diff --git a/contrib/archive/backends/impl_ipa/auth.py b/contrib/archive/backends/impl_ipa/auth.py
index b12096cc9..6f851b8db 100644
--- a/contrib/archive/backends/impl_ipa/auth.py
+++ b/contrib/archive/backends/impl_ipa/auth.py
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@
 # under the License.
 import os
 import logging
-import uuid
 
 from requests import auth
 import kerberos
 
+from designate.utils import generate_uuid
 from designate.backend.impl_ipa import IPAAuthError
 from designate.i18n import _LW
 from designate.i18n import _LE
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 class IPAAuth(auth.AuthBase):
     def __init__(self, keytab, hostname):
         # store the kerberos credentials in memory rather than on disk
-        os.environ['KRB5CCNAME'] = "MEMORY:" + str(uuid.uuid4())
+        os.environ['KRB5CCNAME'] = "MEMORY:" + generate_uuid()
         self.token = None
         self.keytab = keytab
         self.hostname = hostname
diff --git a/contrib/ipaextractor.py b/contrib/ipaextractor.py
index 08fa7b763..e4b83c399 100644
--- a/contrib/ipaextractor.py
+++ b/contrib/ipaextractor.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import sys
 import logging
-import uuid
 import pprint
 import json
 import copy
@@ -264,7 +263,7 @@ def main():
     assert(zone)
 
     # create a fake subdomain of this zone
-    domname = "%s.%s" % (uuid.uuid4(), zone['idnsname'])
+    domname = "%s.%s" % (utils.generate_uuid(), zone['idnsname'])
     args = copy.copy(zone)
     del args['idnsname']
     args['version'] = version
diff --git a/contrib/records_mass_create.py b/contrib/records_mass_create.py
index 7cdf1ca9c..9a74503f9 100644
--- a/contrib/records_mass_create.py
+++ b/contrib/records_mass_create.py
@@ -16,12 +16,13 @@
 # under the License.
 import os
 import sys
-import uuid
 
 from designateclient import v1
 from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 
+from designate.utils import generate_uuid
+
 
 cfg.CONF.register_cli_opts([
     cfg.StrOpt("domain_id", help="ID of domain to use."),
@@ -51,6 +52,6 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     msg = "Creating %s records", cfg.CONF.records
     LOG.info(msg)
     for i in range(0, cfg.CONF.records):
-        name = '%s.%s' % (str(uuid.uuid4()), domain.name)
+        name = '%s.%s' % (generate_uuid(), domain.name)
         record = {"name": name, "type": "A", "data": "10.0.0.1"}
         client.records.create(domain, record)
diff --git a/designate/coordination.py b/designate/coordination.py
index fc20a2828..4a84840a8 100644
--- a/designate/coordination.py
+++ b/designate/coordination.py
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@
 
 import math
 import time
-import uuid
 
 from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_log import log
 import retrying
 import tooz.coordination
 
+from designate.utils import generate_uuid
 from designate.i18n import _LI
 from designate.i18n import _LW
 from designate.i18n import _LE
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class CoordinationMixin(object):
         self._coordinator = None
 
     def start(self):
-        self._coordination_id = ":".join([CONF.host, str(uuid.uuid4())])
+        self._coordination_id = ":".join([CONF.host, generate_uuid()])
 
         if CONF.coordination.backend_url is not None:
             backend_url = cfg.CONF.coordination.backend_url
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class CoordinationMixin(object):
 
                 except Exception:
                     LOG.warning(_LW("Failed to start Coordinator:"),
-                             exc_info=True)
+                                exc_info=True)
                     time.sleep(15)
 
     def stop(self):
diff --git a/designate/network_api/fake.py b/designate/network_api/fake.py
index 8cc74e4b0..ca7906b8f 100644
--- a/designate/network_api/fake.py
+++ b/designate/network_api/fake.py
@@ -13,17 +13,16 @@
 # WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
-import uuid
-
 import six
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 
+from designate.utils import generate_uuid
 from designate.network_api import base
 
