diff --git a/patroni/ctl.py b/patroni/ctl.py
index fabb4077..6b2d8511 100644
--- a/patroni/ctl.py
+++ b/patroni/ctl.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ try:
 except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover
     from cdiff import markup_to_pager, PatchStream  # pyright: ignore [reportMissingModuleSource]
 
+from .config import get_global_config
 from .dcs import get_dcs as _get_dcs, AbstractDCS, Cluster, Member
 from .exceptions import PatroniException
 from .postgresql.misc import postgres_version_to_int
@@ -1011,7 +1012,6 @@ def reload(obj: Dict[str, Any], cluster_name: str, member_names: List[str],
         if r.status == 200:
             click.echo('No changes to apply on member {0}'.format(member.name))
         elif r.status == 202:
-            from patroni.config import get_global_config
             config = get_global_config(cluster)
             click.echo('Reload request received for member {0} and will be processed within {1} seconds'.format(
                 member.name, config.get('loop_wait') or dcs.loop_wait)
@@ -1093,7 +1093,6 @@ def restart(obj: Dict[str, Any], cluster_name: str, group: Optional[int], member
         content['postgres_version'] = version
 
     if scheduled_at:
-        from patroni.config import get_global_config
         if get_global_config(cluster).is_paused:
             raise PatroniCtlException("Can't schedule restart in the paused state")
         content['schedule'] = scheduled_at.isoformat()
@@ -1221,6 +1220,8 @@ def _do_failover_or_switchover(obj: Dict[str, Any], action: str, cluster_name: s
             dcs = get_dcs(obj, cluster_name, group)
             cluster = dcs.get_cluster()
 
+    global_config = get_global_config(cluster)
+
     # leader has to be be defined for switchover only
     if action == 'switchover':
         if cluster.leader is None or not cluster.leader.name:
@@ -1230,8 +1231,7 @@ def _do_failover_or_switchover(obj: Dict[str, Any], action: str, cluster_name: s
             if force:
                 leader = cluster.leader.name
             else:
-                from patroni.config import get_global_config
-                prompt = 'Standby Leader' if get_global_config(cluster).is_standby_cluster else 'Primary'
+                prompt = 'Standby Leader' if global_config.is_standby_cluster else 'Primary'
                 leader = click.prompt(prompt, type=str, default=(cluster.leader and cluster.leader.name))
 
         if cluster.leader.name != leader:
@@ -1251,7 +1251,7 @@ def _do_failover_or_switchover(obj: Dict[str, Any], action: str, cluster_name: s
     if action == 'failover' and not candidate:
         raise PatroniCtlException('Failover could be performed only to a specific candidate')
 
-    if leader and candidate == leader:
+    if candidate == leader:
         raise PatroniCtlException(action.title() + ' target and source are the same.')
 
     if candidate and candidate not in candidate_names:
@@ -1259,8 +1259,7 @@ def _do_failover_or_switchover(obj: Dict[str, Any], action: str, cluster_name: s
             f'Member {candidate} does not exist in cluster {cluster_name} or is tagged as nofailover')
 
     if not force and action == 'failover':
-        from patroni.config import get_global_config
-        if get_global_config(cluster).is_synchronous_mode and not cluster.sync.is_empty\
+        if global_config.is_synchronous_mode and not cluster.sync.is_empty\
            and not cluster.sync.matches(candidate, True)\
            and not click.confirm(f'Are you sure you want to failover to the asynchronous node {candidate}'):
             raise PatroniCtlException('Aborting ' + action)
@@ -1276,8 +1275,7 @@ def _do_failover_or_switchover(obj: Dict[str, Any], action: str, cluster_name: s
 
         scheduled_at = parse_scheduled(scheduled)
         if scheduled_at:
-            from patroni.config import get_global_config
-            if get_global_config(cluster).is_paused:
+            if global_config.is_paused:
                 raise PatroniCtlException("Can't schedule switchover in the paused state")
             scheduled_at_str = scheduled_at.isoformat()
 
@@ -1293,7 +1291,7 @@ def _do_failover_or_switchover(obj: Dict[str, Any], action: str, cluster_name: s
     if not force:
         demote_msg = f', demoting current leader {cluster.leader.name}' if cluster.leader else ''
         if scheduled_at_str:
-            assert action == 'switchover'
+            # only switchover can be scheduled
             if not click.confirm(f'Are you sure you want to schedule switchover of cluster \
 {cluster_name} at {scheduled_at_str}{demote_msg}?'):
                 raise PatroniCtlException('Aborting scheduled ' + action)
@@ -1722,7 +1720,6 @@ def wait_until_pause_is_applied(dcs: AbstractDCS, paused: bool, old_cluster: Clu
     :param old_cluster: original cluster information before pause or unpause has been requested. Used to report which
         nodes are still pending to have ``pause`` equal *paused* at a given point in time.
     """
-    from patroni.config import get_global_config
     config = get_global_config(old_cluster)
 
     click.echo("'{0}' request sent, waiting until it is recognized by all nodes".format(paused and 'pause' or 'resume'))
@@ -1760,7 +1757,6 @@ def toggle_pause(config: Dict[str, Any], cluster_name: str, group: Optional[int]
             * ``pause`` state is already *paused*; or
             * cluster contains no accessible members.
     """
-    from patroni.config import get_global_config
     dcs = get_dcs(config, cluster_name, group)
     cluster = dcs.get_cluster()
     if get_global_config(cluster).is_paused == paused: