diff --git a/src/lightning_app/frontend/panel/app_state_comm.py b/src/lightning_app/frontend/panel/app_state_comm.py
index f7d9c01e7d..d9092628dd 100644
--- a/src/lightning_app/frontend/panel/app_state_comm.py
+++ b/src/lightning_app/frontend/panel/app_state_comm.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import asyncio
 import logging
 import os
-import threading
+from threading import Thread
 from typing import Callable
 
 import websockets
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from lightning_app.core.constants import APP_SERVER_PORT
 _logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 _CALLBACKS = []
-_THREAD: None | threading.Thread = None
+_THREAD: Thread = None
 
 
 def _get_ws_port():
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def _start_websocket():
     global _THREAD  # pylint: disable=global-statement
     if not _THREAD:
         _logger.debug("Starting the watch_app_state thread.")
-        _THREAD = threading.Thread(target=_target_fn)
+        _THREAD = Thread(target=_target_fn)
         _THREAD.setDaemon(True)
         _THREAD.start()
         _logger.debug("thread started")
diff --git a/src/lightning_app/frontend/panel/panel_serve_render_fn.py b/src/lightning_app/frontend/panel/panel_serve_render_fn.py
index 7aff3d5c3e..88c8d6cb98 100644
--- a/src/lightning_app/frontend/panel/panel_serve_render_fn.py
+++ b/src/lightning_app/frontend/panel/panel_serve_render_fn.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def _get_render_fn():
     return render_fn
 
 
-if __name__.startswith("bokeh"):
+def main():
     import panel as pn
 
     # I use caching for efficiency reasons. It shaves off 10ms from having
@@ -50,3 +50,7 @@ if __name__.startswith("bokeh"):
     if "lightning_render_fn" not in pn.state.cache:
         pn.state.cache["lightning_render_fn"] = _get_render_fn()
     pn.state.cache["lightning_render_fn"]()
+
+
+if __name__.startswith("bokeh"):
+    main()