diff --git a/posthog/apps.py b/posthog/apps.py
index 480502e353436..a818b04bd08b8 100644
--- a/posthog/apps.py
+++ b/posthog/apps.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def ready(self):
                 posthoganalytics.disabled = True
 
         # load feature flag definitions if not already loaded
-        if posthoganalytics.feature_flag_definitions() is None:
+        if not posthoganalytics.disabled and posthoganalytics.feature_flag_definitions() is None:
             posthoganalytics.default_client.load_feature_flags()
 
         if not settings.SKIP_SERVICE_VERSION_REQUIREMENTS:
diff --git a/posthog/celery.py b/posthog/celery.py
index 1302fe515f021..8bef171f35432 100644
--- a/posthog/celery.py
+++ b/posthog/celery.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 from posthog.metrics import pushed_metrics_registry
 from posthog.redis import get_client
 from posthog.utils import get_crontab, get_instance_region
-from posthoganalytics import Posthog
 
 # set the default Django settings module for the 'celery' program.
 os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "posthog.settings")
@@ -758,6 +757,7 @@ def calculate_decide_usage() -> None:
     from posthog.models.feature_flag.flag_analytics import capture_team_decide_usage
     from posthog.models import Team
     from django.db.models import Q
+    from posthoganalytics import Posthog
 
     # send EU data to EU, US data to US
     api_key = "phc_dZ4GK1LRjhB97XozMSkEwPXx7OVANaJEwLErkY1phUF" if get_instance_region() == "EU" else "sTMFPsFhdP1Ssg"
@@ -769,7 +769,7 @@ def calculate_decide_usage() -> None:
     ):
         capture_team_decide_usage(ph_client, team.id, team.uuid)
 
-    ph_client.flush()
+    ph_client.shutdown()
 
 
 @app.task(ignore_result=True)
diff --git a/posthog/models/feature_flag/flag_analytics.py b/posthog/models/feature_flag/flag_analytics.py
index 4d5da89540001..a86117cbfb9ea 100644
--- a/posthog/models/feature_flag/flag_analytics.py
+++ b/posthog/models/feature_flag/flag_analytics.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 from posthog.redis import redis, get_client
 import time
-from posthoganalytics import Posthog
 from sentry_sdk import capture_exception
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from posthoganalytics import Posthog
+
 REDIS_LOCK_TOKEN = "posthog:decide_analytics:lock"
 CACHE_BUCKET_SIZE = 60 * 2  # duration in seconds
 
@@ -21,7 +24,7 @@ def increment_request_count(team_id: int, count: int = 1) -> None:
         capture_exception(error)
 
 
-def capture_team_decide_usage(ph_client: Posthog, team_id: int, team_uuid: str) -> None:
+def capture_team_decide_usage(ph_client: "Posthog", team_id: int, team_uuid: str) -> None:
     try:
         client = get_client()
         total_request_count = 0