diff --git a/src/klayout_main/klayout_main/klayout.cc b/src/klayout_main/klayout_main/klayout.cc
index c679c5536..e215f7407 100644
--- a/src/klayout_main/klayout_main/klayout.cc
+++ b/src/klayout_main/klayout_main/klayout.cc
@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@
 # include "gsiQtDesignerExternals.h"
 # include "gsiQtUiToolsExternals.h"
 
-//  pulls in the Qt GSI binding modules - need to be force loaded so they are available
-//  the pya Python module (Python >= 3.8 does not recognize DLL paths on Windows)
 FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTCORE
 FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTGUI
 FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTWIDGETS
@@ -283,9 +281,6 @@ klayout_main_cont (int &argc, char **argv)
 
   try {
 
-    //  initialize the Python interpreter
-    pya::PythonInterpreter::initialize ();
-
     //  this registers the gsi definitions
     gsi::initialize_external ();
 
diff --git a/src/lay/lay/layApplication.cc b/src/lay/lay/layApplication.cc
index e23d5c50d..e9d7bc7e0 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/layApplication.cc
+++ b/src/lay/lay/layApplication.cc
@@ -616,6 +616,9 @@ ApplicationBase::init_app ()
   mp_ruby_interpreter = new rba::RubyInterpreter ();
   mp_python_interpreter = new pya::PythonInterpreter ();
 
+  //  initialize the Python interpreter - load the pya module
+  pya::PythonInterpreter::initialize ();
+
   //  Read some configuration values that we need early
   bool editable_from_config = false;
 
diff --git a/src/pya/pya/pya.cc b/src/pya/pya/pya.cc
index 38fd8e5c1..5da36d62e 100644
--- a/src/pya/pya/pya.cc
+++ b/src/pya/pya/pya.cc
@@ -326,16 +326,9 @@ PythonInterpreter::PythonInterpreter (bool embedded)
     tl::warn << tl::to_string (tr ("Unable to find built-in Python module library path"));
   }
 
-  //  Import the pya module
-  PyObject *pya_module = PyImport_ImportModule (pya_module_name);
-  if (pya_module == NULL) {
-    check_error ();
-    return;
-  }
-
   //  Build two objects that provide a way to redirect stdout, stderr
   //  and instantiate them two times for stdout and stderr.
-  PYAChannelObject::make_class (pya_module);
+  PYAChannelObject::make_class ();
   m_stdout_channel = PythonRef (PYAChannelObject::create (gsi::Console::OS_stdout));
   m_stdout = PythonPtr (m_stdout_channel.get ());
   m_stderr_channel = PythonRef (PYAChannelObject::create (gsi::Console::OS_stderr));
@@ -601,7 +594,11 @@ PythonInterpreter::available () const
 void
 PythonInterpreter::initialize ()
 {
-  // .. no implementation required ..
+  //  Import the pya module
+  PyObject *pya_module = PyImport_ImportModule (pya_module_name);
+  if (pya_module == NULL) {
+    check_error ();
+  }
 }
 
 size_t
diff --git a/src/pya/pya/pya.h b/src/pya/pya/pya.h
index 65fa77cb9..c48bad587 100644
--- a/src/pya/pya/pya.h
+++ b/src/pya/pya/pya.h
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ public:
 
   /**
    *  @brief Provide a first (basic) initialization
+   *  Calling this method will load all Python functions and plugins and provide the pya module.
    */
   static void initialize ();
 
diff --git a/src/pya/pya/pyaHelpers.cc b/src/pya/pya/pyaHelpers.cc
index fc68b7d2d..c8aa44c60 100644
--- a/src/pya/pya/pyaHelpers.cc
+++ b/src/pya/pya/pyaHelpers.cc
@@ -102,11 +102,11 @@ pya_channel_init (PyObject *self, PyObject *, PyObject *)
 }
 
 void
-PYAChannelObject::make_class (PyObject *module)
+PYAChannelObject::make_class ()
 {
   static PyTypeObject channel_type = {
     PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT (&PyType_Type, 0)
-    "pya._Channel",             // tp_name
+    "__PYA_Channel",            // tp_name
     sizeof (PYAChannelObject)   // tp_size
   };
 
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ PYAChannelObject::make_class (PyObject *module)
   PyType_Ready (&channel_type);
   Py_INCREF (&channel_type);
 
-  PyModule_AddObject (module, "_Channel", (PyObject *) &channel_type);
+  PyObject *module = PyImport_AddModule("__main__");
+  PyModule_AddObject (module, "__PYA_Channel", (PyObject *) &channel_type);
 
   cls = &channel_type;
 }
diff --git a/src/pya/pya/pyaHelpers.h b/src/pya/pya/pyaHelpers.h
index 67ba2ffbf..89ccf9585 100644
--- a/src/pya/pya/pyaHelpers.h
+++ b/src/pya/pya/pyaHelpers.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class SignalHandler;
 struct PYAChannelObject
   : public PyObject
 {
-  static void make_class (PyObject *module);
+  static void make_class ();
   static PYAChannelObject *create (gsi::Console::output_stream chn);
 
   gsi::Console::output_stream channel;
diff --git a/src/unit_tests/unit_test_main.cc b/src/unit_tests/unit_test_main.cc
index c7ac22612..601a37998 100644
--- a/src/unit_tests/unit_test_main.cc
+++ b/src/unit_tests/unit_test_main.cc
@@ -490,7 +490,6 @@ main_cont (int &argc, char **argv)
 
   try {
 
-    pya::PythonInterpreter::initialize ();
     gsi::initialize_external ();
 
     //  Search and initialize plugin unit tests