diff --git a/doc/ref/renderers/index.rst b/doc/ref/renderers/index.rst
index 8399f7f6049..308145f3894 100644
--- a/doc/ref/renderers/index.rst
+++ b/doc/ref/renderers/index.rst
@@ -144,17 +144,14 @@ Here is a simple YAML renderer example:
 
 .. code-block:: python
 
-    import yaml
+    import salt.utils.yaml
     from salt.utils.yamlloader import SaltYamlSafeLoader
     from salt.ext import six
 
     def render(yaml_data, saltenv='', sls='', **kws):
         if not isinstance(yaml_data, six.string_types):
             yaml_data = yaml_data.read()
-        data = yaml.load(
-            yaml_data,
-            Loader=SaltYamlSafeLoader
-        )
+        data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(yaml_data)
         return data if data else {}
 
 Full List of Renderers
diff --git a/salt/cloud/__init__.py b/salt/cloud/__init__.py
index 5da1db28370..5ee655849de 100644
--- a/salt/cloud/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/cloud/__init__.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.dictupdate
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.verify
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.syspaths
 from salt.template import compile_template
 
@@ -48,7 +49,6 @@ except ImportError:
         import Crypto.Random
     except ImportError:
         pass  # pycrypto < 2.1
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six.moves import input  # pylint: disable=import-error,redefined-builtin
 
@@ -1393,7 +1393,7 @@ class Cloud(object):
 
         try:
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.opts['conf_file'], 'r') as mcc:
-                main_cloud_config = yaml.safe_load(mcc)
+                main_cloud_config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(mcc)
             if not main_cloud_config:
                 main_cloud_config = {}
         except KeyError:
diff --git a/salt/cloud/clouds/azurearm.py b/salt/cloud/clouds/azurearm.py
index 835495b420f..93851152529 100644
--- a/salt/cloud/clouds/azurearm.py
+++ b/salt/cloud/clouds/azurearm.py
@@ -59,13 +59,13 @@ import time
 import logging
 import pprint
 import base64
-import yaml
 import collections
 import salt.cache
 import salt.config as config
 import salt.utils.cloud
 import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.utils.versions import LooseVersion
 from salt.ext import six
 import salt.version
@@ -1070,7 +1070,7 @@ def request_instance(call=None, kwargs=None):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
     )
 
     if isinstance(kwargs.get('volumes'), six.string_types):
-        volumes = yaml.safe_load(kwargs['volumes'])
+        volumes = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(kwargs['volumes'])
     else:
         volumes = kwargs.get('volumes')
 
diff --git a/salt/cloud/clouds/ec2.py b/salt/cloud/clouds/ec2.py
index acf7b2eefda..5ca57f7b30a 100644
--- a/salt/cloud/clouds/ec2.py
+++ b/salt/cloud/clouds/ec2.py
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ import time
 import uuid
 import pprint
 import logging
-import yaml
 
 # Import libs for talking to the EC2 API
 import hmac
@@ -92,6 +91,7 @@ import salt.utils.cloud
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.hashutils
 import salt.utils.json
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt._compat import ElementTree as ET
 import salt.utils.http as http
 import salt.utils.aws as aws
@@ -2840,7 +2840,7 @@ def create_attach_volumes(name, kwargs, call=None, wait_to_finish=True):
         kwargs['instance_id'] = _get_node(name)['instanceId']
 
     if isinstance(kwargs['volumes'], six.string_types):
-        volumes = yaml.safe_load(kwargs['volumes'])
+        volumes = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(kwargs['volumes'])
     else:
         volumes = kwargs['volumes']
 
@@ -4109,7 +4109,7 @@ def create_volume(kwargs=None, call=None, wait_to_finish=False):
     # Allow tags to be set upon creation
     if 'tags' in kwargs:
         if isinstance(kwargs['tags'], six.string_types):
-            tags = yaml.safe_load(kwargs['tags'])
+            tags = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(kwargs['tags'])
         else:
             tags = kwargs['tags']
 
diff --git a/salt/cloud/clouds/joyent.py b/salt/cloud/clouds/joyent.py
index d6deb94d361..c8c995fc241 100644
--- a/salt/cloud/clouds/joyent.py
+++ b/salt/cloud/clouds/joyent.py
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ import logging
 import base64
 import pprint
 import inspect
-import yaml
 import datetime
 from Crypto.Hash import SHA256
 from Crypto.PublicKey import RSA
@@ -70,6 +69,7 @@ import salt.utils.cloud
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.http
 import salt.utils.json
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.config as config
 from salt.cloud.libcloudfuncs import node_state
 from salt.exceptions import (
@@ -1121,6 +1121,6 @@ def query(action=None,
 
     if 'Content-Length' in result['headers']:
         content = result['text']
-        return_content = yaml.safe_load(content)
+        return_content = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(content)
 
     return [result['status'], return_content]
diff --git a/salt/cloud/clouds/msazure.py b/salt/cloud/clouds/msazure.py
index 31f7186177a..b58e7e0ab9e 100644
--- a/salt/cloud/clouds/msazure.py
+++ b/salt/cloud/clouds/msazure.py
@@ -44,12 +44,12 @@ import copy
 import logging
 import pprint
 import time
-import yaml
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.config as config
 from salt.exceptions import SaltCloudSystemExit
 import salt.utils.cloud
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ def create_attach_volumes(name, kwargs, call=None, wait_to_finish=True):
         kwargs = {}
 
     if isinstance(kwargs['volumes'], six.string_types):
-        volumes = yaml.safe_load(kwargs['volumes'])
+        volumes = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(kwargs['volumes'])
     else:
         volumes = kwargs['volumes']
 
@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ def create_attach_volumes(name, kwargs, call=None, wait_to_finish=True):
         kwargs = {}
 
     if isinstance(kwargs['volumes'], six.string_types):
-        volumes = yaml.safe_load(kwargs['volumes'])
+        volumes = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(kwargs['volumes'])
     else:
         volumes = kwargs['volumes']
 
@@ -2731,7 +2731,7 @@ def set_storage_container_metadata(kwargs=None, storage_conn=None, call=None):
     if 'name' not in kwargs:
         raise SaltCloudSystemExit('An storage container name must be specified as "name"')
 
-    x_ms_meta_name_values = yaml.safe_load(
+    x_ms_meta_name_values = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(
         kwargs.get('meta_name_values', '')
     )
 
diff --git a/salt/cloud/clouds/nova.py b/salt/cloud/clouds/nova.py
index d73fa610af5..3cbbb9ea55c 100644
--- a/salt/cloud/clouds/nova.py
+++ b/salt/cloud/clouds/nova.py
@@ -206,13 +206,13 @@ import os
 import logging
 import socket
 import pprint
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt Libs
 from salt.ext import six
 import salt.utils.cloud
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.pycrypto
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.client
 from salt.utils.openstack import nova
 try:
@@ -1276,7 +1276,7 @@ def volume_create_attach(name, call=None, **kwargs):
         )
 
     if type(kwargs['volumes']) is str:
-        volumes = yaml.safe_load(kwargs['volumes'])
+        volumes = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(kwargs['volumes'])
     else:
         volumes = kwargs['volumes']
 
diff --git a/salt/config/__init__.py b/salt/config/__init__.py
index 950c3d3cbd3..545a816adb5 100644
--- a/salt/config/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/config/__init__.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import time
 import codecs
 import logging
 import types
-import yaml
 from copy import deepcopy
 
