diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/mongo_connection.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/mongo_connection.py
index b28e3f77a6..027e8c8a93 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/mongo_connection.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/mongo_connection.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Segregation of pymongo functions from the data modeling mechanisms for split modulestore.
 """
 import re
+from mongodb_proxy import autoretry_read, MongoProxy
 import pymongo
 import time
 
@@ -68,50 +69,28 @@ def structure_to_mongo(structure):
     return new_structure
 
 
-def autoretry_read(wait=0.1, retries=5):
-    """
-    Automatically retry a read-only method in the case of a pymongo
-    AutoReconnect exception.
-
-    See http://emptysqua.re/blog/save-the-monkey-reliably-writing-to-mongodb/
-    for a discussion of this technique.
-    """
-    def decorate(fn):
-        @wraps(fn)
-        def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
-            for attempt in xrange(retries):
-                try:
-                    return fn(*args, **kwargs)
-                    break
-                except AutoReconnect:
-                    # Reraise if we failed on our last attempt
-                    if attempt == retries - 1:
-                        raise
-
-                    if wait:
-                        time.sleep(wait)
-        return wrapper
-    return decorate
-
-
 class MongoConnection(object):
     """
     Segregation of pymongo functions from the data modeling mechanisms for split modulestore.
     """
     def __init__(
-        self, db, collection, host, port=27017, tz_aware=True, user=None, password=None, asset_collection=None, **kwargs
+        self, db, collection, host, port=27017, tz_aware=True, user=None, password=None,
+        asset_collection=None, retry_wait_time=0.1, **kwargs
     ):
         """
         Create & open the connection, authenticate, and provide pointers to the collections
         """
-        self.database = pymongo.database.Database(
-            pymongo.MongoClient(
-                host=host,
-                port=port,
-                tz_aware=tz_aware,
-                **kwargs
+        self.database = MongoProxy(
+            pymongo.database.Database(
+                pymongo.MongoClient(
+                    host=host,
+                    port=port,
+                    tz_aware=tz_aware,
+                    **kwargs
+                ),
+                db
             ),
-            db
+            wait_time=retry_wait_time
         )
 
         # Remove when adding official Split support for asset metadata storage.
@@ -142,7 +121,6 @@ class MongoConnection(object):
         else:
             raise HeartbeatFailure("Can't connect to {}".format(self.database.name))
 
-    @autoretry_read()
     def get_structure(self, key):
         """
         Get the structure from the persistence mechanism whose id is the given key
@@ -195,7 +173,6 @@ class MongoConnection(object):
         """
         self.structures.insert(structure_to_mongo(structure))
 
-    @autoretry_read()
     def get_course_index(self, key, ignore_case=False):
         """
         Get the course_index from the persistence mechanism whose id is the given key
@@ -212,7 +189,6 @@ class MongoConnection(object):
             }
         return self.course_index.find_one(query)
 
-    @autoretry_read()
     def find_matching_course_indexes(self, branch=None, search_targets=None):
         """
         Find the course_index matching particular conditions.
@@ -271,14 +247,12 @@ class MongoConnection(object):
             'run': course_index['run'],
         })
 
-    @autoretry_read()
     def get_definition(self, key):
         """
         Get the definition from the persistence mechanism whose id is the given key
         """
         return self.definitions.find_one({'_id': key})
 
-    @autoretry_read()
     def get_definitions(self, definitions):
         """
         Retrieve all definitions listed in `definitions`.
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/split.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/split.py
index d37945ecef..0b3882ede0 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/split.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/split.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ import datetime
 import logging
 from contracts import contract, new_contract
 from importlib import import_module
+from mongodb_proxy import autoretry_read
 from path import path
 from pytz import UTC
 from bson.objectid import ObjectId
@@ -72,7 +73,6 @@ from xmodule.modulestore.exceptions import InsufficientSpecificationError, Versi
 from xmodule.modulestore import (
     inheritance, ModuleStoreWriteBase, ModuleStoreEnum, BulkOpsRecord, BulkOperationsMixin
 )
-from xmodule.modulestore.mongodb_proxy import autoretry_read
 
 from ..exceptions import ItemNotFoundError
 from .caching_descriptor_system import CachingDescriptorSystem
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_split_w_old_mongo.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_split_w_old_mongo.py
index 637de2c782..bab04573e4 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_split_w_old_mongo.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_split_w_old_mongo.py
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ class SplitWMongoCourseBoostrapper(unittest.TestCase):
         Remove the test collections, close the db connection
         """
         split_db = self.split_mongo.db
-        split_db.drop_collection(split_db.course_index)
-        split_db.drop_collection(split_db.structures)
-        split_db.drop_collection(split_db.definitions)
+        split_db.drop_collection(split_db.course_index.proxied_object)
+        split_db.drop_collection(split_db.structures.proxied_object)
+        split_db.drop_collection(split_db.definitions.proxied_object)
 
     def tear_down_mongo(self):
         """