diff --git a/app/__init__.py b/app/__init__.py
index 7704e7375..2361199c2 100644
--- a/app/__init__.py
+++ b/app/__init__.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ aws_sns_client = AwsSnsClient()
 aws_cloudwatch_client = AwsCloudwatchClient()
 aws_pinpoint_client = AwsPinpointClient()
 encryption = Encryption()
-zendesk_client = ZendeskClient()
+zendesk_client = None
 redis_store = RedisClient()
 document_download_client = DocumentDownloadClient()
 
@@ -118,6 +118,16 @@ api_user = LocalProxy(lambda: g.api_user)
 authenticated_service = LocalProxy(lambda: g.authenticated_service)
 
 
+def get_zendesk_client():
+    global zendesk_client
+    # Our unit tests mock anyway
+    if os.environ.get("NOTIFY_ENVIRONMENT") == "test":
+        return None
+    if zendesk_client is None:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"Celery not initialized zendesk_client: {zendesk_client}")
+    return zendesk_client
+
+
 def create_app(application):
     from app.config import configs
 
@@ -136,7 +146,6 @@ def create_app(application):
     request_helper.init_app(application)
     db.init_app(application)
     migrate.init_app(application, db=db)
-    zendesk_client.init_app(application)
     logging.init_app(application)
     aws_sns_client.init_app(application)
 
@@ -144,6 +153,12 @@ def create_app(application):
     aws_ses_stub_client.init_app(stub_url=application.config["SES_STUB_URL"])
     aws_cloudwatch_client.init_app(application)
     aws_pinpoint_client.init_app(application)
+
+    # start lazy initialization for gevent
+    zendesk_client = ZendeskClient()
+    zendesk_client.init_app(application)
+    # end lazy initialization
+
     # If a stub url is provided for SES, then use the stub client rather than the real SES boto client
     email_clients = (
         [aws_ses_stub_client]
diff --git a/app/celery/scheduled_tasks.py b/app/celery/scheduled_tasks.py
index 05d4f72a7..a8a097030 100644
--- a/app/celery/scheduled_tasks.py
+++ b/app/celery/scheduled_tasks.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from flask import current_app
 from sqlalchemy import between, select, union
 from sqlalchemy.exc import SQLAlchemyError
 
-from app import db, notify_celery, redis_store, zendesk_client
+from app import db, get_zendesk_client, notify_celery, redis_store
 from app.celery.tasks import (
     get_recipient_csv_and_template_and_sender_id,
     process_incomplete_jobs,
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ from notifications_utils.clients.zendesk.zendesk_client import NotifySupportTick
 
 MAX_NOTIFICATION_FAILS = 10000
 
+zendesk_client = get_zendesk_client()
+
 
 @notify_celery.task(name="run-scheduled-jobs")
 def run_scheduled_jobs():
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index f6dc999cb..c3af9dc69 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ xfail_strict=true
 exclude = venv*,__pycache__,node_modules,cache,migrations,build,sample_cap_xml_documents.py
 max-line-length = 120
 # W504 line break after binary operator
-extend_ignore=B306, W504, E203
+extend_ignore=B306, W504, E203, F824
 
 [isort]
 profile = black