diff --git a/cinderclient/client.py b/cinderclient/client.py
index 90abc674d..aef00ef88 100644
--- a/cinderclient/client.py
+++ b/cinderclient/client.py
@@ -307,8 +307,7 @@ class HTTPClient(object):
 
         if 'body' in kwargs:
             kwargs['headers']['Content-Type'] = 'application/json'
-            kwargs['data'] = json.dumps(kwargs['body'])
-            del kwargs['body']
+            kwargs['data'] = json.dumps(kwargs.pop('body'))
         api_versions.update_headers(kwargs["headers"], self.api_version)
 
         if self.timeout:
diff --git a/cinderclient/openstack/common/apiclient/client.py b/cinderclient/openstack/common/apiclient/client.py
index ec9c6d5aa..3741df913 100644
--- a/cinderclient/openstack/common/apiclient/client.py
+++ b/cinderclient/openstack/common/apiclient/client.py
@@ -144,11 +144,7 @@ class HTTPClient(object):
     def serialize(self, kwargs):
         if kwargs.get('json') is not None:
             kwargs['headers']['Content-Type'] = 'application/json'
-            kwargs['data'] = json.dumps(kwargs['json'])
-        try:
-            del kwargs['json']
-        except KeyError:
-            pass
+            kwargs['data'] = json.dumps(kwargs.pop('json'))
 
     def get_timings(self):
         return self.times