diff --git a/zaqar/common/transport/wsgi/helpers.py b/zaqar/common/transport/wsgi/helpers.py
index 3f1f9523e..3077034e5 100644
--- a/zaqar/common/transport/wsgi/helpers.py
+++ b/zaqar/common/transport/wsgi/helpers.py
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@
 
 """wsgi transport helpers."""
 
-from distutils import version
 import re
 from stevedore import driver
 import uuid
 
 import falcon
 from oslo_log import log as logging
+from oslo_utils import versionutils
 
 from zaqar.common import urls
 from zaqar import context
@@ -101,9 +101,8 @@ def extract_project_id(req, resp, params):
                                       u'string. Specify the right header '
                                       u'X-PROJECT-ID and retry.'))
 
-    api_version = version.LooseVersion(api_version_string)
-    if (not params['project_id'] and api_version >=
-            version.LooseVersion('v1.1')):
+    if not params['project_id'] and versionutils.is_compatible(
+            'v1.1', api_version_string, same_major=False):
         raise falcon.HTTPBadRequest('Project-Id Missing',
                                     _(u'The header X-PROJECT-ID was missing'))