diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/__init__.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/__init__.py
index e7bcc171f7..e53b4adb5e 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/__init__.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/__init__.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ from collections import namedtuple
 
 from .exceptions import InvalidLocationError, InsufficientSpecificationError
 from xmodule.errortracker import make_error_tracker
-from bson.son import SON
 
 log = logging.getLogger('mitx.' + 'modulestore')
 
@@ -449,13 +448,3 @@ class ModuleStoreBase(ModuleStore):
             if c.id == course_id:
                 return c
         return None
-
-
-def namedtuple_to_son(namedtuple, prefix=''):
-    """
-    Converts a namedtuple into a SON object with the same key order
-    """
-    son = SON()
-    for idx, field_name in enumerate(namedtuple._fields):
-        son[prefix + field_name] = namedtuple[idx]
-    return son
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo/base.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo/base.py
index 631dca9846..a1469437be 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo/base.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo/base.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import sys
 import logging
 import copy
 
+from bson.son import SON
 from fs.osfs import OSFS
 from itertools import repeat
 from path import path
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ from xblock.runtime import DbModel
 from xblock.exceptions import InvalidScopeError
 from xblock.fields import Scope, ScopeIds
 
-from xmodule.modulestore import ModuleStoreBase, Location, namedtuple_to_son, MONGO_MODULESTORE_TYPE
+from xmodule.modulestore import ModuleStoreBase, Location, MONGO_MODULESTORE_TYPE
 from xmodule.modulestore.exceptions import ItemNotFoundError
 from xmodule.modulestore.inheritance import own_metadata, InheritanceMixin, inherit_metadata, InheritanceKeyValueStore
 
@@ -215,6 +216,16 @@ class CachingDescriptorSystem(MakoDescriptorSystem):
                 )
 
 
+def namedtuple_to_son(namedtuple, prefix=''):
+    """
+    Converts a namedtuple into a SON object with the same key order
+    """
+    son = SON()
+    for idx, field_name in enumerate(namedtuple._fields):
+        son[prefix + field_name] = namedtuple[idx]
+    return son
+
+
 def location_to_query(location, wildcard=True):
     """
     Takes a Location and returns a SON object that will query for that location.
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo/draft.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo/draft.py
index 610f7b1b8a..4aa643e118 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo/draft.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/mongo/draft.py
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ and otherwise returns i4x://org/course/cat/name).
 from datetime import datetime
 
 from xmodule.exceptions import InvalidVersionError
-from xmodule.modulestore import Location, namedtuple_to_son
+from xmodule.modulestore import Location
 from xmodule.modulestore.exceptions import ItemNotFoundError, DuplicateItemError
 from xmodule.modulestore.inheritance import own_metadata
-from xmodule.modulestore.mongo.base import location_to_query, get_course_id_no_run, MongoModuleStore
+from xmodule.modulestore.mongo.base import location_to_query, namedtuple_to_son, get_course_id_no_run, MongoModuleStore
 import pymongo
 from pytz import UTC