diff --git a/gbpclient/common/__init__.py b/gbpclient/common/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/gbpclient/common/utils.py b/gbpclient/common/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e0794b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gbpclient/common/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#    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.
+#
+
+
+def str2dict(strdict):
+    """Convert key1=value1,key2=value2,... string into dictionary.
+
+    :param strdict: key1=value1,key2=value2
+    Note: This implementation overrides the original implementation
+    in the neutronclient such that it is no longer required to append
+    the key with a = to specify a corresponding empty value. For example,
+    key1=value1,key2,key3=value3
+    key1
+    key1,key2
+    will also be supported and converted to a dictionary with empty
+    values for the relevant keys.
+    """
+    if not strdict:
+        return {}
+    return dict([kv.split('=', 1) if '=' in kv else [kv, ""]
+                 for kv in strdict.split(',')])
diff --git a/gbpclient/gbp/v2_0/groupbasedpolicy.py b/gbpclient/gbp/v2_0/groupbasedpolicy.py
index 14e5b13..b21058a 100644
--- a/gbpclient/gbp/v2_0/groupbasedpolicy.py
+++ b/gbpclient/gbp/v2_0/groupbasedpolicy.py
@@ -14,11 +14,12 @@
 import logging
 import string
 
-from neutronclient.common import utils
 from neutronclient.i18n import _
 from neutronclient.neutron import v2_0 as neutronV20
 from oslo.serialization import jsonutils
 
+from gbpclient.common import utils
+
 
 def _format_network_service_params(net_svc_policy):
     try:
diff --git a/gbpclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py b/gbpclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c72c712
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gbpclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#    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 testtools
+
+from gbpclient.common import utils
+
+
+class TestUtils(testtools.TestCase):
+    def test_string_to_dictionary(self):
+        input_str = 'key1'
+        expected = {'key1': ''}
+        self.assertEqual(expected, utils.str2dict(input_str))
+        input_str = 'key1,key2'
+        expected = {'key1': '', 'key2': ''}
+        self.assertEqual(expected, utils.str2dict(input_str))
+        input_str = 'key1=value1,key2'
+        expected = {'key1': 'value1', 'key2': ''}
+        self.assertEqual(expected, utils.str2dict(input_str))
+        input_str = 'key1=value1,key2=value2'
+        expected = {'key1': 'value1', 'key2': 'value2'}
+        self.assertEqual(expected, utils.str2dict(input_str))
+
+    def test_none_string_to_dictionary(self):
+        input_str = ''
+        expected = {}
+        self.assertEqual(expected, utils.str2dict(input_str))
+        input_str = None
+        expected = {}
+        self.assertEqual(expected, utils.str2dict(input_str))