 # pylint: disable=import-error,no-name-in-module
@@ -34,6 +33,7 @@ import salt.utils.stringutils
 import salt.utils.user
 import salt.utils.validate.path
 import salt.utils.xdg
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.utils.yamlloader as yamlloader
 import salt.utils.zeromq
 import salt.syspaths
@@ -2098,11 +2098,8 @@ def _read_conf_file(path):
     log.debug('Reading configuration from {0}'.format(path))
     with salt.utils.files.fopen(path, 'r') as conf_file:
         try:
-            conf_opts = yamlloader.load(
-                conf_file.read(),
-                Loader=yamlloader.SaltYamlSafeLoader,
-            ) or {}
-        except yaml.YAMLError as err:
+            conf_opts = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(conf_file) or {}
+        except salt.utils.yaml.YAMLError as err:
             message = 'Error parsing configuration file: {0} - {1}'.format(path, err)
             log.error(message)
             raise salt.exceptions.SaltConfigurationError(message)
diff --git a/salt/engines/slack.py b/salt/engines/slack.py
index 9a36da09308..55e74cad1f2 100644
--- a/salt/engines/slack.py
+++ b/salt/engines/slack.py
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ import logging
 import time
 import re
 import traceback
-import yaml
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -119,7 +118,7 @@ import salt.utils.event
 import salt.utils.http
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.slack
-from salt.utils.yamldumper import OrderedDumper
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 __virtualname__ = 'slack'
 
@@ -373,7 +372,7 @@ class SlackClient(object):
 
         # Convert UTF to string
         _text = salt.utils.json.dumps(_text)
-        _text = yaml.safe_load(_text)
+        _text = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(_text)
 
         if not _text:
             raise ValueError('_text has no value')
@@ -561,7 +560,7 @@ class SlackClient(object):
         '''
         Print out YAML using the block mode
         '''
-        params = dict(Dumper=OrderedDumper)
+        params = {}
         if 'output_indent' not in __opts__:
             # default indentation
             params.update(default_flow_style=False)
@@ -573,7 +572,7 @@ class SlackClient(object):
             params.update(default_flow_style=True,
                           indent=0)
         try:
-            #return yaml.dump(data, **params).replace("\n\n", "\n")
+            #return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(data, **params).replace("\n\n", "\n")
             return salt.utils.json.dumps(data, sort_keys=True, indent=1)
         # pylint: disable=broad-except
         except Exception as exc:
@@ -627,7 +626,7 @@ class SlackClient(object):
                 # pylint is tripping
                 # pylint: disable=missing-whitespace-after-comma
                 job_data = salt.utils.json.dumps({key:val['return'] for key, val in jid_result.items()})
-                results[jid] = yaml.load(job_data)
+                results[jid] = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(job_data)
 
         return results
 
@@ -692,7 +691,7 @@ class SlackClient(object):
                         content=return_text)
                     # Handle unicode return
                     log.debug('Got back {} via the slack client'.format(r))
-                    resp = yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(r))
+                    resp = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(r))
                     if 'ok' in resp and resp['ok'] is False:
                         this_job['channel'].send_message('Error: {0}'.format(resp['error']))
                     del outstanding[jid]
diff --git a/salt/grains/extra.py b/salt/grains/extra.py
index 80c2a2468f1..3039cd0a287 100644
--- a/salt/grains/extra.py
+++ b/salt/grains/extra.py
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import os
 
 # Import third party libs
-import yaml
 import logging
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.platform
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 __proxyenabled__ = ['*']
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def config():
         log.debug('Loading static grains from %s', gfn)
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(gfn, 'rb') as fp_:
             try:
-                return yaml.safe_load(fp_.read())
+                return salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fp_)
             except Exception:
                 log.warning("Bad syntax in grains file! Skipping.")
                 return {}
diff --git a/salt/minion.py b/salt/minion.py
index 554fb5560bf..6645acaedcb 100644
--- a/salt/minion.py
+++ b/salt/minion.py
@@ -786,6 +786,7 @@ class SMinion(MinionBase):
     '''
     def __init__(self, opts):
         # Late setup of the opts grains, so we can log from the grains module
+        import salt.loader
         opts['grains'] = salt.loader.grains(opts)
         super(SMinion, self).__init__(opts)
 
@@ -803,8 +804,7 @@ class SMinion(MinionBase):
 
         # If configured, cache pillar data on the minion
         if self.opts['file_client'] == 'remote' and self.opts.get('minion_pillar_cache', False):
-            import yaml
-            from salt.utils.yamldumper import SafeOrderedDumper
+            import salt.utils.yaml
             pdir = os.path.join(self.opts['cachedir'], 'pillar')
             if not os.path.isdir(pdir):
                 os.makedirs(pdir, 0o700)
@@ -815,21 +815,11 @@ class SMinion(MinionBase):
                 penv = 'base'
             cache_top = {penv: {self.opts['id']: ['cache']}}
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(ptop, 'wb') as fp_:
-                fp_.write(
-                    yaml.dump(
-                        cache_top,
-                        Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper
-                    )
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(cache_top, fp_)
                 os.chmod(ptop, 0o600)
             cache_sls = os.path.join(pdir, 'cache.sls')
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(cache_sls, 'wb') as fp_:
-                fp_.write(
-                    yaml.dump(
-                        self.opts['pillar'],
-                        Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper
-                    )
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(self.opts['pillar'], fp_)
                 os.chmod(cache_sls, 0o600)
 
     def gen_modules(self, initial_load=False):
diff --git a/salt/modules/ansiblegate.py b/salt/modules/ansiblegate.py
index 16687c31142..b61180cdbff 100644
--- a/salt/modules/ansiblegate.py
+++ b/salt/modules/ansiblegate.py
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@ import os
 import sys
 import logging
 import importlib
-import yaml
 import fnmatch
 import subprocess
 
 import salt.utils.json
 from salt.exceptions import LoaderError, CommandExecutionError
-from salt.utils import timed_subprocess
+import salt.utils.timed_subprocess
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 try:
     import ansible
@@ -153,11 +153,13 @@ class AnsibleModuleCaller(object):
         js_args = str('{{"ANSIBLE_MODULE_ARGS": {args}}}')  # future lint: disable=blacklisted-function
         js_args = js_args.format(args=salt.utils.json.dumps(kwargs))
 
-        proc_out = timed_subprocess.TimedProc(["echo", "{0}".format(js_args)],
-                                              stdout=subprocess.PIPE, timeout=self.timeout)
+        proc_out = salt.utils.timed_subprocess.TimedProc(
+            ["echo", "{0}".format(js_args)],
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE, timeout=self.timeout)
         proc_out.run()
-        proc_exc = timed_subprocess.TimedProc(['python', module.__file__],
-                                              stdin=proc_out.stdout, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, timeout=self.timeout)
+        proc_exc = salt.utils.timed_subprocess.TimedProc(
+            ['python', module.__file__],
+            stdin=proc_out.stdout, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, timeout=self.timeout)
         proc_exc.run()
 
         try:
@@ -244,7 +246,7 @@ def help(module=None, *args):
     ret = {}
     for docset in module.DOCUMENTATION.split('---'):
         try:
-            docset = yaml.load(docset)
+            docset = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(docset)
             if docset:
                 doc.update(docset)
         except Exception as err:
diff --git a/salt/modules/aptpkg.py b/salt/modules/aptpkg.py
index 4224d5b55e7..8de29023c81 100644
--- a/salt/modules/aptpkg.py
+++ b/salt/modules/aptpkg.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import logging
 import time
 
