diff --git a/nova/rpc.py b/nova/rpc/__init__.py
similarity index 95%
rename from nova/rpc.py
rename to nova/rpc/__init__.py
index f5dd49982..bdf7f705b 100644
--- a/nova/rpc.py
+++ b/nova/rpc/__init__.py
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@
 
 
 from nova.utils import import_object
-from nova.rpc_backends.common import RemoteError, LOG
+from nova.rpc.common import RemoteError, LOG
 from nova import flags
 
 FLAGS = flags.FLAGS
 flags.DEFINE_string('rpc_backend',
-                    'nova.rpc_backends.amqp',
+                    'nova.rpc.amqp',
                     "The messaging module to use, defaults to AMQP.")
 
 RPCIMPL = import_object(FLAGS.rpc_backend)
diff --git a/nova/rpc_backends/amqp.py b/nova/rpc/amqp.py
similarity index 99%
rename from nova/rpc_backends/amqp.py
rename to nova/rpc/amqp.py
index efa178bd2..61555795a 100644
--- a/nova/rpc_backends/amqp.py
+++ b/nova/rpc/amqp.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ from nova import fakerabbit
 from nova import flags
 from nova import log as logging
 from nova import utils
-from nova.rpc_backends.common import RemoteError, LOG
+from nova.rpc.common import RemoteError, LOG
 
 
 FLAGS = flags.FLAGS
diff --git a/nova/rpc_backends/common.py b/nova/rpc/common.py
similarity index 100%
rename from nova/rpc_backends/common.py
rename to nova/rpc/common.py
diff --git a/nova/rpc_backends/__init__.py b/nova/rpc_backends/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/nova/tests/test_rpc_amqp.py b/nova/tests/test_rpc_amqp.py
index e3df2393a..d29f7ae32 100644
--- a/nova/tests/test_rpc_amqp.py
+++ b/nova/tests/test_rpc_amqp.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from nova import context
 from nova import flags
 from nova import log as logging
 from nova import rpc
-from nova.rpc_backends import amqp
+from nova.rpc import amqp
 from nova import test