diff --git a/hooks/hooks.py b/hooks/hooks.py
index 7566ce4..98eeebd 100755
--- a/hooks/hooks.py
+++ b/hooks/hooks.py
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ from charmhelpers.contrib.network.ip import (
     format_ipv6_addr
 )
 from charmhelpers.core.sysctl import create as create_sysctl
+from charmhelpers.core.templating import render
 
 from utils import (
-    render_template,
     get_public_addr,
     assert_charm_supports_ipv6
 )
@@ -98,8 +98,7 @@ def emit_cephconf():
     # co-existence with other charms that write this file
     charm_ceph_conf = "/var/lib/charm/{}/ceph.conf".format(service_name())
     mkdir(os.path.dirname(charm_ceph_conf))
-    with open(charm_ceph_conf, 'w') as cephconf:
-        cephconf.write(render_template('ceph.conf', cephcontext))
+    render('ceph.conf', charm_ceph_conf, cephcontext, perms=0o644)
     install_alternative('ceph.conf', '/etc/ceph/ceph.conf',
                         charm_ceph_conf, 100)
 
diff --git a/hooks/utils.py b/hooks/utils.py
index ada3563..5a196d4 100644
--- a/hooks/utils.py
+++ b/hooks/utils.py
@@ -28,15 +28,6 @@ from charmhelpers.contrib.network.ip import (
     get_ipv6_addr
 )
 
-TEMPLATES_DIR = 'templates'
-
-try:
-    import jinja2
-except ImportError:
-    apt_install(filter_installed_packages(['python-jinja2']),
-                fatal=True)
-    import jinja2
-
 try:
     import dns.resolver
 except ImportError:
@@ -45,13 +36,6 @@ except ImportError:
     import dns.resolver
 
 
-def render_template(template_name, context, template_dir=TEMPLATES_DIR):
-    templates = jinja2.Environment(
-        loader=jinja2.FileSystemLoader(template_dir))
-    template = templates.get_template(template_name)
-    return template.render(context)
-
-
 def enable_pocket(pocket):
     apt_sources = "/etc/apt/sources.list"
     with open(apt_sources, "r") as sources: