diff --git a/nova/tests/hyperv/db_fakes.py b/nova/tests/hyperv/db_fakes.py
index 9f5572fd1..e240483ea 100644
--- a/nova/tests/hyperv/db_fakes.py
+++ b/nova/tests/hyperv/db_fakes.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Stubouts, mocks and fixtures for the test suite
 """
 
 import time
+import uuid
 
 from nova.compute import task_states
 from nova.compute import vm_states
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ from nova import utils
 def get_fake_instance_data(name, project_id, user_id):
     return {'name': name,
               'id': 1,
-              'uuid': utils.gen_uuid(),
+              'uuid': uuid.uuid4(),
               'project_id': project_id,
               'user_id': user_id,
               'image_ref': "1",
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ def stub_out_db_instance_api(stubs):
         base_options = {
             'name': values['name'],
             'id': values['id'],
-            'uuid': utils.gen_uuid(),
+            'uuid': uuid.uuid4(),
             'reservation_id': utils.generate_uid('r'),
             'image_ref': values['image_ref'],
             'kernel_id': values['kernel_id'],
diff --git a/nova/tests/test_db_api.py b/nova/tests/test_db_api.py
index 001880483..39d3e1b1f 100644
--- a/nova/tests/test_db_api.py
+++ b/nova/tests/test_db_api.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 """Unit tests for the DB API"""
 
 import datetime
+import uuid as uuidutils
 
 from nova import config
 from nova import context
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ from nova import flags
 from nova.openstack.common import timeutils
 from nova import test
 from nova.tests import matchers
-from nova import utils
+
 
 CONF = config.CONF
 CONF.import_opt('reserved_host_memory_mb', 'nova.compute.resource_tracker')
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ class DbApiTestCase(test.TestCase):
         self.assertRaises(exception.MarkerNotFound,
                           db.instance_get_all_by_filters,
                           self.context, {'display_name': '%test%'},
-                          marker=str(utils.gen_uuid()))
+                          marker=str(uuidutils.uuid4()))
 
     def test_migration_get_unconfirmed_by_dest_compute(self):
         ctxt = context.get_admin_context()
@@ -286,7 +287,7 @@ class DbApiTestCase(test.TestCase):
     def test_instance_fault_create(self):
         """Ensure we can create an instance fault"""
         ctxt = context.get_admin_context()
-        uuid = str(utils.gen_uuid())
+        uuid = str(uuidutils.uuid4())
 
         # Create a fault
         fault_values = {
diff --git a/nova/tests/vmwareapi/db_fakes.py b/nova/tests/vmwareapi/db_fakes.py
index a469c4706..dd19f4929 100644
--- a/nova/tests/vmwareapi/db_fakes.py
+++ b/nova/tests/vmwareapi/db_fakes.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Stubouts, mocks and fixtures for the test suite
 """
 
 import time
+import uuid
 
 from nova.compute import task_states
 from nova.compute import vm_states
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ def stub_out_db_instance_api(stubs):
         base_options = {
             'name': values['name'],
             'id': values['id'],
-            'uuid': utils.gen_uuid(),
+            'uuid': uuid.uuid4(),
             'reservation_id': utils.generate_uid('r'),
             'image_ref': values['image_ref'],
             'kernel_id': values['kernel_id'],
diff --git a/nova/utils.py b/nova/utils.py
index 5f78b93da..7ee58bdd8 100644
--- a/nova/utils.py
+++ b/nova/utils.py
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ import struct
 import sys
 import tempfile
 import time
-import uuid
 import weakref
 from xml.sax import saxutils
 
@@ -776,10 +775,6 @@ def parse_server_string(server_str):
         return ('', '')
 
 
-def gen_uuid():
-    return uuid.uuid4()
-
-
 def bool_from_str(val):
     """Convert a string representation of a bool into a bool value"""