diff --git a/onionshare/onionshare.py b/onionshare/onionshare.py
index f9c07868..b1b402e1 100644
--- a/onionshare/onionshare.py
+++ b/onionshare/onionshare.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ def main(cwd=None):
     The main() function implements all of the logic that the command-line version of
     onionshare uses.
     """
-    strings.load_strings()
+    strings.load_strings(helpers)
     print(strings._('version_string').format(helpers.get_version()))
 
     # onionshare CLI in OSX needs to change current working directory (#132)
diff --git a/onionshare/strings.py b/onionshare/strings.py
index 116f115c..94739efb 100644
--- a/onionshare/strings.py
+++ b/onionshare/strings.py
@@ -19,12 +19,9 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 """
 import json, locale, os
 
-from . import helpers
-
 strings = {}
 
-
-def load_strings(default="en"):
+def load_strings(helpers, default="en"):
     """
     Loads translated strings and fallback to English
     if the translation does not exist.
diff --git a/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py b/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py
index 1eb508bc..825fa8b5 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ def main():
     """
     The main() function implements all of the logic that the GUI version of onionshare uses.
     """
-    strings.load_strings()
+    strings.load_strings(helpers)
     print(strings._('version_string').format(helpers.get_version()))
 
     # start the Qt app