diff --git a/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py b/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
index f367ba1d..f2944f78 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@ import json
 import sys
 
 from bigchaindb.common import crypto
-from bigchaindb.common.exceptions import (StartupError,
-                                          DatabaseAlreadyExists,
+from bigchaindb.common.exceptions import (DatabaseAlreadyExists,
                                           KeypairNotFoundException,
                                           DatabaseDoesNotExist)
 import bigchaindb
@@ -19,11 +18,9 @@ from bigchaindb.tendermint.core import BigchainDB
 from bigchaindb import backend
 from bigchaindb.backend import schema
 from bigchaindb.backend import query
-from bigchaindb.backend.exceptions import OperationError
 from bigchaindb.commands import utils
 from bigchaindb.commands.messages import (
     CANNOT_START_KEYPAIR_NOT_FOUND,
-    RETHINKDB_STARTUP_ERROR,
 )
 from bigchaindb.commands.utils import (
     configure_bigchaindb, start_logging_process, input_on_stderr)
diff --git a/bigchaindb/commands/utils.py b/bigchaindb/commands/utils.py
index 030ff322..1951ff82 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/commands/utils.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/commands/utils.py
@@ -6,15 +6,10 @@ import argparse
 import builtins
 import functools
 import multiprocessing as mp
-import subprocess
 import sys
 
-import rethinkdb as r
-from pymongo import uri_parser
 import bigchaindb
 import bigchaindb.config_utils
-from bigchaindb import backend
-from bigchaindb.common.exceptions import StartupError
 from bigchaindb.log.setup import setup_logging
 from bigchaindb.version import __version__
 
diff --git a/tests/commands/test_utils.py b/tests/commands/test_utils.py
index 4fb8ea91..f31f0321 100644
--- a/tests/commands/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/commands/test_utils.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import argparse
-from argparse import ArgumentTypeError, Namespace
+from argparse import Namespace
 import logging
 
 import pytest