diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
index 686c9275cf..8588eef7b1 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ from edxmako.shortcuts import render_to_string
 from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.field_data import LmsFieldData
 from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.models import XBlockAsidesConfig
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.bookmarks.services import BookmarksService
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import LmsModuleSystem, unquote_slashes, quote_slashes
+from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import LmsModuleSystem
 from lms.djangoapps.verify_student.services import VerificationService, ReverificationService
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.credit.services import CreditService
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.util.user_utils import SystemUser
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ from openedx.core.lib.xblock_utils import (
     wrap_xblock,
     request_token as xblock_request_token,
 )
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import unquote_slashes, quote_slashes
 from student.models import anonymous_id_for_user, user_by_anonymous_id
 from student.roles import CourseBetaTesterRole
 from util import milestones_helpers
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/__init__.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/__init__.py
index 60877c2e7d..af9b604013 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/__init__.py
@@ -7,21 +7,19 @@ Contains:
     for testing Xmodules with mongo store.
 """
 
-from django.test.utils import override_settings
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.test.client import Client
 
 from edxmako.shortcuts import render_to_string
+from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.field_data import LmsFieldData
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
 from student.tests.factories import UserFactory, CourseEnrollmentFactory
-from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import TEST_DATA_MONGO_MODULESTORE
 from xblock.field_data import DictFieldData
+from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import TEST_DATA_MONGO_MODULESTORE
 from xmodule.tests import get_test_system, get_test_descriptor_system
-from opaque_keys.edx.locations import Location
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory, ItemFactory
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.field_data import LmsFieldData
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes
 
 
 class BaseTestXmodule(ModuleStoreTestCase):
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_lti_integration.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_lti_integration.py
index 2f89385659..cdafc0397f 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_lti_integration.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_lti_integration.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 
 from courseware.tests import BaseTestXmodule
 from courseware.views.views import get_course_lti_endpoints
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import SharedModuleStoreTestCase
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory, ItemFactory
 from xmodule.x_module import STUDENT_VIEW
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_module_render.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_module_render.py
index 92fafe8a5f..57dbc46aa9 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_module_render.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_module_render.py
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ from courseware.models import StudentModule
 from courseware.tests.factories import StudentModuleFactory, UserFactory, GlobalStaffFactory
 from courseware.tests.tests import LoginEnrollmentTestCase
 from courseware.tests.test_submitting_problems import TestSubmittingProblems
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes
 from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.field_data import LmsFieldData
 from openedx.core.lib.courses import course_image_url
 from openedx.core.lib.gating import api as gating_api
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
 from student.models import anonymous_id_for_user
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import (
     ModuleStoreTestCase,
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_submitting_problems.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_submitting_problems.py
index f2580fb674..0d53e247b4 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_submitting_problems.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_submitting_problems.py
@@ -19,21 +19,21 @@ from capa.tests.response_xml_factory import (
     OptionResponseXMLFactory, CustomResponseXMLFactory, SchematicResponseXMLFactory,
     CodeResponseXMLFactory,
 )
-from lms.djangoapps.grades import course_grades, progress
 from course_modes.models import CourseMode
 from courseware.models import StudentModule, BaseStudentModuleHistory
 from courseware.tests.helpers import LoginEnrollmentTestCase
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes
-from student.models import anonymous_id_for_user, CourseEnrollment
-from submissions import api as submissions_api
-from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
-from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory, ItemFactory
-from xmodule.partitions.partitions import Group, UserPartition
+from lms.djangoapps.grades import course_grades, progress
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.credit.api import (
     set_credit_requirements, get_credit_requirement_status
 )
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.credit.models import CreditCourse, CreditProvider
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.user_api.tests.factories import UserCourseTagFactory
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
+from student.models import anonymous_id_for_user, CourseEnrollment
+from submissions import api as submissions_api
+from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
+from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory, ItemFactory
+from xmodule.partitions.partitions import Group, UserPartition
 
 
 class ProblemSubmissionTestMixin(TestCase):
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py
index f5cec94ab6..6804aba89c 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/instructor_dashboard.py
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ from django.conf import settings
 from util.json_request import JsonResponse
 from mock import patch
 