 # Import third party libs
-import yaml
 # pylint: disable=no-name-in-module,import-error,redefined-builtin
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six.moves.urllib.error import HTTPError
@@ -47,6 +46,7 @@ import salt.utils.pkg
 import salt.utils.pkg.deb
 import salt.utils.systemd
 import salt.utils.versions
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.exceptions import (
     CommandExecutionError, MinionError, SaltInvocationError
 )
@@ -2644,8 +2644,8 @@ def set_selections(path=None, selection=None, clear=False, saltenv='base'):
 
     if isinstance(selection, six.string_types):
         try:
-            selection = yaml.safe_load(selection)
-        except (yaml.parser.ParserError, yaml.scanner.ScannerError) as exc:
+            selection = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(selection)
+        except (salt.utils.yaml.parser.ParserError, salt.utils.yaml.scanner.ScannerError) as exc:
             raise SaltInvocationError(
                 'Improperly-formatted selection: {0}'.format(exc)
             )
diff --git a/salt/modules/bamboohr.py b/salt/modules/bamboohr.py
index 0fc4acd8fb2..b3a4eec6aa7 100644
--- a/salt/modules/bamboohr.py
+++ b/salt/modules/bamboohr.py
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ Requires a ``subdomain`` and an ``apikey`` in ``/etc/salt/minion``:
 
 # Import python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
-import yaml
 import logging
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.http
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt._compat import ElementTree as ET
 
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def update_employee(emp_id, key=None, value=None, items=None):
             return {'Error': 'At least one key/value pair is required'}
         items = {key: value}
     elif isinstance(items, six.string_types):
-        items = yaml.safe_load(items)
+        items = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(items)
 
     xml_items = ''
     for pair in items:
diff --git a/salt/modules/beacons.py b/salt/modules/beacons.py
index efd1f5c9399..cf8c7d3d249 100644
--- a/salt/modules/beacons.py
+++ b/salt/modules/beacons.py
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import difflib
 import logging
 import os
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.ext.six as six
 import salt.utils.event
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.ext.six.moves import map
 
 # Get logging started
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ def list_(return_yaml=True,
     if beacons:
         if return_yaml:
             tmp = {'beacons': beacons}
-            yaml_out = yaml.safe_dump(tmp, default_flow_style=False)
-            return yaml_out
+            return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(tmp, default_flow_style=False)
         else:
             return beacons
     else:
@@ -116,8 +115,7 @@ def list_available(return_yaml=True):
     if beacons:
         if return_yaml:
             tmp = {'beacons': beacons}
-            yaml_out = yaml.safe_dump(tmp, default_flow_style=False)
-            return yaml_out
+            return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(tmp, default_flow_style=False)
         else:
             return beacons
     else:
@@ -359,7 +357,7 @@ def save():
                                         os.path.dirname(__opts__['default_include']))
     if beacons:
         tmp = {'beacons': beacons}
-        yaml_out = yaml.safe_dump(tmp, default_flow_style=False)
+        yaml_out = salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(tmp, default_flow_style=False)
     else:
         yaml_out = ''
 
diff --git a/salt/modules/boto_asg.py b/salt/modules/boto_asg.py
index 3795a5a6703..78bf25626c7 100644
--- a/salt/modules/boto_asg.py
+++ b/salt/modules/boto_asg.py
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 DATE_FORMAT = "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ"
 
 # Import third party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 try:
     import boto
@@ -522,20 +521,13 @@ def get_cloud_init_mime(cloud_init):
             _cloud_init.attach(_script)
     if 'cloud-config' in cloud_init:
         cloud_config = cloud_init['cloud-config']
-        _cloud_config = email.mime.text.MIMEText(_safe_dump(cloud_config),
-                                                 'cloud-config')
+        _cloud_config = email.mime.text.MIMEText(
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(cloud_config, default_flow_style=False),
+            'cloud-config')
         _cloud_init.attach(_cloud_config)
     return _cloud_init.as_string()
 
 
-def _safe_dump(data):
-    def ordered_dict_presenter(dumper, data):
-        return dumper.represent_dict(six.iteritems(data))
-    yaml.add_representer(odict.OrderedDict, ordered_dict_presenter,
-                         Dumper=yaml.dumper.SafeDumper)
-    return yaml.safe_dump(data, default_flow_style=False)
-
-
 def launch_configuration_exists(name, region=None, key=None, keyid=None,
                                 profile=None):
     '''
diff --git a/salt/modules/boto_cloudfront.py b/salt/modules/boto_cloudfront.py
index aa932884bf3..1a9997a33f8 100644
--- a/salt/modules/boto_cloudfront.py
+++ b/salt/modules/boto_cloudfront.py
@@ -58,8 +58,6 @@ import logging
 import salt.ext.six as six
 from salt.utils.odict import OrderedDict
 
-import yaml
-
 # Import third party libs
 try:
     # pylint: disable=unused-import
@@ -273,8 +271,8 @@ def export_distributions(region=None, key=None, keyid=None, profile=None):
         # as opposed to being called from execution or state modules
         raise err
 
-    dumper = __utils__['yamldumper.get_dumper']('IndentedSafeOrderedDumper')
-    return yaml.dump(
+    dumper = __utils__['yaml.get_dumper']('IndentedSafeOrderedDumper')
+    return __utils__['yaml.dump'](
         results,
         default_flow_style=False,
         Dumper=dumper,
diff --git a/salt/modules/boto_cloudwatch.py b/salt/modules/boto_cloudwatch.py
index f8e6f4b1bcb..e24f5ab8d32 100644
--- a/salt/modules/boto_cloudwatch.py
+++ b/salt/modules/boto_cloudwatch.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 # Import Python libs
 import logging
-import yaml
+import yaml  # pylint: disable=blacklisted-import
 
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.odict as odict
@@ -100,31 +100,27 @@ def get_alarm(name, region=None, key=None, keyid=None, profile=None):
 
 
 def _safe_dump(data):
-    ###########################################
-    # this presenter magic makes yaml.safe_dump
-    # work with the objects returned from
-    # boto.describe_alarms()
-    ###########################################
-    def ordered_dict_presenter(dumper, data):
-        return dumper.represent_dict(list(data.items()))
-
-    yaml.add_representer(odict.OrderedDict, ordered_dict_presenter,
-                         Dumper=yaml.dumper.SafeDumper)
+    '''
+    this presenter magic makes yaml.safe_dump
+    work with the objects returned from
+    boto.describe_alarms()
+    '''
+    custom_dumper = __utils__['yaml.get_dumper']('SafeOrderedDumper')
 
     def boto_listelement_presenter(dumper, data):
         return dumper.represent_list(list(data))
 
     yaml.add_representer(boto.ec2.cloudwatch.listelement.ListElement,
                          boto_listelement_presenter,
-                         Dumper=yaml.dumper.SafeDumper)
+                         Dumper=custom_dumper)
 
     def dimension_presenter(dumper, data):
         return dumper.represent_dict(dict(data))
 
     yaml.add_representer(boto.ec2.cloudwatch.dimension.Dimension,
-                         dimension_presenter, Dumper=yaml.dumper.SafeDumper)
+                         dimension_presenter, Dumper=custom_dumper)
 
-    return yaml.safe_dump(data)
+    return __utils__['yaml.dump'](data, Dumper=custom_dumper)
 
 
 def get_all_alarms(region=None, prefix=None, key=None, keyid=None,
diff --git a/salt/modules/boto_iam.py b/salt/modules/boto_iam.py
index ff2f93e0a31..875a3e79c02 100644
--- a/salt/modules/boto_iam.py
+++ b/salt/modules/boto_iam.py
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ Connection module for Amazon IAM
 # Import Python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 import logging
-import yaml
 import time
 
 # Import salt libs
@@ -1566,21 +1565,6 @@ def delete_server_cert(cert_name, region=None, key=None, keyid=None, profile=Non
         return False
 
 
-def _safe_dump(data):
-    ###########################################
-    # this presenter magic makes yaml.safe_dump
-    # work with the objects returned from
-    # boto.export_users()
-    ###########################################
-    def ordered_dict_presenter(dumper, data):
-        return dumper.represent_dict(data.items())
-
-    yaml.add_representer(odict.OrderedDict, ordered_dict_presenter,
-                         Dumper=yaml.dumper.SafeDumper)
-
-    return yaml.safe_dump(data, default_flow_style=False, indent=2)
-
-
 def export_users(path_prefix='/', region=None, key=None, keyid=None,
                  profile=None):
     '''
@@ -1614,7 +1598,10 @@ def export_users(path_prefix='/', region=None, key=None, keyid=None,
         user_sls.append({"policies": policies})
         user_sls.append({"path": user.path})
         results["manage user " + name] = {"boto_iam.user_present": user_sls}
-    return _safe_dump(results)
+    return __utils__['yaml.safe_dump'](
+        results,
+        default_flow_style=False,
+        indent=2)
 
 
 def export_roles(path_prefix='/', region=None, key=None, keyid=None, profile=None):
@@ -1648,7 +1635,10 @@ def export_roles(path_prefix='/', region=None, key=None, keyid=None, profile=Non
         role_sls.append({'policy_document': salt.utils.json.loads(_unquote(role.assume_role_policy_document))})
         role_sls.append({"path": role.path})
         results["manage role " + name] = {"boto_iam_role.present": role_sls}
-    return _safe_dump(results)
+    return __utils__['yaml.safe_dump'](
+        results,
+        default_flow_style=False,
+        indent=2)
 
 
 def _get_policy_arn(name, region=None, key=None, keyid=None, profile=None):
diff --git a/salt/modules/defaults.py b/salt/modules/defaults.py
index da69030f8d9..7479e1f6c99 100644
--- a/salt/modules/defaults.py
+++ b/salt/modules/defaults.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import copy
 import logging
 import os
-import yaml
 
 import salt.fileclient
 import salt.utils.data
@@ -16,11 +15,10 @@ import salt.utils.dictupdate as dictupdate
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.url
-
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 __virtualname__ = 'defaults'
 
-
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -57,7 +55,7 @@ def _load(formula):
 
         suffix = file_.rsplit('.', 1)[-1]
         if suffix == 'yaml':
-            loader = yaml.safe_load
+            loader = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load
         elif suffix == 'json':
             loader = salt.utils.json.load
         else:
diff --git a/salt/modules/grains.py b/salt/modules/grains.py
index b3f922ebee7..619a8785218 100644
--- a/salt/modules/grains.py
+++ b/salt/modules/grains.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import logging
 import operator
 import collections
 import math
-import yaml
 from functools import reduce  # pylint: disable=redefined-builtin
 
 # Import Salt libs
@@ -28,7 +27,7 @@ import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.platform
-import salt.utils.yamldumper
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.defaults import DEFAULT_TARGET_DELIM
 from salt.exceptions import SaltException
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range
@@ -273,8 +272,8 @@ def setvals(grains, destructive=False):
     if os.path.isfile(gfn):
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(gfn, 'rb') as fp_:
             try:
-                grains = yaml.safe_load(fp_.read())
-            except yaml.YAMLError as exc:
+                grains = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fp_)
+            except salt.utils.yaml.YAMLError as exc:
                 return 'Unable to read existing grains file: {0}'.format(exc)
         if not isinstance(grains, dict):
             grains = {}
@@ -287,17 +286,16 @@ def setvals(grains, destructive=False):
         else:
             grains[key] = val
             __grains__[key] = val
-    cstr = salt.utils.yamldumper.safe_dump(grains, default_flow_style=False)
     try:
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(gfn, 'w+') as fp_:
-            fp_.write(cstr)
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(grains, fp_, default_flow_style=False)
     except (IOError, OSError):
         msg = 'Unable to write to grains file at {0}. Check permissions.'
         log.error(msg.format(gfn))
     fn_ = os.path.join(__opts__['cachedir'], 'module_refresh')
     try:
-        with salt.utils.files.flopen(fn_, 'w+') as fp_:
-            fp_.write('')
+        with salt.utils.files.flopen(fn_, 'w+'):
+            pass
     except (IOError, OSError):
         msg = 'Unable to write to cache file {0}. Check permissions.'
         log.error(msg.format(fn_))
diff --git a/salt/modules/heat.py b/salt/modules/heat.py
index 39a5019a941..e8e0d9b7515 100644
--- a/salt/modules/heat.py
+++ b/salt/modules/heat.py
@@ -44,19 +44,18 @@ Module for handling OpenStack Heat calls
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 import time
 import logging
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
 from salt.ext import six
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.exceptions import SaltInvocationError
 
 # pylint: disable=import-error
 HAS_HEAT = False
 try:
-    from heatclient import client
-    from heatclient import exc
+    import heatclient
     HAS_HEAT = True
 except ImportError:
     pass
@@ -69,40 +68,14 @@ except ImportError:
     pass
 
 SECTIONS = (
-    PARAMETER_DEFAULTS, PARAMETERS, RESOURCE_REGISTRY, EVENT_SINKS
-) = (
-    'parameter_defaults', 'parameters', 'resource_registry', 'event_sinks'
-)
-
-if hasattr(yaml, 'CSafeLoader'):
-    YamlLoader = yaml.CSafeLoader
-else:
-    YamlLoader = yaml.SafeLoader
-
-if hasattr(yaml, 'CSafeDumper'):
-    YamlDumper = yaml.CSafeDumper
-else:
-    YamlDumper = yaml.SafeDumper
-
-
-def _represent_yaml_str(self, node):
-    '''
-    Represent for yaml
-    '''
-    return self.represent_scalar(node)
-YamlDumper.add_representer(u'tag:yaml.org,2002:str',
-                           _represent_yaml_str)
-YamlDumper.add_representer(u'tag:yaml.org,2002:timestamp',
-                           _represent_yaml_str)
-
-
-def _construct_yaml_str(self, node):
-    '''
-    Construct for yaml
-    '''
-    return self.construct_scalar(node)
-YamlLoader.add_constructor(u'tag:yaml.org,2002:timestamp',
-                           _construct_yaml_str)
+    PARAMETER_DEFAULTS,
+    PARAMETERS,
+    RESOURCE_REGISTRY,
+    EVENT_SINKS) = (
+    'parameter_defaults',
+    'parameters',
+    'resource_registry',
+    'event_sinks')
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -194,7 +167,7 @@ def _auth(profile=None, api_version=1, **connection_args):
                                         kwargs))
     # may raise exc.HTTPUnauthorized, exc.HTTPNotFound
     # but we deal with those elsewhere
-    return client.Client(api_version, endpoint=heat_endpoint, **kwargs)
+    return heatclient.client.Client(api_version, endpoint=heat_endpoint, **kwargs)
 