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-POOL = dict([(str(uuid.uuid4()), '192.168.2.%s' % i) for i in
+POOL = dict([(generate_uuid(), '192.168.2.%s' % i) for i in
              range(0, 254)])
 ALLOCATIONS = {}
 
diff --git a/designate/tests/test_pool_manager/test_service.py b/designate/tests/test_pool_manager/test_service.py
index 9b1971d5b..2680a9e70 100644
--- a/designate/tests/test_pool_manager/test_service.py
+++ b/designate/tests/test_pool_manager/test_service.py
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@
 # WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
-
-import uuid
-
 from oslo_log import log
 import oslo_messaging as messaging
 from mock import call
@@ -24,6 +21,7 @@ from mock import patch
 
 from designate import exceptions
 from designate import objects
+from designate.utils import generate_uuid
 from designate.backend import impl_fake
 from designate.central import rpcapi as central_rpcapi
 from designate.mdns import rpcapi as mdns_rpcapi
@@ -79,7 +77,7 @@ class PoolManagerServiceNoopTest(PoolManagerTestCase):
     def _build_zones(self, n, action, status):
         return [
             self._build_zone("zone%02X.example" % cnt, action,
-                             status, id=str(uuid.uuid4()))
+                             status, id=generate_uuid())
             for cnt in range(n)
         ]
 
diff --git a/designate/tests/test_storage/__init__.py b/designate/tests/test_storage/__init__.py
index ed1279e9e..21a2a9574 100644
--- a/designate/tests/test_storage/__init__.py
+++ b/designate/tests/test_storage/__init__.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 # WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
-import uuid
 import math
 
 import mock
@@ -23,6 +22,7 @@ from oslo_log import log as logging
 
 from designate import exceptions
 from designate import objects
+from designate.utils import generate_uuid
 from designate.storage.base import Storage as StorageBase
 from designate.utils import DEFAULT_MDNS_PORT
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class StorageTestCase(object):
     def test_paging_marker_not_found(self):
         with testtools.ExpectedException(exceptions.MarkerNotFound):
             self.storage.find_pool_attributes(
-                self.admin_context, marker=str(uuid.uuid4()), limit=5)
+                self.admin_context, marker=generate_uuid(), limit=5)
 
     def test_paging_marker_invalid(self):
         with testtools.ExpectedException(exceptions.InvalidMarker):
diff --git a/designate/tests/unit/test_backend/test_designate.py b/designate/tests/unit/test_backend/test_designate.py
index 56dc75cbd..d4c527cb4 100644
--- a/designate/tests/unit/test_backend/test_designate.py
+++ b/designate/tests/unit/test_backend/test_designate.py
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 """
 Unit test Backend
 """
-import uuid
-
 from designateclient import exceptions
 from mock import patch
 from mock import NonCallableMagicMock
@@ -28,6 +26,7 @@ import fixtures
 import oslotest.base
 import testtools
 
+from designate.utils import generate_uuid
 from designate import objects
 from designate.backend import impl_designate
 
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def create_zone():
-    id_ = str(uuid.uuid4())
+    id_ = generate_uuid()
     return objects.Zone(
         id=id_,
         name='%s-example.com.' % id_,
diff --git a/designate/tests/unit/test_producer/test_tasks.py b/designate/tests/unit/test_producer/test_tasks.py
index 2a2eb5dc4..f3138ef4a 100644
--- a/designate/tests/unit/test_producer/test_tasks.py
+++ b/designate/tests/unit/test_producer/test_tasks.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 Unit test Producer tasks
 """
 import datetime
-import uuid
 
 from oslo_utils import timeutils
 from oslotest import base as test
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@ import fixtures
 import mock
 import testtools
 
+from designate.utils import generate_uuid
 from designate.central import rpcapi as central_api
 from designate import context
 from designate import rpc
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class PeriodicTest(TaskTest):
         ctxt = mock.Mock()
         iterer = self.task._iter_zones(ctxt)
 
-        items = [RoObject(id=str(uuid.uuid4())) for i in range(0, 5)]
+        items = [RoObject(id=generate_uuid()) for i in range(0, 5)]
         central.find_zones.return_value = items
 
         # Iterate through the items causing the "paging" to be done.
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ class PeriodicExistsTest(TaskTest):
 
     def test_emit_exists(self):
         zone = RoObject(
-            id=str(uuid.uuid4()))
+            id=generate_uuid())
 
         with mock.patch.object(self.task, '_iter_zones') as iter_:
             iter_.return_value = [zone]
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ class PeriodicSecondaryRefreshTest(TaskTest):
     def test_refresh_zone(self):
         transferred = timeutils.utcnow(True) - datetime.timedelta(minutes=62)
         zone = RoObject(
-            id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
+            id=generate_uuid(),
             transferred_at=datetime.datetime.isoformat(transferred),
             refresh=3600)
 
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ class PeriodicSecondaryRefreshTest(TaskTest):
         # Dummy zone object
         transferred = timeutils.utcnow(True) - datetime.timedelta(minutes=50)
         zone = RoObject(
-            id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
+            id=generate_uuid(),
             transferred_at=datetime.datetime.isoformat(transferred),
             refresh=3600)