join(cls._tmpdir, "sources.sqlite")
 
-        from galaxy.tools.source_store.sqlalchemy import SqlAlchemyToolSourceStore
-
         SqlAlchemyToolSourceStore(url=f"sqlite:///{cls._sqlite_path}").count()
 
         cls._conf_path = os.path.join(cls._tmpdir, "extra_tool_conf.xml")
@@ -120,8 +121,6 @@ class TestCompositeToolSourceStorage(BaseToolSourceStorageIntegrationTestCase):
         # is enabled. Verifying the live app's store directly is more
         # robust than relying on /api/tools, which depends on whether the
         # store was populated in advance.
-        from galaxy.tools.source_store.composite import CompositeToolSourceStore
-
         assert isinstance(self._app.tool_source_store, CompositeToolSourceStore)
 
     def test_api_tools_list_populated_via_bootstrap(self):
@@ -165,8 +164,6 @@ class TestLazyToolBoxReload(BaseToolSourceStorageIntegrationTestCase):
         config["use_lazy_toolbox"] = True
 
     def test_base_tools_survive_toolbox_reload(self):
-        from galaxy.queue_worker import reload_toolbox
-
         self._test_api_tools_show("cat1")
         assert self._app.toolbox.get_tool("upload1") is not None
         reload_toolbox(self._app)
@@ -180,9 +177,6 @@ class TestLazyToolBoxReload(BaseToolSourceStorageIntegrationTestCase):
         # with its own, much smaller view, and the peer broadcast invalidates
         # our store cache. A subsequent reload must serve THIS instance's
         # tools from its inline repopulate, not the foreign index.
-        from galaxy.tools.source_store import ToolIndex
-        from galaxy.tools.source_store.sqlalchemy import SqlAlchemyToolSourceStore
-
         store = self._app.tool_source_store
         assert store is not None
         connection = self._app.config.tool_source_database_connection
@@ -195,8 +189,6 @@ class TestLazyToolBoxReload(BaseToolSourceStorageIntegrationTestCase):
         assert upload_stored
         store.delete(upload_stored[0].hash)
 
-        from galaxy.queue_worker import reload_toolbox
-
         old_toolbox = self._app.toolbox
         reload_toolbox(self._app)
         assert self._app.toolbox is not old_toolbox
@@ -211,8 +203,6 @@ class TestLazyToolBoxReload(BaseToolSourceStorageIntegrationTestCase):
         for source_hash in list(store.list_all()):
             store.delete(source_hash)
         store.invalidate_index_cache()
-        from galaxy.queue_worker import reload_toolbox
-
         reload_toolbox(self._app)
         assert self._app.toolbox.get_tool("upload1") is not None
         self._test_api_tools_show("cat1")
@@ -390,8 +380,6 @@ class TestLazyToolBoxApi(BaseToolSourceStorageIntegrationTestCase):
         # batch surface instead. LAZY_TOOL_STRICT covers off-surface reads;
         # this also covers the ones strict can't (a filter that parses, an
         # _MATERIALIZE_OK attr read in a loop).
-        from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import LazyToolBox
-
         toolbox = self._app.toolbox
         # This class self-enables lazy mode; assert it (and narrow the type so
         # mypy accepts the lazy-only _lazy_materialize_count counter).
diff --git a/test/unit/app/tools/test_lazy_tool.py b/test/unit/app/tools/test_lazy_tool.py
index f38329c8983..44463a49d29 100644
--- a/test/unit/app/tools/test_lazy_tool.py
+++ b/test/unit/app/tools/test_lazy_tool.py
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
 import pytest
 
+import galaxy.queue_worker as queue_worker_mod
+import galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox as mod
+from galaxy.tool_util.toolbox.lineages.factory import LazyLineageMap
+from galaxy.tool_util.toolbox.panel import ToolPanelElements
 from galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox import (
     LazyTool,
     LazyToolBox,
@@ -230,8 +234,6 @@ def test_strict_getattr_raises_with_clear_message(monkeypatch):
     # Strict mode is opt-in via LAZY_TOOL_STRICT=1; permissive (materialise
     # on unknown attr with WARN) is the default. Flip the module-level flag
     # for this test so the strict path fires.
-    import galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox as mod
-
     monkeypatch.setattr(mod, "_LAZY_TOOL_PERMISSIVE", False)
     t = _stub()
     with pytest.raises(NotImplementedError) as ei:
@@ -255,8 +257,6 @@ def test_materialize_ok_set_forwards_to_real_tool(caplog):
 
 
 def test_permissive_flag_warns_and_materialises(monkeypatch, caplog):
-    import galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox as mod
-
     monkeypatch.setattr(mod, "_LAZY_TOOL_PERMISSIVE", True)
 
     class _Real:
@@ -337,8 +337,6 @@ def test_create_tool_populates_adhoc_for_existing_file(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     # Shed installs load cloned tools during metadata generation, before
     # any conf is persisted — a miss for an on-disk file populates that
     # path instead of raising.
-    import galaxy.tools.lazy_toolbox as mod
-
     guid = "toolshed.example.com/repos/owner/repo/cloned/1.0"
     tool_file = tmp_path / "cloned.xml"
     tool_file.write_text("<tool id='cloned' version='1.0'/>")
@@ -451,9 +449,6 @@ def _registry_box():
     removal bookkeeping paths run against genuine data structures."""
     import threading
 
-    from galaxy.tool_util.toolbox.lineages.factory import LazyLineageMap
-    from galaxy.tool_util.toolbox.panel import ToolPanelElements
-
     box = _seam_box()
     box._tools_by_id = {}
     box._tool_versions_by_id = {}
@@ -503,8 +498,6 @@ def test_invalidate_index_cache_keeps_unindexed_tools():
 
 
 def test_remove_tool_by_id_broadcasts_reload_to_peers(monkeypatch):
-    import galaxy.queue_worker as queue_worker_mod
-
     box = _registry_box()
     box._tool_index = ToolIndex()
     entry = _entry(id="doomed")