 
 def _parse_template(tmpl_str):
@@ -206,12 +179,9 @@ def _parse_template(tmpl_str):
         tpl = salt.utils.json.loads(tmpl_str)
     else:
         try:
-            tpl = yaml.load(tmpl_str, Loader=YamlLoader)
-        except yaml.YAMLError:
-            try:
-                tpl = yaml.load(tmpl_str, Loader=yaml.SafeLoader)
-            except yaml.YAMLError as yea:
-                raise ValueError(yea)
+            tpl = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(tmpl_str)
+        except salt.utils.yaml.YAMLError as exc:
+            raise ValueError(six.text_type(exc))
         else:
             if tpl is None:
                 tpl = {}
@@ -227,22 +197,20 @@ def _parse_enviroment(env_str):
     Parsing template
     '''
     try:
-        env = yaml.load(env_str, Loader=YamlLoader)
-    except yaml.YAMLError:
-        try:
-            env = yaml.load(env_str, Loader=yaml.SafeLoader)
-        except yaml.YAMLError as yea:
-            raise ValueError(yea)
+        env = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(env_str)
+    except salt.utils.yaml.YAMLError as exc:
+        raise ValueError(six.text_type(exc))
     else:
         if env is None:
             env = {}
         elif not isinstance(env, dict):
-            raise ValueError(('The environment is not a valid '
-                              'YAML mapping data type.'))
+            raise ValueError(
+                'The environment is not a valid YAML mapping data type.'
+            )
 
     for param in env:
         if param not in SECTIONS:
-            raise ValueError(('environment has wrong section "{0}"').format(param))
+            raise ValueError('environment has wrong section "{0}"'.format(param))
 
     return env
 
@@ -255,8 +223,8 @@ def _get_stack_events(h_client, stack_id, event_args):
     event_args['resource_name'] = None
     try:
         events = h_client.events.list(**event_args)
-    except exc.HTTPNotFound as ex:
-        raise exc.CommandError(str(ex))
+    except heatclient.exc.HTTPNotFound as ex:
+        raise heatclient.exc.CommandError(str(ex))
     else:
         for event in events:
             event.stack_name = stack_id.split('/')[0]
@@ -385,7 +353,7 @@ def show_stack(name=None, profile=None):
             'links': links,
         }
         ret['result'] = True
-    except exc.HTTPNotFound:
+    except heatclient.exc.HTTPNotFound:
         return {
             'result': False,
             'comment': 'No stack {0}'.format(name)
@@ -428,10 +396,10 @@ def delete_stack(name=None, poll=0, timeout=60, profile=None):
         return ret
     try:
         h_client.stacks.delete(name)
-    except exc.HTTPNotFound:
+    except heatclient.exc.HTTPNotFound:
         ret['result'] = False
         ret['comment'] = 'No stack {0}'.format(name)
-    except exc.HTTPForbidden as forbidden:
+    except heatclient.exc.HTTPForbidden as forbidden:
         log.exception(str(forbidden))
         ret['result'] = False
         ret['comment'] = str(forbidden)
@@ -442,7 +410,7 @@ def delete_stack(name=None, poll=0, timeout=60, profile=None):
         try:
             stack_status, msg = _poll_for_events(h_client, name, action='DELETE',
                                                  poll_period=poll, timeout=timeout)
-        except exc.CommandError:
+        except heatclient.exc.CommandError:
             ret['comment'] = 'Deleted stack {0}.'.format(name)
             return ret
         except Exception as ex:  # pylint: disable=W0703
@@ -858,18 +826,18 @@ def template_stack(name=None, profile=None):
             }
     try:
         get_template = h_client.stacks.template(name)
-    except exc.HTTPNotFound:
+    except heatclient.exc.HTTPNotFound:
         return {
             'result': False,
             'comment': 'No stack with {0}'.format(name)
             }
-    except exc.BadRequest:
+    except heatclient.exc.BadRequest:
         return {
             'result': False,
             'comment': 'Bad request fot stack {0}'.format(name)
             }
     if 'heat_template_version' in get_template:
-        template = yaml.dump(get_template, Dumper=YamlDumper)
+        template = salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(get_template)
     else:
         template = jsonutils.dumps(get_template, indent=2, ensure_ascii=False)
 
diff --git a/salt/modules/highstate_doc.py b/salt/modules/highstate_doc.py
index 8aed0a361c5..fd08a8a7120 100644
--- a/salt/modules/highstate_doc.py
+++ b/salt/modules/highstate_doc.py
@@ -218,15 +218,14 @@ Some `replace_text_regex` values that might be helpfull.
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 import re
-import yaml
 import logging
 
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.templates as tpl
-from salt.utils.yamldumper import OrderedDumper
-
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 __virtualname__ = 'highstate_doc'
+
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -519,8 +518,7 @@ def _state_data_to_yaml_string(data, whitelist=None, blacklist=None):
         y[k] = data[k]
     if len(y) == 0:
         return None
-    y = yaml.dump(y, Dumper=OrderedDumper, default_flow_style=False)
-    return y
+    return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(y, default_flow_style=False)
 
 
 def _md_fix(text):
diff --git a/salt/modules/kubernetes.py b/salt/modules/kubernetes.py
index a463a0bceda..c55dd253830 100644
--- a/salt/modules/kubernetes.py
+++ b/salt/modules/kubernetes.py
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ import sys
 import os.path
 import base64
 import logging
-import yaml
 import tempfile
 import signal
 from time import sleep
@@ -50,6 +49,7 @@ from salt.exceptions import CommandExecutionError
 from salt.ext.six import iteritems
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.templates
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.exceptions import TimeoutError
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range  # pylint: disable=import-error
 
@@ -1475,7 +1475,7 @@ def __read_and_render_yaml_file(source,
                     'Unknown template specified: {0}'.format(
                         template))
 
-        return yaml.load(contents)
+        return salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(contents)
 
 
 def __dict_to_object_meta(name, namespace, metadata):
diff --git a/salt/modules/pagerduty.py b/salt/modules/pagerduty.py
index 5979ea98c90..bb10bc4e206 100644
--- a/salt/modules/pagerduty.py
+++ b/salt/modules/pagerduty.py
@@ -18,14 +18,13 @@ Module for Firing Events via PagerDuty
 '''
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
-# Import python libs
-import yaml
-
-# Import salt libs
+# Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.functools
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.pagerduty
-from salt.ext.six import string_types
+
+# Import 3rd-party libs
+from salt.ext import six
 
 
 def __virtual__():
@@ -176,9 +175,9 @@ def create_event(service_key=None, description=None, details=None,
     '''
     trigger_url = 'https://events.pagerduty.com/generic/2010-04-15/create_event.json'
 
-    if isinstance(details, string_types):
-        details = yaml.safe_load(details)
-        if isinstance(details, string_types):
+    if isinstance(details, six.string_types):
+        details = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(details)
+        if isinstance(details, six.string_types):
             details = {'details': details}
 
     ret = salt.utils.json.loads(salt.utils.pagerduty.query(
diff --git a/salt/modules/parallels.py b/salt/modules/parallels.py
index c996f831e28..417a001d032 100644
--- a/salt/modules/parallels.py
+++ b/salt/modules/parallels.py
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import re
 import logging
 import shlex
-import yaml
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.locales
 import salt.utils.path
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.exceptions import SaltInvocationError
 
