diff --git a/xlwings/udfs.py b/xlwings/udfs.py
index d04fda1d..1a4b07bf 100644
--- a/xlwings/udfs.py
+++ b/xlwings/udfs.py
@@ -1,25 +1,19 @@
 import asyncio
-import json
-import sys
-
-if sys.version_info >= (3, 7):
-    from asyncio import get_running_loop
-else:
-    from asyncio import get_event_loop as get_running_loop
-
 import concurrent
 import copy
 import functools
 import inspect
+import json
 import logging
 import os
 import os.path
 import re
+import sys
 import tempfile
 import threading
 from importlib import (
     import_module,
-    reload,  # requires >= py 3.4
+    reload,
 )
 from random import random
 
@@ -39,29 +33,10 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 cache = {}
 
-if sys.version_info >= (3, 7):
-    com_executor = concurrent.futures.ThreadPoolExecutor(
-        initializer=pythoncom.CoInitialize
-    )
-
-    def backcompat_check_com_initialized():
-        pass
-
-else:
-    com_executor = concurrent.futures.ThreadPoolExecutor()
-    com_is_initialized = threading.local()
-
-    def backcompat_check_com_initialized():
-        try:
-            com_is_initialized.done
-        except AttributeError:
-            pythoncom.CoInitialize()
-            com_is_initialized.done = True
+com_executor = concurrent.futures.ThreadPoolExecutor(initializer=pythoncom.CoInitialize)
 
 
 async def async_thread(base, my_has_dynamic_array, func, args, cache_key, expand):
-    backcompat_check_com_initialized()
-
     try:
         if expand:
             stashme = await base.get_formula_array()
@@ -70,7 +45,7 @@ async def async_thread(base, my_has_dynamic_array, func, args, cache_key, expand
         else:
             stashme = await base.get_formula()
 
-        loop = get_running_loop()
+        loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
         cache[cache_key] = await loop.run_in_executor(
             com_executor, functools.partial(func, *args)
         )
@@ -301,15 +276,7 @@ async def _com(self, fn, *args, backoff=1):
           a cap.
         """
 
-        loop = get_running_loop()
-
-        if sys.version_info[:2] <= (3, 6):
-
-            def _fn(fn, *args):
-                backcompat_check_com_initialized()
-                return fn(*args)
-
-            fn = functools.partial(_fn, fn)
+        loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
 
         try:
             return await loop.run_in_executor(