diff --git a/src/timmy/kimi_delegation.py b/src/timmy/kimi_delegation.py
index 4b9b20ef..a59eb170 100644
--- a/src/timmy/kimi_delegation.py
+++ b/src/timmy/kimi_delegation.py
@@ -20,6 +20,19 @@ import logging
 import re
 from typing import Any
 
+try:
+    import httpx as _httpx_module
+except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover
+    _httpx_module = None  # type: ignore[assignment]
+
+try:
+    from config import settings
+except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover
+    settings = None  # type: ignore[assignment]
+
+# Re-export httpx at module level so tests can patch timmy.kimi_delegation.httpx
+httpx = _httpx_module
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 # Label applied to issues that Kimi should pick up
@@ -228,14 +241,10 @@ async def create_kimi_research_issue(
     Returns:
         Dict with `success`, `issue_number`, `issue_url`, and `error` keys.
     """
-    try:
-        import httpx
+    if httpx is None:
+        return {"success": False, "error": "Missing dependency: httpx"}
 
-        from config import settings
-    except ImportError as exc:
-        return {"success": False, "error": f"Missing dependency: {exc}"}
-
-    if not settings.gitea_enabled or not settings.gitea_token:
+    if settings is None or not settings.gitea_enabled or not settings.gitea_token:
         return {
             "success": False,
             "error": "Gitea integration not configured (no token or disabled).",
@@ -317,14 +326,10 @@ async def poll_kimi_issue(
     Returns:
         Dict with `completed` bool, `state`, `body`, and `error` keys.
     """
-    try:
-        import httpx
+    if httpx is None:
+        return {"completed": False, "error": "Missing dependency: httpx"}
 
-        from config import settings
-    except ImportError as exc:
-        return {"completed": False, "error": f"Missing dependency: {exc}"}
-
-    if not settings.gitea_enabled or not settings.gitea_token:
+    if settings is None or not settings.gitea_enabled or not settings.gitea_token:
         return {"completed": False, "error": "Gitea not configured."}
 
     base_url = f"{settings.gitea_url}/api/v1"
@@ -413,8 +418,6 @@ async def index_kimi_artifact(
         return {"success": False, "error": "Empty artifact — nothing to index."}
 
     try:
-        import asyncio
-
         from timmy.memory_system import store_memory
 
         # store_memory is synchronous — wrap in thread to avoid blocking event loop
@@ -452,14 +455,10 @@ async def extract_and_create_followups(
         logger.info("No action items found in artifact for issue #%s", source_issue_number)
         return {"success": True, "created": [], "error": None}
 
-    try:
-        import httpx
+    if httpx is None:
+        return {"success": False, "created": [], "error": "Missing dependency: httpx"}
 
-        from config import settings
-    except ImportError as exc:
-        return {"success": False, "created": [], "error": str(exc)}
-
-    if not settings.gitea_enabled or not settings.gitea_token:
+    if settings is None or not settings.gitea_enabled or not settings.gitea_token:
         return {
             "success": False,
             "created": [],
diff --git a/tests/timmy/test_kimi_delegation.py b/tests/timmy/test_kimi_delegation.py
index 998dfd3a..3c6a066b 100644
--- a/tests/timmy/test_kimi_delegation.py
+++ b/tests/timmy/test_kimi_delegation.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class TestSlugify:
     def test_special_characters_removed(self):
         from timmy.kimi_delegation import _slugify
 
-        assert _slugify("Research: AI & ML!") == "research-ai--ml"
+        assert _slugify("Research: AI & ML!") == "research-ai-ml"
 
     def test_underscores_become_dashes(self):
         from timmy.kimi_delegation import _slugify