 # Import 3rd party libs
@@ -476,8 +476,8 @@ def snapshot_id_to_name(name, snap_id, strict=False, runas=None):
 
     # Try to interpret the information
     try:
-        data = yaml.safe_load(info)
-    except yaml.YAMLError as err:
+        data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(info)
+    except salt.utils.yaml.YAMLError as err:
         log.warning(
             'Could not interpret snapshot data returned from prlctl: '
             '{0}'.format(err)
diff --git a/salt/modules/pillar.py b/salt/modules/pillar.py
index a3dc6f57c1d..5d18208db9d 100644
--- a/salt/modules/pillar.py
+++ b/salt/modules/pillar.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import copy
 import os
 import copy
 import logging
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 
 # Import salt libs
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.dictupdate
 import salt.utils.functools
 import salt.utils.odict
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.defaults import DEFAULT_TARGET_DELIM
 from salt.exceptions import CommandExecutionError
 
@@ -429,8 +429,8 @@ def ext(external, pillar=None):
 
         .. code-block:: python
 
-            >>> import yaml
-            >>> ext_pillar = yaml.safe_load("""
+            >>> import salt.utils.yaml
+            >>> ext_pillar = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load("""
             ... ext_pillar:
             ...   - git:
             ...     - issue38440 https://github.com/terminalmage/git_pillar:
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ def ext(external, pillar=None):
         salt '*' pillar.ext "{'git': [{'mybranch https://github.com/myuser/myrepo': [{'env': 'base'}]}]}"
     '''
     if isinstance(external, six.string_types):
-        external = yaml.safe_load(external)
+        external = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(external)
     pillar_obj = salt.pillar.get_pillar(
         __opts__,
         __grains__,
diff --git a/salt/modules/pkg_resource.py b/salt/modules/pkg_resource.py
index a59f858cb7b..8bee9e3146c 100644
--- a/salt/modules/pkg_resource.py
+++ b/salt/modules/pkg_resource.py
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ import os
 import pprint
 
 # Import third party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.versions
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.exceptions import SaltInvocationError
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ def pack_sources(sources, normalize=True):
 
     if isinstance(sources, six.string_types):
         try:
-            sources = yaml.safe_load(sources)
-        except yaml.parser.ParserError as err:
+            sources = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(sources)
+        except salt.utils.yaml.parser.ParserError as err:
             log.error(err)
             return {}
     ret = {}
diff --git a/salt/modules/puppet.py b/salt/modules/puppet.py
index 0462152e037..1d65b17b4f9 100644
--- a/salt/modules/puppet.py
+++ b/salt/modules/puppet.py
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ import salt.utils.args
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.path
 import salt.utils.platform
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.exceptions import CommandExecutionError
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ def summary():
 
     try:
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(puppet.lastrunfile, 'r') as fp_:
-            report = yaml.safe_load(fp_.read())
+            report = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fp_)
         result = {}
 
         if 'time' in report:
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ def summary():
         if 'resources' in report:
             result['resources'] = report['resources']
 
-    except yaml.YAMLError as exc:
+    except salt.utils.yaml.YAMLError as exc:
         raise CommandExecutionError(
             'YAML error parsing puppet run summary: {0}'.format(exc)
         )
diff --git a/salt/modules/saltcheck.py b/salt/modules/saltcheck.py
index d265a56ebb6..7c3d580c022 100644
--- a/salt/modules/saltcheck.py
+++ b/salt/modules/saltcheck.py
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ import logging
 import os
 import time
 from json import loads, dumps
-import yaml
 try:
     import salt.utils.files
     import salt.utils.path
+    import salt.utils.yaml
     import salt.client
     import salt.exceptions
 except ImportError:
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ class StateTestLoader(object):
             with __utils__['files.fopen'](filepath, 'r') as myfile:
                 # with salt.utils.files.fopen(filepath, 'r') as myfile:
                 # with open(filepath, 'r') as myfile:
-                contents_yaml = yaml.load(myfile)
+                contents_yaml = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(myfile)
                 for key, value in contents_yaml.items():
                     self.test_dict[key] = value
         except:
diff --git a/salt/modules/schedule.py b/salt/modules/schedule.py
index a4eeb8bf696..15ab9c9937c 100644
--- a/salt/modules/schedule.py
+++ b/salt/modules/schedule.py
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ import copy as pycopy
 import difflib
 import logging
 import os
-import yaml
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.event
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.odict
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -140,8 +140,7 @@ def list_(show_all=False,
     if schedule:
         if return_yaml:
             tmp = {'schedule': schedule}
-            yaml_out = yaml.safe_dump(tmp, default_flow_style=False)
-            return yaml_out
+            return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(tmp, default_flow_style=False)
         else:
             return schedule
     else:
@@ -808,8 +807,8 @@ def reload_():
     if os.path.isfile(sfn):
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(sfn, 'rb') as fp_:
             try:
-                schedule = yaml.safe_load(fp_.read())
-            except yaml.YAMLError as exc:
+                schedule = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fp_)
+            except salt.utils.yaml.YAMLError as exc:
                 ret['comment'].append('Unable to read existing schedule file: {0}'.format(exc))
 
         if schedule:
diff --git a/salt/modules/splunk_search.py b/salt/modules/splunk_search.py
index c78192a0555..bea4d4ac3d4 100644
--- a/salt/modules/splunk_search.py
+++ b/salt/modules/splunk_search.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ Module for interop with the Splunk API
 # Import python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 import logging
-import yaml
 import urllib
 
 # Import third party libs
@@ -37,6 +36,7 @@ except ImportError:
     pass
 
 # Import salt libs
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.utils.odict import OrderedDict
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -239,12 +239,6 @@ def list_all(prefix=None, app=None, owner=None, description_contains=None,
     '''
     client = _get_splunk(profile)
 
-    # yaml magic to output OrderedDict
-    def ordered_dict_presenter(dumper, data):
-        return dumper.represent_dict(six.iteritems(data))
-    yaml.add_representer(
-        OrderedDict, ordered_dict_presenter, Dumper=yaml.dumper.SafeDumper)
-
     # splunklib doesn't provide the default settings for saved searches.
     # so, in order to get the defaults, we create a search with no
     # configuration, get that search, and then delete it. We use its contents
@@ -306,4 +300,4 @@ def list_all(prefix=None, app=None, owner=None, description_contains=None,
             continue
         results["manage splunk search " + name] = {"splunk_search.present": d}
 
-    return yaml.safe_dump(results, default_flow_style=False, width=120)
+    return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(results, default_flow_style=False, width=120)
diff --git a/salt/modules/virt.py b/salt/modules/virt.py
index 65a89a68e28..f5b34dcc3a3 100644
--- a/salt/modules/virt.py
+++ b/salt/modules/virt.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import datetime
 from xml.etree import ElementTree
 
 # Import third party libs
-import yaml
 import jinja2
 import jinja2.exceptions
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -42,6 +41,7 @@ import salt.utils.path
 import salt.utils.stringutils
 import salt.utils.templates
 import salt.utils.validate.net
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.exceptions import CommandExecutionError, SaltInvocationError
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ def _qemu_image_create(vm_name,
         qcow2 = False
         if salt.utils.path.which('qemu-img'):
             res = __salt__['cmd.run']('qemu-img info {}'.format(sfn))
-            imageinfo = yaml.load(res)
+            imageinfo = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(res)
             qcow2 = imageinfo['file format'] == 'qcow2'
         try:
             if enable_qcow and qcow2:
@@ -1134,9 +1134,9 @@ def get_disks(vm_):
                     continue
                 output.append(line)
             output = '\n'.join(output)
-            disks[dev].update(yaml.safe_load(output))
+            disks[dev].update(salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(output))
         except TypeError:
-            disks[dev].update(yaml.safe_load('image: Does not exist'))
+            disks[dev].update({'image': 'Does not exist'})
     return disks
 
