diff --git a/commands.py b/commands.py
index 081a186..40e148c 100644
--- a/commands.py
+++ b/commands.py
@@ -65,28 +65,6 @@ def all_info(all_cfg):
     return 'currently configured: %s' % ', '.join(info)
 
 
-def applyAliasConfig():
-    """Apply the desired aliases from session.alias_config.
-
-    be more quiet than original
-    """
-    # reimplemented from Session.applyAliasConfig
-    # apply also when target dev name does not change, as the target device might have
-    # be exchanged in the mean time
-    unused = set()
-    for aliasname, targets in session.alias_config.items():
-        if aliasname not in session.devices:
-            continue  # silently ignore
-        aliasdev = session.getDevice(aliasname)
-        for target, _ in sorted(targets, key=lambda t: -t[1]):
-            if target in session.devices:
-                try:
-                    aliasdev.alias = target
-                except Exception:
-                    session.log.exception("could not set '%s' alias", aliasdev)
-                break
-
-
 def frappy_start(service, cfg=None):
     if service not in SERVICES:
         raise ValueError('unknown service %s' % service)
diff --git a/devices.py b/devices.py
index 62767dc..d51ee12 100644
--- a/devices.py
+++ b/devices.py
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ from nicos.core import Override, Param, Moveable, status
 from nicos.devices.secop import SecNodeDevice
 from nicos.core import Device, anytype, listof
 from nicos.utils.comparestrings import compare
-from nicos_sinq.frappy_sinq.commands import applyAliasConfig
 from servicemanager import FrappyManager
 
 
@@ -47,6 +46,28 @@ def suggest(poi, allowed_keys):
     return [m[0] for m in comp[:3] if m[1] > 2]
 
 
+def applyAliasConfig():
+    """Apply the desired aliases from session.alias_config.
+
+    be more quiet than original
+    """
+    # reimplemented from Session.applyAliasConfig
+    # apply also when target dev name does not change, as the target device might have
+    # be exchanged in the mean time
+    unused = set()
+    for aliasname, targets in session.alias_config.items():
+        if aliasname not in session.devices:
+            continue  # silently ignore
+        aliasdev = session.getDevice(aliasname)
+        for target, _ in sorted(targets, key=lambda t: -t[1]):
+            if target in session.devices:
+                try:
+                    aliasdev.alias = target
+                except Exception:
+                    session.log.exception("could not set '%s' alias", aliasdev)
+                break
+
+
 class FrappyConfig(Device):
     # respect the order: e.g. temperature_regulation must be after temperature
     # and temperature_drivable must be the last in the temperature group