diff --git a/cinder/tests/hacking/checks.py b/cinder/tests/hacking/checks.py
index 291e65fcca9..87c515fc8ea 100644
--- a/cinder/tests/hacking/checks.py
+++ b/cinder/tests/hacking/checks.py
@@ -309,20 +309,6 @@ def check_datetime_now(logical_line, noqa):
         yield(0, msg)
 
 
-_UNICODE_USAGE_REGEX = re.compile(r'\bunicode *\(')
-
-
-@core.flake8ext
-def check_unicode_usage(logical_line, noqa):
-    if noqa:
-        return
-
-    msg = "C302: Found unicode() call. Please use six.text_type()."
-
-    if _UNICODE_USAGE_REGEX.search(logical_line):
-        yield(0, msg)
-
-
 @core.flake8ext
 def check_no_print_statements(logical_line, filename, noqa):
     # CLI and utils programs do need to use 'print()' so
diff --git a/cinder/tests/unit/test_hacking.py b/cinder/tests/unit/test_hacking.py
index 1a51bf15095..6748daacd31 100644
--- a/cinder/tests/unit/test_hacking.py
+++ b/cinder/tests/unit/test_hacking.py
@@ -219,12 +219,6 @@ class HackingTestCase(test.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(0, len(list(checks.check_timeutils_strtime(
             "strftime"))))
 
-    def test_check_unicode_usage(self):
-        self.assertEqual(1, len(list(checks.check_unicode_usage(
-            "unicode(msg)", False))))
-        self.assertEqual(0, len(list(checks.check_unicode_usage(
-            "unicode(msg)  # noqa", True))))
-
     def test_no_print_statements(self):
         self.assertEqual(0, len(list(checks.check_no_print_statements(
             "a line with no print statement",
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 4c2999b8900..be741db7a0d 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -199,24 +199,20 @@ max-complexity = 30
 application-import-names = cinder
 import-order-style = pep8
 
-[hacking]
-import_exceptions = cinder.i18n
-
 [flake8:local-plugins]
 extension =
-  C312 = checks:no_translate_logs
   N322 = checks:no_mutable_default_args
   N323 = checks:check_explicit_underscore_import
-  C310 = checks:CheckLoggingFormatArgs
-  C311 = checks:CheckOptRegistrationArgs
   C301 = checks:check_datetime_now
+  C303 = checks:check_no_print_statements
   C306 = checks:check_timeutils_strtime
   C308 = checks:check_timeutils_isotime
-  C302 = checks:check_unicode_usage
-  C303 = checks:check_no_print_statements
-  C336 = checks:dict_constructor_with_list_copy
   C309 = checks:no_test_log
+  C310 = checks:CheckLoggingFormatArgs
+  C311 = checks:CheckOptRegistrationArgs
+  C312 = checks:no_translate_logs
   C313 = checks:validate_assertTrue
+  C336 = checks:dict_constructor_with_list_copy
 paths = ./cinder/tests/hacking
 
 [doc8]