diff --git a/sleap/gui/utils.py b/sleap/gui/utils.py
index e141d4d6e..4f8215706 100644
--- a/sleap/gui/utils.py
+++ b/sleap/gui/utils.py
@@ -26,28 +26,3 @@ def select_zmq_port(zmq_context: Optional[zmq.Context] = None) -> int:
     port = socket.bind_to_random_port("tcp://127.0.0.1")
     socket.close()
     return port
-
-
-def find_free_port(port: int, zmq_context: zmq.Context):
-    """Find free port to bind to.
-
-    Args:
-        port: The port to start searching from.
-        zmq_context: The ZMQ context to use.
-
-    Returns:
-        The free port.
-    """
-    attempts = 0
-    max_attempts = 10
-    while not is_port_free(port=port, zmq_context=zmq_context):
-        if attempts >= max_attempts:
-            raise RuntimeError(
-                f"Could not find free port to display training progress after "
-                f"{max_attempts} attempts. Please check your network settings "
-                "or use the CLI `sleap-train` command."
-            )
-        port = select_zmq_port(zmq_context=self.ctx)
-        attempts += 1
-
-    return port
diff --git a/sleap/gui/widgets/monitor.py b/sleap/gui/widgets/monitor.py
index 632adbad8..61fde2ff4 100644
--- a/sleap/gui/widgets/monitor.py
+++ b/sleap/gui/widgets/monitor.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 import matplotlib.transforms as mtransforms
 from qtpy import QtCore, QtWidgets
 
-from sleap.gui.utils import find_free_port
+from sleap.gui.utils import is_port_free, select_zmq_port
 from sleap.gui.widgets.mpl import MplCanvas
 from sleap.nn.config.training_job import TrainingJobConfig
 
@@ -785,6 +785,30 @@ def _setup_zmq(self, zmq_context: Optional[zmq.Context] = None):
         self.ctx_given = zmq_context is not None
         self.ctx = zmq.Context() if zmq_context is None else zmq_context
 
+        def find_free_port(port: int, zmq_context: zmq.Context):
+            """Find free port to bind to.
+
+            Args:
+                port: The port to start searching from.
+                zmq_context: The ZMQ context to use.
+
+            Returns:
+                The free port.
+            """
+            attempts = 0
+            max_attempts = 10
+            while not is_port_free(port=port, zmq_context=zmq_context):
+                if attempts >= max_attempts:
+                    raise RuntimeError(
+                        f"Could not find free port to display training progress after "
+                        f"{max_attempts} attempts. Please check your network settings "
+                        "or use the CLI `sleap-train` command."
+                    )
+                port = select_zmq_port(zmq_context=self.ctx)
+                attempts += 1
+
+            return port
+
         # Progress monitoring, SUBSCRIBER
         self.sub = self.ctx.socket(zmq.SUB)
         self.sub.subscribe("")