diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index f0d99f305..e796a1c04 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 python-dateutil     # date type
-importlib_metadata>=3.6 # plugin groups backported for python <3.8
 
 # optional dependencies
 pandas>=1.5.3; python_version >= '3.11' # dta (Stata)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 392047542..98f472c70 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
     install_requires=[
         "python-dateutil",
         'windows-curses >= 2.4; platform_system == "Windows"',  # 2119
-        "importlib-metadata >= 3.6",
         'importlib_resources; python_version<"3.9"',
     ],
     packages=[
diff --git a/visidata/settings.py b/visidata/settings.py
index b91364081..544a54b7d 100644
--- a/visidata/settings.py
+++ b/visidata/settings.py
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ def loadConfigAndPlugins(vd, args=AttrDict()):
     # autoload installed plugins first
     args_plugins_autoload = args.plugins_autoload if 'plugins_autoload' in args else True
     if not args.nothing and args_plugins_autoload and vd.options.plugins_autoload:
-        from importlib_metadata import entry_points  # a backport which supports < 3.8 https://github.com/pypa/twine/pull/732
+        from importlib.metadata import entry_points
         try:
             eps = entry_points()
             eps_visidata = eps.select(group='visidata.plugins') if 'visidata.plugins' in eps.groups else []