diff --git a/SickBeard.py b/SickBeard.py
index d9b3c259..ec9cdd83 100755
--- a/SickBeard.py
+++ b/SickBeard.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ import threading
 import getopt
 
 import sickbeard
-from sickbeard import db, logger, network_timezones, failed_history, name_cache, versionChecker
+from sickbeard import db, logger, network_timezones, failed_history, name_cache
 from sickbeard.tv import TVShow
 from sickbeard.webserveInit import SRWebServer
 from sickbeard.databases.mainDB import MIN_DB_VERSION, MAX_DB_VERSION
diff --git a/sickbeard/__init__.py b/sickbeard/__init__.py
index 1bbae452..414ae1c4 100755
--- a/sickbeard/__init__.py
+++ b/sickbeard/__init__.py
@@ -543,6 +543,9 @@ def initialize(consoleLogging=True):
         CheckSection(CFG, 'Pushbullet')
         CheckSection(CFG, 'Subtitles')
 
+        # github api
+        gh = Github().get_organization(GIT_ORG).get_repo(GIT_REPO)
+
         # wanted branch
         BRANCH = check_setting_str(CFG, 'General', 'branch', '')
 
@@ -1113,9 +1116,6 @@ def initialize(consoleLogging=True):
             tmp_provider.set_config(cur_metadata_config)
             metadata_provider_dict[tmp_provider.name] = tmp_provider
 
-        # github
-        gh = Github().get_organization(GIT_ORG).get_repo(GIT_REPO)
-
         # initialize schedulers
         # updaters
         update_now = datetime.timedelta(minutes=0)