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes
 from openedx.core.lib.xblock_utils import wrap_xblock
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
 from xmodule.html_module import HtmlDescriptor
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 from xmodule.tabs import CourseTab
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_base.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_base.py
index be8f26b534..408b2aa80f 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_base.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_base.py
@@ -14,12 +14,12 @@ from celery.states import SUCCESS, FAILURE
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.test.testcases import TestCase
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes
-from opaque_keys.edx.locations import Location, SlashSeparatedCourseKey
 
 from capa.tests.response_xml_factory import OptionResponseXMLFactory
 from courseware.model_data import StudentModule
 from courseware.tests.tests import LoginEnrollmentTestCase
+from opaque_keys.edx.locations import Location, SlashSeparatedCourseKey
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
 from student.tests.factories import CourseEnrollmentFactory, UserFactory
 from xmodule.modulestore import ModuleStoreEnum
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_integration.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_integration.py
index 315aac8fc6..2626f4f0bd 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_integration.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/tests/test_integration.py
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ from instructor_task.tests.test_base import (
     OPTION_2,
 )
 from capa.responsetypes import StudentInputError
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes
 from lms.djangoapps.grades.new.course_grade import CourseGradeFactory
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
 
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/lms_xblock/runtime.py b/lms/djangoapps/lms_xblock/runtime.py
index cfc99c5b08..ec948d2372 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/lms_xblock/runtime.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/lms_xblock/runtime.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 """
 Module implementing `xblock.runtime.Runtime` functionality for the LMS
 """
-import re
-
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 
@@ -10,6 +8,7 @@ from badges.service import BadgingService
 from badges.utils import badges_enabled
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.user_api.course_tag import api as user_course_tag_api
 from openedx.core.lib.xblock_utils import xblock_local_resource_url
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
 from request_cache.middleware import RequestCache
 import xblock.reference.plugins
 from xmodule.library_tools import LibraryToolsService
@@ -21,55 +20,6 @@ from xmodule.x_module import ModuleSystem
 from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.models import XBlockAsidesConfig
 
 
-def _quote_slashes(match):
-    """
-    Helper function for `quote_slashes`
-    """
-    matched = match.group(0)
-    # We have to escape ';', because that is our
-    # escape sequence identifier (otherwise, the escaping)
-    # couldn't distinguish between us adding ';_' to the string
-    # and ';_' appearing naturally in the string
-    if matched == ';':
-        return ';;'
-    elif matched == '/':
-        return ';_'
-    else:
-        return matched
-
-
-def quote_slashes(text):
-    """
-    Quote '/' characters so that they aren't visible to
-    django's url quoting, unquoting, or url regex matching.
-
-    Escapes '/'' to the sequence ';_', and ';' to the sequence
-    ';;'. By making the escape sequence fixed length, and escaping
-    identifier character ';', we are able to reverse the escaping.
-    """
-    return re.sub(ur'[;/]', _quote_slashes, text)
-
-
-def _unquote_slashes(match):
-    """
-    Helper function for `unquote_slashes`
-    """
-    matched = match.group(0)
-    if matched == ';;':
-        return ';'
-    elif matched == ';_':
-        return '/'
-    else:
-        return matched
-
-
-def unquote_slashes(text):
-    """
-    Unquote slashes quoted by `quote_slashes`
-    """
-    return re.sub(r'(;;|;_)', _unquote_slashes, text)
-
-
 def handler_url(block, handler_name, suffix='', query='', thirdparty=False):
     """
     This method matches the signature for `xblock.runtime:Runtime.handler_url()`
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/lms_xblock/test/test_runtime.py b/lms/djangoapps/lms_xblock/test/test_runtime.py
index dc97754d07..0f37ea35ed 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/lms_xblock/test/test_runtime.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/lms_xblock/test/test_runtime.py
@@ -10,11 +10,10 @@ from urlparse import urlparse
 
