diff --git a/djangorestframework/compat.py b/djangorestframework/compat.py
index 3e82bd98a..22b571861 100644
--- a/djangorestframework/compat.py
+++ b/djangorestframework/compat.py
@@ -125,4 +125,12 @@ except:
             #        'request': self.request
             #    }
             #)
-            return http.HttpResponseNotAllowed(allowed_methods)
\ No newline at end of file
+            return http.HttpResponseNotAllowed(allowed_methods)
+
+# parse_qs 
+try:
+    # python >= ?
+    from urlparse import parse_qs
+except ImportError:
+    # python <= ?
+    from cgi import parse_qs
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/djangorestframework/emitters.py b/djangorestframework/emitters.py
index 2990d313e..39046919d 100644
--- a/djangorestframework/emitters.py
+++ b/djangorestframework/emitters.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ and providing forms and links depending on the allowed methods, emitters and par
 """
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.template import RequestContext, loader
+from django.utils import simplejson as json
 from django import forms
 
 from djangorestframework.response import ErrorResponse
@@ -18,11 +19,6 @@ from urllib import quote_plus
 import string
 import re
 
-try:
-    import json
-except ImportError:
-    import simplejson as json
-
 
 
 # TODO: Rename verbose to something more appropriate
diff --git a/djangorestframework/parsers.py b/djangorestframework/parsers.py
index 707b61d5d..caa762779 100644
--- a/djangorestframework/parsers.py
+++ b/djangorestframework/parsers.py
@@ -9,20 +9,13 @@ We need a method to be able to:
    and multipart/form-data.  (eg also handle multipart/json)
 """
 from django.http.multipartparser import MultiPartParser as DjangoMPParser
+from django.utils import simplejson as json
+
 from djangorestframework.response import ErrorResponse
 from djangorestframework import status
 from djangorestframework.utils import as_tuple
 from djangorestframework.mediatypes import MediaType
-
-try:
-    import json
-except ImportError:
-    import simplejson as json
-
-try:
-    from urlparse import parse_qs
-except ImportError:
-    from cgi import parse_qs
+from djangorestframework.compat import parse_qs
 
 
 
diff --git a/djangorestframework/tests/authentication.py b/djangorestframework/tests/authentication.py
index c825883d7..723005069 100644
--- a/djangorestframework/tests/authentication.py
+++ b/djangorestframework/tests/authentication.py
@@ -1,16 +1,15 @@
 from django.conf.urls.defaults import patterns
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.test import Client
-from djangorestframework.compat import RequestFactory
-from djangorestframework.resource import Resource
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.contrib.auth import login
+from django.utils import simplejson as json
+
+from djangorestframework.compat import RequestFactory
+from djangorestframework.resource import Resource
 
 import base64
-try:
-    import json
-except ImportError:
-    import simplejson as json
+
 
 class MockResource(Resource):
     def post(self, request):
@@ -86,3 +85,4 @@ class SessionAuthTests(TestCase):
         """Ensure POSTing form over session authentication without logged in user fails."""
         response = self.csrf_client.post('/', {'example': 'example'})
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 403)
+
diff --git a/djangorestframework/tests/reverse.py b/djangorestframework/tests/reverse.py
index 1f9071b33..28fee63bd 100644
--- a/djangorestframework/tests/reverse.py
+++ b/djangorestframework/tests/reverse.py
@@ -1,13 +1,10 @@
 from django.conf.urls.defaults import patterns, url
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.test import TestCase
+from django.utils import simplejson as json
 
 from djangorestframework.resource import Resource
 
-try:
-    import json
-except ImportError:
-    import simplejson as json
 
 
 class MockResource(Resource):
diff --git a/examples/blogpost/tests.py b/examples/blogpost/tests.py
index dfb4d5f57..14b0914d0 100644
--- a/examples/blogpost/tests.py
+++ b/examples/blogpost/tests.py
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 """Test a range of REST API usage of the example application.
 """
 
-from django.test import TestCase
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
+from django.test import TestCase
+from django.utils import simplejson as json
+
+from djangorestframework.compat import RequestFactory
+
 from blogpost import views, models
 import blogpost
 
-#import json
-#from rest.utils import xml2dict, dict2xml
 
 class AcceptHeaderTests(TestCase):
     """Test correct behaviour of the Accept header as specified by RFC 2616:
@@ -164,11 +166,6 @@ class AllowedMethodsTests(TestCase):
 
 
 #above testcases need to probably moved to the core
-from djangorestframework.compat import RequestFactory
-try:
-    import json
-except ImportError:
-    import simplejson as json
 
 class TestRotation(TestCase):
     """For the example the maximum amount of Blogposts is capped off at views.MAX_POSTS. 
diff --git a/examples/pygments_api/tests.py b/examples/pygments_api/tests.py
index 017823b93..a8f085cfb 100644
--- a/examples/pygments_api/tests.py
+++ b/examples/pygments_api/tests.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 from django.test import TestCase
+from django.utils import simplejson as json
+
 from djangorestframework.compat import RequestFactory
+
 from pygments_api import views
 import tempfile, shutil
 
-try:
-    import json
-except ImportError:
-    import simplejson as json
+
 
 class TestPygmentsExample(TestCase):