diff --git a/bin/keystone-all b/bin/keystone-all
index 8d7c4b3dc7..fa14bbb819 100755
--- a/bin/keystone-all
+++ b/bin/keystone-all
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ from keystone.openstack.common import gettextutils
 # gettextutils._() is called at import time.
 gettextutils.enable_lazy()
 
+from keystone import backends
 from keystone.common import dependency
 from keystone.common import environment
 from keystone.common import sql
@@ -48,7 +49,6 @@ from keystone.common import utils
 from keystone import config
 from keystone.openstack.common.gettextutils import _
 from keystone.openstack.common import importutils
-from keystone import service
 
 
 CONF = config.CONF
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         monkeypatch_thread = False
     environment.use_eventlet(monkeypatch_thread)
 
-    service.load_backends()
+    backends.load_backends()
 
     servers = []
     servers.append(create_server(paste_config,
diff --git a/httpd/keystone.py b/httpd/keystone.py
index 21761fd6bb..140a6978ee 100644
--- a/httpd/keystone.py
+++ b/httpd/keystone.py
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ from keystone.openstack.common import gettextutils
 # gettextutils._() is called at import time.
 gettextutils.enable_lazy()
 
+from keystone import backends
 from keystone.common import dependency
 from keystone.common import environment
 from keystone.common import sql
 from keystone import config
 from keystone.openstack.common import log
-from keystone import service
 
 
 CONF = config.CONF
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ if CONF.debug:
     CONF.log_opt_values(log.getLogger(CONF.prog), logging.DEBUG)
 
 
-drivers = service.load_backends()
+drivers = backends.load_backends()
 
 # NOTE(ldbragst): 'application' is required in this context by WSGI spec.
 # The following is a reference to Python Paste Deploy documentation
diff --git a/keystone/backends.py b/keystone/backends.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8380cdfcca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/keystone/backends.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+from keystone import assignment
+from keystone import auth
+from keystone import catalog
+from keystone.common import cache
+from keystone.contrib import endpoint_filter
+from keystone import credential
+from keystone import identity
+from keystone import policy
+from keystone import token
+from keystone import trust
+
+
+def load_backends():
+
+    # Configure and build the cache
+    cache.configure_cache_region(cache.REGION)
+
+    # Ensure that the identity driver is created before the assignment manager.
+    # The default assignment driver is determined by the identity driver, so
+    # the identity driver must be available to the assignment manager.
+    _IDENTITY_API = identity.Manager()
+
+    DRIVERS = dict(
+        assignment_api=assignment.Manager(),
+        catalog_api=catalog.Manager(),
+        credential_api=credential.Manager(),
+        endpoint_filter_api=endpoint_filter.Manager(),
+        identity_api=_IDENTITY_API,
+        policy_api=policy.Manager(),
+        token_api=token.Manager(),
+        trust_api=trust.Manager(),
+        token_provider_api=token.provider.Manager())
+
+    auth.controllers.load_auth_methods()
+
+    return DRIVERS
diff --git a/keystone/service.py b/keystone/service.py
index a996804b8f..f5514c0e89 100644
--- a/keystone/service.py
+++ b/keystone/service.py
@@ -20,10 +20,8 @@ import routes
 from keystone import assignment
 from keystone import auth
 from keystone import catalog
-from keystone.common import cache
 from keystone.common import wsgi
 from keystone import config
-from keystone.contrib import endpoint_filter
 from keystone import controllers
 from keystone import credential
 from keystone import identity
@@ -38,32 +36,6 @@ CONF = config.CONF
 LOG = log.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def load_backends():
-
-    # Configure and build the cache
-    cache.configure_cache_region(cache.REGION)
-
-    # Ensure that the identity driver is created before the assignment manager.
-    # The default assignment driver is determined by the identity driver, so
-    # the identity driver must be available to the assignment manager.
-    _IDENTITY_API = identity.Manager()
-
-    DRIVERS = dict(
-        assignment_api=assignment.Manager(),
-        catalog_api=catalog.Manager(),
-        credential_api=credential.Manager(),
-        endpoint_filter_api=endpoint_filter.Manager(),
-        identity_api=_IDENTITY_API,
-        policy_api=policy.Manager(),
-        token_api=token.Manager(),
-        trust_api=trust.Manager(),
-        token_provider_api=token.provider.Manager())
-
-    auth.controllers.load_auth_methods()
-
-    return DRIVERS
-
-
 def fail_gracefully(f):
     """Logs exceptions and aborts."""
     @functools.wraps(f)
diff --git a/keystone/tests/core.py b/keystone/tests/core.py
index bbc9bde692..c836307646 100644
--- a/keystone/tests/core.py
+++ b/keystone/tests/core.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ from keystone.common import environment
 environment.use_eventlet()
 
 from keystone import auth
+from keystone import backends
 from keystone.common import dependency
 from keystone.common import kvs
 from keystone.common.kvs import core as kvs_core
@@ -52,7 +53,6 @@ from keystone import notifications
 from keystone.openstack.common.fixture import config as config_fixture
 from keystone.openstack.common.gettextutils import _
 from keystone.openstack.common import log
-from keystone import service
 from keystone.tests import ksfixtures
 
 # NOTE(dstanek): Tests inheriting from TestCase depend on having the
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ class TestCase(BaseTestCase):
         kvs_core.KEY_VALUE_STORE_REGISTRY.clear()
 
         self.clear_auth_plugin_registry()
-        drivers = service.load_backends()
+        drivers = backends.load_backends()
 
         drivers.update(dependency.resolve_future_dependencies())