diff --git a/neutronclient/common/utils.py b/neutronclient/common/utils.py
index b68a6089b..bdc4b5336 100644
--- a/neutronclient/common/utils.py
+++ b/neutronclient/common/utils.py
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@
 
 import logging
 import os
-import sys
 
 import six
 
 from neutronclient.common import _
 from neutronclient.common import exceptions
+from neutronclient.openstack.common import importutils
 from neutronclient.openstack.common import strutils
 
 
@@ -40,17 +40,6 @@ def env(*vars, **kwargs):
     return kwargs.get('default', '')
 
 
-def import_class(import_str):
-    """Returns a class from a string including module and class.
-
-    :param import_str: a string representation of the class name
-    :rtype: the requested class
-    """
-    mod_str, _sep, class_str = import_str.rpartition('.')
-    __import__(mod_str)
-    return getattr(sys.modules[mod_str], class_str)
-
-
 def get_client_class(api_name, version, version_map):
     """Returns the client class for the requested API version.
 
@@ -68,7 +57,7 @@ def get_client_class(api_name, version, version_map):
                      'map_keys': ', '.join(version_map.keys())}
         raise exceptions.UnsupportedVersion(msg)
 
-    return import_class(client_path)
+    return importutils.import_class(client_path)
 
 
 def get_item_properties(item, fields, mixed_case_fields=(), formatters=None):
diff --git a/neutronclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py b/neutronclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py
index f38783512..a0044d61a 100644
--- a/neutronclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py
+++ b/neutronclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
-import sys
-
 import testtools
 
 from neutronclient.common import exceptions
@@ -106,15 +104,6 @@ class TestUtils(testtools.TestCase):
 
 
 class ImportClassTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
-    def test_import_class(self):
-        dt = utils.import_class('datetime.datetime')
-        self.assertTrue(sys.modules['datetime'].datetime is dt)
-
-    def test_import_bad_class(self):
-        self.assertRaises(
-            ImportError, utils.import_class,
-            'lol.u_mad.brah')
-
     def test_get_client_class_invalid_version(self):
         self.assertRaises(
             exceptions.UnsupportedVersion,