 from opaque_keys.edx.keys import CourseKey
 from opaque_keys.edx.locations import BlockUsageLocator, CourseLocator, SlashSeparatedCourseKey
-from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
 
 from badges.tests.factories import BadgeClassFactory
 from badges.tests.test_models import get_image
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes, unquote_slashes, LmsModuleSystem
+from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import LmsModuleSystem
 from xblock.fields import ScopeIds
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import ModuleI18nService
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import ModuleStoreTestCase
@@ -23,32 +22,6 @@ from xblock.exceptions import NoSuchServiceError
 from student.tests.factories import UserFactory
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory
 
-TEST_STRINGS = [
-    '',
-    'foobar',
-    'foo/bar',
-    'foo/bar;',
-    'foo;;bar',
-    'foo;_bar',
-    'foo/',
-    '/bar',
-    'foo//bar',
-    'foo;;;bar',
-]
-
-
-@ddt
-class TestQuoteSlashes(TestCase):
-    """Test the quote_slashes and unquote_slashes functions"""
-
-    @data(*TEST_STRINGS)
-    def test_inverse(self, test_string):
-        self.assertEquals(test_string, unquote_slashes(quote_slashes(test_string)))
-
-    @data(*TEST_STRINGS)
-    def test_escaped(self, test_string):
-        self.assertNotIn('/', quote_slashes(test_string))
-
 
 class BlockMock(Mock):
     """Mock class that we fill with our "handler" methods."""
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/lti_provider/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/lti_provider/views.py
index c89260ac90..5b948c518c 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/lti_provider/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/lti_provider/views.py
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ from lti_provider.outcomes import store_outcome_parameters
 from lti_provider.models import LtiConsumer
 from lti_provider.signature_validator import SignatureValidator
 from lti_provider.users import authenticate_lti_user
-from lms_xblock.runtime import unquote_slashes
 from opaque_keys.edx.keys import CourseKey, UsageKey
 from opaque_keys import InvalidKeyError
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import unquote_slashes
 from util.views import add_p3p_header
 
 log = logging.getLogger("edx.lti_provider")
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/bookmarks/views.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/bookmarks/views.py
index 31a6578ff6..c81a69ac0b 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/bookmarks/views.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/bookmarks/views.py
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ from openedx.core.lib.api.permissions import IsUserInUrl
 
 from xmodule.modulestore.exceptions import ItemNotFoundError
 
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import unquote_slashes
 from openedx.core.lib.api.paginators import DefaultPagination
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import unquote_slashes
 
 from . import DEFAULT_FIELDS, OPTIONAL_FIELDS, api
 from .serializers import BookmarkSerializer
diff --git a/openedx/core/lib/tests/test_url_utils.py b/openedx/core/lib/tests/test_url_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2fb293d889
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openedx/core/lib/tests/test_url_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+"""
+Tests for url_utils module.
+"""
+from ddt import ddt, data
+from django.test import TestCase
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes, unquote_slashes
+
+
+TEST_STRINGS = [
+    '',
+    'foobar',
+    'foo/bar',
+    'foo/bar;',
+    'foo;;bar',
+    'foo;_bar',
+    'foo/',
+    '/bar',
+    'foo//bar',
+    'foo;;;bar',
+]
+
+
+@ddt
+class TestQuoteSlashes(TestCase):
+    """Test the quote_slashes and unquote_slashes functions"""
+
+    @data(*TEST_STRINGS)
+    def test_inverse(self, test_string):
+        self.assertEquals(test_string, unquote_slashes(quote_slashes(test_string)))
+
+    @data(*TEST_STRINGS)
+    def test_escaped(self, test_string):
+        self.assertNotIn('/', quote_slashes(test_string))
diff --git a/openedx/core/lib/tests/test_xblock_utils.py b/openedx/core/lib/tests/test_xblock_utils.py
index 4a6180f55a..fff35e495c 100644
--- a/openedx/core/lib/tests/test_xblock_utils.py
+++ b/openedx/core/lib/tests/test_xblock_utils.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import uuid
 
