diff --git a/etc/nova/nova-config-generator.conf b/etc/nova/nova-config-generator.conf
index c11a4153df63..2597e0c9cf27 100644
--- a/etc/nova/nova-config-generator.conf
+++ b/etc/nova/nova-config-generator.conf
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 [DEFAULT]
 output_file = etc/nova/nova.conf.sample
 wrap_width = 80
-namespace = nova
 namespace = nova.conf
 namespace = nova.api
 namespace = nova.cells
diff --git a/nova/api/openstack/compute/volumes.py b/nova/api/openstack/compute/volumes.py
index aa7cf386cb6c..84c9e78fea44 100644
--- a/nova/api/openstack/compute/volumes.py
+++ b/nova/api/openstack/compute/volumes.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ from nova.i18n import _
 from nova import objects
 from nova.policies import volumes as vol_policies
 from nova.policies import volumes_attachments as va_policies
-from nova import volume
+from nova.volume import cinder
 
 ALIAS = "os-volumes"
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class VolumeController(wsgi.Controller):
     """The Volumes API controller for the OpenStack API."""
 
     def __init__(self):
-        self.volume_api = volume.API()
+        self.volume_api = cinder.API()
         super(VolumeController, self).__init__()
 
     @extensions.expected_errors(404)
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ class VolumeAttachmentController(wsgi.Controller):
 
     def __init__(self):
         self.compute_api = compute.API()
-        self.volume_api = volume.API()
+        self.volume_api = cinder.API()
         super(VolumeAttachmentController, self).__init__()
 
     @extensions.expected_errors(404)
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ class SnapshotController(wsgi.Controller):
     """The Snapshots API controller for the OpenStack API."""
 
     def __init__(self):
-        self.volume_api = volume.API()
+        self.volume_api = cinder.API()
         super(SnapshotController, self).__init__()
 
     @extensions.expected_errors(404)
diff --git a/nova/compute/api.py b/nova/compute/api.py
index 85b93323989a..0cef59364150 100644
--- a/nova/compute/api.py
+++ b/nova/compute/api.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ from nova.scheduler import utils as scheduler_utils
 from nova import servicegroup
 from nova import utils
 from nova.virt import hardware
-from nova import volume
+from nova.volume import cinder
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ class API(base.Base):
                  security_group_api=None, **kwargs):
         self.image_api = image_api or image.API()
         self.network_api = network_api or network.API()
-        self.volume_api = volume_api or volume.API()
+        self.volume_api = volume_api or cinder.API()
         self.security_group_api = (security_group_api or
             openstack_driver.get_openstack_security_group_driver())
         self.consoleauth_rpcapi = consoleauth_rpcapi.ConsoleAuthAPI()
diff --git a/nova/compute/manager.py b/nova/compute/manager.py
index 189a1fed9b2f..6115af6f205d 100644
--- a/nova/compute/manager.py
+++ b/nova/compute/manager.py
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ from nova.virt import driver
 from nova.virt import event as virtevent
 from nova.virt import storage_users
 from nova.virt import virtapi
-from nova import volume
+from nova.volume import cinder
 from nova.volume import encryptors
 
 CONF = nova.conf.CONF
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ class ComputeManager(manager.Manager):
         """Load configuration options and connect to the hypervisor."""
         self.virtapi = ComputeVirtAPI(self)
         self.network_api = network.API()
-        self.volume_api = volume.API()
+        self.volume_api = cinder.API()
         self.image_api = image.API()
         self._last_host_check = 0
         self._last_bw_usage_poll = 0
diff --git a/nova/opts.py b/nova/opts.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 042091818995..000000000000
--- a/nova/opts.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-# 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.
-
-import itertools
-
-import nova.baserpc
-import nova.cloudpipe.pipelib
-import nova.cmd.serialproxy
-import nova.cmd.spicehtml5proxy
-import nova.conductor.rpcapi
-import nova.conf
-import nova.console.rpcapi
-import nova.console.serial
-import nova.consoleauth.rpcapi
-import nova.exception
-import nova.image.download.file
-import nova.volume
-
-
-def list_opts():
-    return [
-        ('DEFAULT',
-         itertools.chain(
-             nova.volume._volume_opts,
-         )),
-    ]
diff --git a/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py b/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
index 9b7b99ffeb39..a9691a9aa037 100644
--- a/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
+++ b/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ from nova.virt.libvirt import vif as libvirt_vif
 from nova.virt.libvirt.volume import remotefs
 from nova.virt import netutils
 from nova.virt import watchdog_actions
-from nova import volume
+from nova.volume import cinder
 from nova.volume import encryptors
 
 libvirt = None
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ class LibvirtDriver(driver.ComputeDriver):
                 continue
             self.disk_cachemodes[disk_type] = cache_mode
 
-        self._volume_api = volume.API()
+        self._volume_api = cinder.API()
         self._image_api = image.API()
 
         sysinfo_serial_funcs = {
diff --git a/nova/volume/__init__.py b/nova/volume/__init__.py
index b57e84387954..e69de29bb2d1 100644
--- a/nova/volume/__init__.py
+++ b/nova/volume/__init__.py
@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
-# Copyright 2010 United States Government as represented by the
-# Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
-# All Rights Reserved.
-#
-#    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.
-
-import oslo_config.cfg
-from oslo_utils import importutils
-
-_volume_opts = [
-    oslo_config.cfg.StrOpt(
-        'volume_api_class',
-        default='nova.volume.cinder.API',
-        help='DEPRECATED: The full class name of the volume API class to use',
-        deprecated_for_removal=True)
-]
-
-oslo_config.cfg.CONF.register_opts(_volume_opts)
-
-
-def API():
-    volume_api_class = oslo_config.cfg.CONF.volume_api_class
-    cls = importutils.import_class(volume_api_class)
-    return cls()
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/remove_volume_api_class-a3c618228c89f57b.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/remove_volume_api_class-a3c618228c89f57b.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2a9367c4c4b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/remove_volume_api_class-a3c618228c89f57b.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - The deprecated ``volume_api_class`` config option has been
+    removed. We only have one sensible backend for it, so
+    don't need it anymore.