 
@@ -1594,7 +1594,7 @@ def seed_non_shared_migrate(disks, force=False):
         size = data['virtual size'].split()[1][1:]
         if os.path.isfile(fn_) and not force:
             # the target exists, check to see if it is compatible
-            pre = yaml.safe_load(subprocess.Popen('qemu-img info arch',
+            pre = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(subprocess.Popen('qemu-img info arch',
                 shell=True,
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0])
             if pre['file format'] != data['file format']\
diff --git a/salt/modules/x509.py b/salt/modules/x509.py
index 7344bc7d6ce..21d7425f977 100644
--- a/salt/modules/x509.py
+++ b/salt/modules/x509.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import glob
 import random
 import ctypes
 import tempfile
-import yaml
 import re
 import datetime
 import ast
@@ -177,7 +176,7 @@ def _parse_openssl_req(csr_filename):
     output = re.sub(r': rsaEncryption', ':', output)
     output = re.sub(r'[0-9a-f]{2}:', '', output)
 
-    return yaml.safe_load(output)
+    return salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(output)
 
 
 def _get_csr_extensions(csr):
@@ -266,7 +265,7 @@ def _parse_openssl_crl(crl_filename):
 
         rev_sn = revoked.split('\n')[0].strip()
         revoked = rev_sn + ':\n' + '\n'.join(revoked.split('\n')[1:])
-        rev_yaml = yaml.safe_load(revoked)
+        rev_yaml = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(revoked)
         # pylint: disable=unused-variable
         for rev_item, rev_values in six.iteritems(rev_yaml):
             # pylint: enable=unused-variable
diff --git a/salt/netapi/rest_cherrypy/app.py b/salt/netapi/rest_cherrypy/app.py
index 2c9638e4efa..00f54a45345 100644
--- a/salt/netapi/rest_cherrypy/app.py
+++ b/salt/netapi/rest_cherrypy/app.py
@@ -606,7 +606,6 @@ except ImportError:
     cpstats = None
     logger.warn('Import of cherrypy.cpstats failed.')
 
-import yaml
 # pylint: enable=import-error, 3rd-party-module-not-gated
 
 # Import Salt libs
@@ -617,6 +616,7 @@ import salt.utils.event
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.stringutils
 import salt.utils.versions
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six import BytesIO
 
@@ -837,7 +837,7 @@ def cors_tool():
 ct_out_map = (
     ('application/json', salt.utils.json.dumps),
     ('application/x-yaml', functools.partial(
-        yaml.safe_dump, default_flow_style=False)),
+        salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump, default_flow_style=False)),
 )
 
 
@@ -998,7 +998,7 @@ def yaml_processor(entity):
         contents.seek(0)
         body = salt.utils.stringutils.to_unicode(contents.read())
     try:
-        cherrypy.serving.request.unserialized_data = yaml.safe_load(body)
+        cherrypy.serving.request.unserialized_data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(body)
     except ValueError:
         raise cherrypy.HTTPError(400, 'Invalid YAML document')
 
diff --git a/salt/netapi/rest_tornado/saltnado.py b/salt/netapi/rest_tornado/saltnado.py
index 85296687be8..22af29b0577 100644
--- a/salt/netapi/rest_tornado/saltnado.py
+++ b/salt/netapi/rest_tornado/saltnado.py
@@ -196,7 +196,6 @@ from collections import defaultdict
 
 # pylint: disable=import-error
 import cgi
-import yaml
 import tornado.escape
 import tornado.httpserver
 import tornado.ioloop
@@ -215,6 +214,7 @@ import salt.netapi
 import salt.utils.args
 import salt.utils.event
 import salt.utils.json
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.utils.event import tagify
 import salt.client
 import salt.runner
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ class EventListener(object):
 class BaseSaltAPIHandler(tornado.web.RequestHandler, SaltClientsMixIn):  # pylint: disable=W0223
     ct_out_map = (
         ('application/json', _json_dumps),
-        ('application/x-yaml', yaml.safe_dump),
+        ('application/x-yaml', salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump),
     )
 
     def _verify_client(self, low):
@@ -523,8 +523,8 @@ class BaseSaltAPIHandler(tornado.web.RequestHandler, SaltClientsMixIn):  # pylin
         ct_in_map = {
             'application/x-www-form-urlencoded': self._form_loader,
             'application/json': salt.utils.json.loads,
-            'application/x-yaml': yaml.safe_load,
-            'text/yaml': yaml.safe_load,
+            'application/x-yaml': salt.utils.yaml.safe_load,
+            'text/yaml': salt.utils.yaml.safe_load,
             # because people are terrible and don't mean what they say
             'text/plain': salt.utils.json.loads
         }
diff --git a/salt/output/yaml_out.py b/salt/output/yaml_out.py
index 4212b6c74d5..392f41f9b12 100644
--- a/salt/output/yaml_out.py
+++ b/salt/output/yaml_out.py
@@ -21,10 +21,9 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 
 # Import third party libs
 import logging
-import yaml
 
 # Import salt libs
-from salt.utils.yamldumper import SafeOrderedDumper
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Define the module's virtual name
 __virtualname__ = 'yaml'
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ def output(data, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
     Print out YAML using the block mode
     '''
 
-    params = dict(Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper)
+    params = {}
     if 'output_indent' not in __opts__:
         # default indentation
         params.update(default_flow_style=False)
@@ -53,7 +52,7 @@ def output(data, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
         params.update(default_flow_style=True,
                       indent=0)
     try:
-        return yaml.dump(data, **params)
+        return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(data, **params)
     except Exception as exc:
         import pprint
         log.exception(
diff --git a/salt/pillar/cmd_yaml.py b/salt/pillar/cmd_yaml.py
index 16f92b3de55..a1316744f60 100644
--- a/salt/pillar/cmd_yaml.py
+++ b/salt/pillar/cmd_yaml.py
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 # Don't "fix" the above docstring to put it on two lines, as the sphinx
 # autosummary pulls only the first line for its description.
 
-# Import python libs
+# Import Python libs
 import logging
 
-# Import third party libs
-import yaml
+# Import Salt party libs
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Set up logging
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -25,8 +25,11 @@ def ext_pillar(minion_id,  # pylint: disable=W0613
     '''
     try:
         command = command.replace('%s', minion_id)
-        return yaml.safe_load(
-            __salt__['cmd.run_stdout']('{0}'.format(command), python_shell=True))
+        output = __salt__['cmd.run_stdout'](command, python_shell=True)
+        return salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(output)
     except Exception:
-        log.critical('YAML data from {0} failed to parse'.format(command))
+        log.critical(
+            'YAML data from \'%s\' failed to parse. Command output:\n%s',
+            command, output
+        )
         return {}
diff --git a/salt/pillar/consul_pillar.py b/salt/pillar/consul_pillar.py
index d661649f4f7..9e0369d0035 100644
--- a/salt/pillar/consul_pillar.py
+++ b/salt/pillar/consul_pillar.py
@@ -125,12 +125,11 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 # Import python libs
 import logging
 import re
-import yaml
 
 from salt.exceptions import CommandExecutionError
 from salt.utils.dictupdate import update as dict_merge
 import salt.utils.minions
-from salt.utils.yamlloader import SaltYamlSafeLoader
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import third party libs
 try:
@@ -253,10 +252,7 @@ def pillar_format(ret, keys, value):
     # If value is not None then it's a string
     # Use YAML to parse the data
     # YAML strips whitespaces unless they're surrounded by quotes
-    pillar_value = yaml.load(
-        value,
-        Loader=SaltYamlSafeLoader
-    )
+    pillar_value = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(value)
 
