diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8f594983f..e6ff37e9b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 - Enhancements
     - Added possibility to use rich Text objects to set the description argument of a `Settable`
+    - Removed redundant `ipython` import which slowed application startup time
 
 ## 4.1.1 (July 9, 2026)
 
diff --git a/cmd2/cmd2.py b/cmd2/cmd2.py
index c8653d4e1..3bfb4574a 100644
--- a/cmd2/cmd2.py
+++ b/cmd2/cmd2.py
@@ -177,9 +177,6 @@
     UnboundCompleter,
 )
 
-with contextlib.suppress(ImportError):
-    from IPython import start_ipython
-
 try:
     if sys.platform == "win32":
         from prompt_toolkit.output.win32 import NoConsoleScreenBufferError  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
@@ -5151,13 +5148,7 @@ def do_ipy(self, _: argparse.Namespace) -> bool | None:  # pragma: no cover
         # Detect whether IPython is installed
         try:
             import traitlets.config.loader as traitlets_loader
-
-            # Allow users to install ipython from a cmd2 prompt when needed and still have ipy command work
-            try:
-                _dummy = start_ipython  # noqa: F823
-            except NameError:
-                from IPython import start_ipython
-
+            from IPython import start_ipython
             from IPython.terminal.interactiveshell import TerminalInteractiveShell
             from IPython.terminal.ipapp import TerminalIPythonApp
         except ImportError: