diff --git a/messages/config.md b/messages/config.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 27b441f5..00000000
--- a/messages/config.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-# error.invalidBooleanConfigValue
-
-The config value can only be set to true or false
-
-# org-metadata-rest-deploy
-
-Whether deployments use the Metadata REST API (true) or SOAP API (false, default value).
diff --git a/src/configMeta.ts b/src/configMeta.ts
index 1f2336f8..3303bf36 100644
--- a/src/configMeta.ts
+++ b/src/configMeta.ts
@@ -5,10 +5,7 @@
  * For full license text, see LICENSE.txt file in the repo root or https://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause
  */
 
-import { ConfigValue, Messages } from '@salesforce/core';
-
-Messages.importMessagesDirectory(__dirname);
-const messages = Messages.loadMessages('@salesforce/plugin-deploy-retrieve', 'config');
+import type { ConfigValue } from '@salesforce/core';
 
 export enum ConfigVars {
   /**
@@ -20,11 +17,12 @@ export enum ConfigVars {
 export default [
   {
     key: ConfigVars.ORG_METADATA_REST_DEPLOY,
-    description: messages.getMessage(ConfigVars.ORG_METADATA_REST_DEPLOY),
+    // @salesforce/core's Messages class is not used here because it's an expensive import to be used in an init hook
+    description: 'Whether deployments use the Metadata REST API (true) or SOAP API (false, default value).',
     hidden: true,
     input: {
       validator: (value: ConfigValue): boolean => typeof value === 'string' && ['true', 'false'].includes(value),
-      failedMessage: messages.getMessage('error.invalidBooleanConfigValue'),
+      failedMessage: 'The config value can only be set to true or false',
     },
   },
 ];