diff --git a/nova/common/__init__.py b/nova/common/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb2d1..000000000000
diff --git a/nova/config.py b/nova/config.py
index b5064b4783f7..4be8e342392c 100644
--- a/nova/config.py
+++ b/nova/config.py
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@
 from oslo_log import log
 from oslo_utils import importutils
 
-from nova.common import config
 import nova.conf
 from nova.db.sqlalchemy import api as sqlalchemy_api
+from nova import middleware
 from nova import rpc
 from nova import version
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def parse_args(argv, default_config_files=None, configure_db=True,
     rpc.set_defaults(control_exchange='nova')
     if profiler:
         profiler.set_defaults(CONF)
-    config.set_middleware_defaults()
+    middleware.set_defaults()
 
     CONF(argv[1:],
          project='nova',
diff --git a/nova/common/config.py b/nova/middleware.py
similarity index 97%
rename from nova/common/config.py
rename to nova/middleware.py
index 5dd60ea7f7b3..717fecd4efe4 100644
--- a/nova/common/config.py
+++ b/nova/middleware.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 from oslo_middleware import cors
 
 
-def set_middleware_defaults():
+def set_defaults():
     """Update default configuration options for oslo.middleware."""
     cors.set_defaults(
         allow_headers=['X-Auth-Token',
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index ff4549fefce7..d4ba172069bc 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ oslo.config.opts =
     nova.conf = nova.conf.opts:list_opts
 
 oslo.config.opts.defaults =
-    nova.conf = nova.common.config:set_middleware_defaults
+    nova.conf = nova.middleware:set_defaults
 
 oslo.policy.enforcer =
     nova = nova.policy:get_enforcer