diff --git a/ibis/expr/analysis.py b/ibis/expr/analysis.py
index 17b9beaa55060..a627ea25d263b 100644
--- a/ibis/expr/analysis.py
+++ b/ibis/expr/analysis.py
@@ -176,11 +176,10 @@ def merge_windows(_, default_frame):
     return ops.WindowFunction(_.func, frame)
 
 
-def windowize_function(expr, default_frame, merge_frames=False):
+def windowize_function(expr, default_frame):
     ctx = {"default_frame": default_frame}
     node = expr.op()
-    if merge_frames:
-        node = node.replace(merge_windows, filter=p.Value, context=ctx)
+    node = node.replace(merge_windows, filter=p.Value, context=ctx)
     node = node.replace(wrap_analytic, filter=p.Value & ~p.WindowFunction, context=ctx)
     return node.to_expr()
 
diff --git a/ibis/expr/types/core.py b/ibis/expr/types/core.py
index 5e8246080de64..3167cbee373a4 100644
--- a/ibis/expr/types/core.py
+++ b/ibis/expr/types/core.py
@@ -589,7 +589,8 @@ def to_torch(
 
     def unbind(self) -> ir.Table:
         """Return an expression built on `UnboundTable` instead of backend-specific objects."""
-        from ibis.expr.analysis import p, c, _
+        from ibis.expr.analysis import p, c
+        from ibis.common.deferred import _
 
         rule = p.DatabaseTable >> c.UnboundTable(name=_.name, schema=_.schema)
         return self.op().replace(rule).to_expr()
diff --git a/ibis/expr/types/generic.py b/ibis/expr/types/generic.py
index cbdb585d08629..a7f2b94cf0eeb 100644
--- a/ibis/expr/types/generic.py
+++ b/ibis/expr/types/generic.py
@@ -758,7 +758,7 @@ def over(
 
         def bind(table):
             frame = window.bind(table)
-            expr = an.windowize_function(self, frame, merge_frames=True)
+            expr = an.windowize_function(self, frame)
             if expr.equals(self):
                 raise com.IbisTypeError(
                     "No reduction or analytic function found to construct a window expression"
diff --git a/ibis/expr/types/groupby.py b/ibis/expr/types/groupby.py
index 8505fbf8bc04f..123b1ca8b71f6 100644
--- a/ibis/expr/types/groupby.py
+++ b/ibis/expr/types/groupby.py
@@ -254,12 +254,12 @@ def _selectables(self, *exprs, **kwexprs):
             order_by=bind_expr(self.table, self._order_by),
         )
         return [
-            an.windowize_function(e2, default_frame, merge_frames=True)
+            an.windowize_function(e2, default_frame)
             for expr in exprs
             for e1 in util.promote_list(expr)
             for e2 in util.promote_list(table._ensure_expr(e1))
         ] + [
-            an.windowize_function(e, default_frame, merge_frames=True).name(k)
+            an.windowize_function(e, default_frame).name(k)
             for k, expr in kwexprs.items()
             for e in util.promote_list(table._ensure_expr(expr))
         ]
diff --git a/ibis/expr/types/relations.py b/ibis/expr/types/relations.py
index 51f3105a19f67..99012b318eddf 100644
--- a/ibis/expr/types/relations.py
+++ b/ibis/expr/types/relations.py
@@ -4338,7 +4338,8 @@ def _resolve_predicates(
     table: Table, predicates
 ) -> tuple[list[ir.BooleanValue], list[tuple[ir.BooleanValue, ir.Table]]]:
     import ibis.expr.types as ir
-    from ibis.expr.analysis import _, flatten_predicate, p
+    from ibis.common.deferred import _
+    from ibis.expr.analysis import flatten_predicate, p
 
     # TODO(kszucs): clean this up, too much flattening and resolving happens here
     predicates = [