diff --git a/tripleo_validations/tests/library/test_network_environment.py b/tripleo_validations/tests/library/test_network_environment.py
index 862103fc7..bbd05839c 100644
--- a/tripleo_validations/tests/library/test_network_environment.py
+++ b/tripleo_validations/tests/library/test_network_environment.py
@@ -49,99 +49,6 @@ class TestNicConfigs(base.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual("The 'config' property of 'foo' must be"
                          " a dictionary.", errors[0])
 
-    def test_get_network_config(self):
-        # Test config lookup using current format (t-h-t >= Ocata)
-        resources = {
-            'properties': {
-                'config': {
-                    'str_replace': {
-                        'params': {
-                            '$network_config': {
-                                'network_config': [
-                                    'current'
-                                ]
-                            }
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        self.assertEqual(
-            validation.get_network_config(resources, 'foo')[0],
-            'current')
-
-    def test_get_network_config_returns_none_if_not_found(self):
-        # get_network_config should return None if
-        # any of the keys cannot be found in the resources tree:
-        # `properties`, `config`, `network_config`
-        no_properties = {
-            'bar': {
-                'config': {
-                    'str_replace': {
-                        'params': {
-                            '$network_config': {
-                                'network_config': [
-                                    'current'
-                                ]
-                            }
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        no_config = {
-            'properties': {
-                'bar': {
-                    'str_replace': {
-                        'params': {
-                            '$network_config': {
-                                'network_config': [
-                                    'current'
-                                ]
-                            }
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        no_network_config = {
-            'properties': {
-                'config': {
-                    'str_replace': {
-                        'params': {
-                            '$network_config': {
-                                'bar': {
-                                    'some': 'val'
-                                }
-                            }
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        self.assertEqual(
-            validation.get_network_config(no_properties, 'foo'), None)
-        self.assertEqual(validation.get_network_config(no_config, 'foo'), None)
-        self.assertEqual(
-            validation.get_network_config(no_network_config, 'foo'), None)
-
-    def test_get_network_config_old_format(self):
-        # Test config lookup using format used in t-h-t <= Newton
-        resources = {
-            'properties': {
-                'config': {
-                    'os_net_config': {
-                        'network_config': [
-                            'old'
-                        ]
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        self.assertEqual(
-            validation.get_network_config(resources, 'foo')[0],
-            'old')
-
     def nic_data(self, bridges):
         return {
             'resources': {
diff --git a/tripleo_validations/tests/test_utils.py b/tripleo_validations/tests/test_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..928d0a700
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tripleo_validations/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+# 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 collections
+
+from tripleo_validations.tests import base
+from tripleo_validations import utils
+
+PATH = [
+    ('properties', collections.Mapping, 'dictionary'),
+    ('config', collections.Mapping, 'dictionary'),
+    ('network_config', collections.Iterable, 'list'),
+]
+
+
+class TestGetNested(base.TestCase):
+
+    def test_get_nested(self):
+        # Test config lookup using current format (t-h-t >= Ocata)
+        resources = {
+            'properties': {
+                'config': {
+                    'str_replace': {
+                        'params': {
+                            '$network_config': {
+                                'network_config': [
+                                    'current'
+                                ]
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        self.assertEqual(
+            utils.get_nested(resources, 'foo', PATH[:])[0],
+            'current')
+
+    def test_get_nested_returns_none_if_not_found(self):
+        # get_nested should return None if
+        # any of the keys cannot be found in the resources tree:
+        # `properties`, `config`, `network_config`
+        no_properties = {
+            'bar': {
+                'config': {
+                    'str_replace': {
+                        'params': {
+                            '$network_config': {
+                                'network_config': [
+                                    'current'
+                                ]
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        no_config = {
+            'properties': {
+                'bar': {
+                    'str_replace': {
+                        'params': {
+                            '$network_config': {
+                                'network_config': [
+                                    'current'
+                                ]
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        no_network_config = {
+            'properties': {
+                'config': {
+                    'str_replace': {
+                        'params': {
+                            '$network_config': {
+                                'bar': {
+                                    'some': 'val'
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        self.assertEqual(
+            utils.get_nested(no_properties, 'foo', PATH[:]), None)
+        self.assertEqual(utils.get_nested(no_config, 'foo', PATH[:]), None)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            utils.get_nested(no_network_config, 'foo', PATH[:]), None)
+
+    def test_get_nested_old_format(self):
+        # Test config lookup using format used in t-h-t <= Newton
+        resources = {
+            'properties': {
+                'config': {
+                    'os_net_config': {
+                        'network_config': [
+                            'old'
+                        ]
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        self.assertEqual(
+            utils.get_nested(resources, 'foo', PATH[:])[0],
+            'old')
diff --git a/tripleo_validations/utils.py b/tripleo_validations/utils.py
index aab2b0033..c04d6e693 100644
--- a/tripleo_validations/utils.py
+++ b/tripleo_validations/utils.py
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 
 from __future__ import print_function
 
