diff --git a/cloudbaseinit/metadata/factory.py b/cloudbaseinit/metadata/factory.py
index 3f39d0de..96b3e1b9 100644
--- a/cloudbaseinit/metadata/factory.py
+++ b/cloudbaseinit/metadata/factory.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 from cloudbaseinit.openstack.common import cfg
 from cloudbaseinit.openstack.common import log as logging
-from cloudbaseinit.utils import *
+from cloudbaseinit.utils import classloader
 
 opts = [
     cfg.ListOpt('metadata_services', default=[
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 class MetadataServiceFactory(object):
     def get_metadata_service(self):
         # Return the first service that loads correctly
-        utils = Utils()
+        cl = classloader.ClassLoader()
         for class_path in CONF.metadata_services:
-            service = utils.load_class(class_path)()
+            service = cl.load_class(class_path)()
             try:
                 if service.load():
                     return service
diff --git a/cloudbaseinit/osutils/factory.py b/cloudbaseinit/osutils/factory.py
index d97a3e44..a5c84149 100644
--- a/cloudbaseinit/osutils/factory.py
+++ b/cloudbaseinit/osutils/factory.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 import os
 
-from cloudbaseinit.utils import *
+from cloudbaseinit.utils import classloader
 
 class OSUtilsFactory(object):
     def get_os_utils(self):
@@ -25,5 +25,5 @@ class OSUtilsFactory(object):
             'posix' : 'cloudbaseinit.osutils.posix.PosixUtils'
             }
 
-        utils = Utils()
-        return utils.load_class(osutils_class_paths[os.name])()
+        cl = classloader.ClassLoader()
+        return cl.load_class(osutils_class_paths[os.name])()
diff --git a/cloudbaseinit/plugins/factory.py b/cloudbaseinit/plugins/factory.py
index 27b35651..a588acf6 100644
--- a/cloudbaseinit/plugins/factory.py
+++ b/cloudbaseinit/plugins/factory.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 #    under the License.
 
 from cloudbaseinit.openstack.common import cfg
-from cloudbaseinit.utils import *
+from cloudbaseinit.utils import classloader
 
 opts = [
     cfg.ListOpt('plugins', default=[
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ CONF.register_opts(opts)
 class PluginFactory(object):
     def load_plugins(self):
         plugins = []
-        utils = Utils()
+        cl = classloader.ClassLoader()
         for class_path in CONF.plugins:
-            plugins.append(utils.load_class(class_path)())
+            plugins.append(cl.load_class(class_path)())
         return plugins
diff --git a/cloudbaseinit/utils.py b/cloudbaseinit/utils.py
deleted file mode 100644
index f8fcd2db..00000000
--- a/cloudbaseinit/utils.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-# vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
-
-# Copyright 2012 Cloudbase Solutions Srl
-#
-#    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.
-
-from cloudbaseinit.openstack.common import log as logging
-
-LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-
-
-class Utils(object):
-    def load_class(self, class_path):
-        LOG.debug('Loading class \'%s\'' % class_path)
-        parts = class_path.rsplit('.', 1)
-        module = __import__(parts[0], fromlist=parts[1])
-        return getattr(module, parts[1])