 from django.test.client import RequestFactory
 
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
 from xblock.fragment import Fragment
 from xmodule.modulestore import ModuleStoreEnum
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import SharedModuleStoreTestCase
diff --git a/openedx/core/lib/url_utils.py b/openedx/core/lib/url_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f23ce21ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openedx/core/lib/url_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+"""
+Contains common utilities for URL escaping.
+"""
+import re
+
+
+def quote_slashes(text):
+    """
+    Quote '/' characters so that they aren't visible to
+    django's url quoting, unquoting, or url regex matching.
+
+    Escapes '/'' to the sequence ';_', and ';' to the sequence
+    ';;'. By making the escape sequence fixed length, and escaping
+    identifier character ';', we are able to reverse the escaping.
+    """
+    return re.sub(ur'[;/]', _quote_slashes, text)
+
+
+def unquote_slashes(text):
+    """
+    Unquote slashes quoted by `quote_slashes`
+    """
+    return re.sub(r'(;;|;_)', _unquote_slashes, text)
+
+
+def _quote_slashes(match):
+    """
+    Helper function for `quote_slashes`
+    """
+    matched = match.group(0)
+    # We have to escape ';', because that is our
+    # escape sequence identifier (otherwise, the escaping)
+    # couldn't distinguish between us adding ';_' to the string
+    # and ';_' appearing naturally in the string
+    if matched == ';':
+        return ';;'
+    elif matched == '/':
+        return ';_'
+    else:
+        return matched
+
+
+def _unquote_slashes(match):
+    """
+    Helper function for `unquote_slashes`
+    """
+    matched = match.group(0)
+    if matched == ';;':
+        return ';'
+    elif matched == ';_':
+        return '/'
+    else:
+        return matched
diff --git a/openedx/tests/xblock_integration/test_crowdsource_hinter.py b/openedx/tests/xblock_integration/test_crowdsource_hinter.py
index eaf9a24753..bbb35271f3 100644
--- a/openedx/tests/xblock_integration/test_crowdsource_hinter.py
+++ b/openedx/tests/xblock_integration/test_crowdsource_hinter.py
@@ -6,16 +6,14 @@ import unittest
 
 from nose.plugins.attrib import attr
 
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 
-from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import SharedModuleStoreTestCase
-from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory, ItemFactory
-
 from lms.djangoapps.courseware.tests.helpers import LoginEnrollmentTestCase
 from lms.djangoapps.courseware.tests.factories import GlobalStaffFactory
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes
-
-from django.conf import settings
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
+from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import SharedModuleStoreTestCase
+from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory, ItemFactory
 
 
 class TestCrowdsourceHinter(SharedModuleStoreTestCase, LoginEnrollmentTestCase):
diff --git a/openedx/tests/xblock_integration/test_recommender.py b/openedx/tests/xblock_integration/test_recommender.py
index cda8ca823e..06d3c7b40c 100644
--- a/openedx/tests/xblock_integration/test_recommender.py
+++ b/openedx/tests/xblock_integration/test_recommender.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from xmodule.modulestore.tests.django_utils import SharedModuleStoreTestCase
 
 from lms.djangoapps.courseware.tests.helpers import LoginEnrollmentTestCase
 from lms.djangoapps.courseware.tests.factories import GlobalStaffFactory
-from lms.djangoapps.lms_xblock.runtime import quote_slashes
+from openedx.core.lib.url_utils import quote_slashes
 
 
 class TestRecommender(SharedModuleStoreTestCase, LoginEnrollmentTestCase):