+import collections
+
 from keystoneauth1.identity import generic as ks_id
 from keystoneauth1 import session
 from six import string_types
@@ -52,3 +54,33 @@ def filtered(obj):
     """Only return properties of obj whose value can be properly serialized."""
     return {k: v for k, v in obj.__dict__.items()
             if isinstance(v, (string_types, int, list, dict, type(None)))}
+
+
+def get_nested(data, name, path):
+    # Finds and returns a property from a nested dictionary by
+    # following a path of a defined set of property names and types.
+
+    def deep_find_key(key_data, data, name):
+        key, instance_type, instance_name = key_data
+        if key in data.keys():
+            if not isinstance(data[key], instance_type):
+                raise ValueError("The '{}' property of '{}' must be a {}."
+                                 "".format(key, name, instance_name))
+            return data[key]
+        for item in data.values():
+            if isinstance(item, collections.Mapping):
+                return deep_find_key(key_data, item, name)
+        return None
+
+    if not isinstance(data, collections.Mapping):
+        raise ValueError(
+            "'{}' is not a valid resource.".format(name))
+
+    current_value = data
+    while len(path) > 0:
+        key_data = path.pop(0)
+        current_value = deep_find_key(key_data, current_value, name)
+        if current_value is None:
+            break
+
+    return current_value
diff --git a/validations/library/network_environment.py b/validations/library/network_environment.py
index 1d1bc75e6..3abe6beab 100644
--- a/validations/library/network_environment.py
+++ b/validations/library/network_environment.py
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ import six
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
 from os_net_config import validator
 
+from tripleo_validations.utils import get_nested
+
+
 DOCUMENTATION = '''
 ---
 module: network_environment
@@ -135,42 +138,6 @@ def validate_network_environment(network_data, nic_configs):
     return errors
 
 
-def get_network_config(resource, resource_name):
-    # Finds and returns `properties > config > network_config` inside
-    # a resources dictionary, with optional nesting levels in between.
-
-    def deep_find_key(key_data, resource, resource_name):
-        key, instance_type, instance_name = key_data
-        if key in resource.keys():
-            if not isinstance(resource[key], instance_type):
-                raise ValueError("The '{}' property of '{}' must be a {}."
-                                 "".format(key, resource_name, instance_name))
-            return resource[key]
-        for item in resource.values():
-            if isinstance(item, collections.Mapping):
-                return deep_find_key(key_data, item, resource_name)
-        return None
-
-    keys = [
-        ('properties', collections.Mapping, 'dictionary'),
-        ('config', collections.Mapping, 'dictionary'),
-        ('network_config', collections.Iterable, 'list'),
-    ]
-    current_value = resource
-
-    if not isinstance(resource, collections.Mapping):
-        raise ValueError(
-            "'{}' is not a valid resource.".format(resource_name))
-
-    while len(keys) > 0:
-        key_data = keys.pop(0)
-        current_value = deep_find_key(key_data, current_value, resource_name)
-        if current_value is None:
-            break
-
-    return current_value
-
-
 def check_nic_configs(path, nic_data):
     errors = []
 
@@ -185,7 +152,12 @@ def check_nic_configs(path, nic_data):
                 "a dictionary."]
     for name, resource in six.iteritems(resources):
         try:
-            bridges = get_network_config(resource, name)
+            nested_path = [
+                ('properties', collections.Mapping, 'dictionary'),
+                ('config', collections.Mapping, 'dictionary'),
+                ('network_config', collections.Iterable, 'list'),
+            ]
+            bridges = get_nested(resource, name, nested_path)
         except ValueError as e:
             errors.append('{}'.format(e))
             continue
diff --git a/validations/library/switch_vlans.py b/validations/library/switch_vlans.py
index 9018c5dcd..6ff3a1f57 100644
--- a/validations/library/switch_vlans.py
+++ b/validations/library/switch_vlans.py
@@ -15,12 +15,13 @@
 # under the License.
 
 import collections
+import os.path
 import yaml
 
 import six
 
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule  # noqa
-import validations.library.network_environment as net_utils
+from tripleo_validations import utils
 
 DOCUMENTATION = '''
 ---
@@ -62,6 +63,32 @@ EXAMPLES = '''
 '''
 
 
+def open_network_environment_files(netenv_path, template_files):
+    errors = []
+
+    try:
+        network_data = yaml.safe_load(template_files[netenv_path])
+    except Exception as e:
+        return ({}, {}, ["Can't open network environment file '{}': {}"
+                         .format(netenv_path, e)])
+    nic_configs = []
+    resource_registry = network_data.get('resource_registry', {})
+    for nic_name, relative_path in six.iteritems(resource_registry):
+        if nic_name.endswith("Net::SoftwareConfig"):
+            nic_config_path = os.path.normpath(
+                os.path.join(os.path.dirname(netenv_path), relative_path))
+            try:
+                nic_configs.append((
+                    nic_name, nic_config_path,
+                    yaml.safe_load(template_files[nic_config_path])))
+            except Exception as e:
+                errors.append(
+                    "Can't open the resource '{}' reference file '{}': {}"
+                    .format(nic_name, nic_config_path, e))
+
+    return (network_data, nic_configs, errors)
+
+
 def validate_switch_vlans(netenv_path, template_files, introspection_data):
     """Check if VLAN exists in introspection data for node
 
@@ -73,7 +100,7 @@ def validate_switch_vlans(netenv_path, template_files, introspection_data):
     """
 
     network_data, nic_configs, errors =\
-        net_utils.open_network_environment_files(netenv_path, template_files)
+        open_network_environment_files(netenv_path, template_files)
     warnings = []
     vlans_in_templates = False
 
@@ -95,7 +122,12 @@ def validate_switch_vlans(netenv_path, template_files, introspection_data):
                         "and it must be a dictionary."]
         for name, resource in six.iteritems(resources):
             try:
-                nw_config = net_utils.get_network_config(resource, name)
+                nested_path = [
+                    ('properties', collections.Mapping, 'dictionary'),
+                    ('config', collections.Mapping, 'dictionary'),
+                    ('network_config', collections.Iterable, 'list'),
+                ]
+                nw_config = utils.get_nested(resource, name, nested_path)
             except ValueError as e:
                 errors.append('{}'.format(e))
                 continue