     keyvalue = keys.pop()
     pil = {keyvalue: pillar_value}
diff --git a/salt/pillar/hiera.py b/salt/pillar/hiera.py
index 5a1a8d4031d..392bfb941d6 100644
--- a/salt/pillar/hiera.py
+++ b/salt/pillar/hiera.py
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ Use hiera data as a Pillar source
 # Import Python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 import logging
-import yaml
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.path
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def ext_pillar(minion_id,  # pylint: disable=W0613
         if isinstance(val, six.string_types):
             cmd += ' {0}=\'{1}\''.format(key, val)
     try:
-        data = yaml.safe_load(__salt__['cmd.run'](cmd))
+        data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(__salt__['cmd.run'](cmd))
     except Exception:
         log.critical(
                 'Hiera YAML data failed to parse from conf {0}'.format(conf)
diff --git a/salt/pillar/makostack.py b/salt/pillar/makostack.py
index 4724da2bed8..40f161b2b0d 100644
--- a/salt/pillar/makostack.py
+++ b/salt/pillar/makostack.py
@@ -375,12 +375,14 @@ You can also select a custom merging strategy using a ``__`` object in a list:
 
 # Import Python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import
+import functools
 import os
 import logging
-from functools import partial
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
+import salt.utils.yaml
+
+# Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext import six
 
 try:
@@ -411,9 +413,9 @@ def ext_pillar(minion_id, pillar, *args, **kwargs):
     stack = {}
     stack_config_files = list(args)
     traverse = {
-        'pillar': partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, pillar),
-        'grains': partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, __grains__),
-        'opts': partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, __opts__),
+        'pillar': functools.partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, pillar),
+        'grains': functools.partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, __grains__),
+        'opts': functools.partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, __opts__),
         }
     for matcher, matchs in six.iteritems(kwargs):
         t, matcher = matcher.split(':', 1)
@@ -456,7 +458,7 @@ def _process_stack_cfg(cfg, stack, minion_id, pillar, namespace):
                                                  __grains__=__grains__,
                                                  minion_id=minion_id,
                                                  pillar=pillar, stack=stack)
-            obj = yaml.safe_load(p)
+            obj = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(p)
             if not isinstance(obj, dict):
                 log.info('Ignoring Stack template "{0}": Can\'t parse '
                          'as a valid yaml dictionary'.format(path))
@@ -541,9 +543,11 @@ def _merge_list(stack, obj):
 
 
 def _parse_top_cfg(content):
-    """Allow top_cfg to be YAML"""
+    '''
+    Allow top_cfg to be YAML
+    '''
     try:
-        obj = yaml.safe_load(content)
+        obj = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(content)
         if isinstance(obj, list):
             return obj
     except Exception as e:
diff --git a/salt/pillar/pepa.py b/salt/pillar/pepa.py
index 01fd90a559e..ec073a2d6f3 100644
--- a/salt/pillar/pepa.py
+++ b/salt/pillar/pepa.py
@@ -271,19 +271,18 @@ __license__ = 'Apache License, Version 2.0'
 __version__ = '0.6.6'
 
 # Import python libs
-import logging
-import sys
 import glob
-import yaml
 import jinja2
+import logging
+import os
 import re
-from os.path import isfile, join
+import sys
 
 # Import Salt libs
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six.moves import input  # pylint: disable=import-error,redefined-builtin
 import salt.utils.files
-from salt.utils.yamlloader import SaltYamlSafeLoader
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 try:
@@ -409,9 +408,9 @@ def ext_pillar(minion_id, pillar, resource, sequence, subkey=False, subkey_only=
 
         templdir = None
         if info and 'base_only' in info and info['base_only']:
-            templdir = join(roots['base'], resource, alias)
+            templdir = os.path.join(roots['base'], resource, alias)
         else:
-            templdir = join(roots[inp['environment']], resource, alias)
+            templdir = os.path.join(roots[inp['environment']], resource, alias)
 
         entries = []
         if isinstance(inp[categ], list):
@@ -425,8 +424,8 @@ def ext_pillar(minion_id, pillar, resource, sequence, subkey=False, subkey_only=
         for entry in entries:
             results_jinja = None
             results = None
-            fn = join(templdir, re.sub(r'\W', '_', entry.lower()) + '.yaml')
-            if isfile(fn):
+            fn = os.path.join(templdir, re.sub(r'\W', '_', entry.lower()) + '.yaml')
+            if os.path.isfile(fn):
                 log.info("Loading template: {0}".format(fn))
                 with salt.utils.files.fopen(fn) as fhr:
                     template = jinja2.Template(fhr.read())
@@ -437,13 +436,10 @@ def ext_pillar(minion_id, pillar, resource, sequence, subkey=False, subkey_only=
                     data['grains'] = __grains__.copy()
                     data['pillar'] = pillar.copy()
                     results_jinja = template.render(data)
-                    results = yaml.load(
-                        results_jinja,
-                        Loader=SaltYamlSafeLoader
-                    )
+                    results = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(results_jinja)
                 except jinja2.UndefinedError as err:
                     log.error('Failed to parse JINJA template: {0}\n{1}'.format(fn, err))
-                except yaml.YAMLError as err:
+                except salt.utils.yaml.YAMLError as err:
                     log.error('Failed to parse YAML in template: {0}\n{1}'.format(fn, err))
             else:
                 log.info("Template doesn't exist: {0}".format(fn))
@@ -522,7 +518,7 @@ def validate(output, resource):
 
     roots = __opts__['pepa_roots']
 
-    valdir = join(roots['base'], resource, 'validate')
+    valdir = os.path.join(roots['base'], resource, 'validate')
 
     all_schemas = {}
     pepa_schemas = []
@@ -533,10 +529,7 @@ def validate(output, resource):
         data = output
         data['grains'] = __grains__.copy()
         data['pillar'] = __pillar__.copy()
-        schema = yaml.load(
-            template.render(data),
-            Loader=SaltYamlSafeLoader
-        )
+        schema = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(template.render(data))
         all_schemas.update(schema)
         pepa_schemas.append(fn)
 
@@ -552,18 +545,13 @@ def validate(output, resource):
 # Only used when called from a terminal
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     # Load configuration file
-    if not isfile(args.config):
+    if not os.path.isfile(args.config):
         log.critical("Configuration file doesn't exist: {0}".format(args.config))
         sys.exit(1)
 
     # Get configuration
     with salt.utils.files.fopen(args.config) as fh_:
-        __opts__.update(
-            yaml.load(
-                fh_.read(),
-                Loader=SaltYamlSafeLoader
-            )
-        )
+        __opts__.update(salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fh_))
 
     loc = 0
     for name in [next(iter(list(e.keys()))) for e in __opts__['ext_pillar']]:
@@ -576,24 +564,14 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     if 'pepa_grains' in __opts__:
         __grains__ = __opts__['pepa_grains']
     if args.grains:
-        __grains__.update(
-            yaml.load(
-                args.grains,
-                Loader=SaltYamlSafeLoader
-            )
-        )
+        __grains__.update(salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(args.grains))
 
     # Get pillars
     __pillar__ = {}
     if 'pepa_pillar' in __opts__:
         __pillar__ = __opts__['pepa_pillar']
     if args.pillar:
-        __pillar__.update(
-            yaml.load(
-                args.pillar,
-                Loader=SaltYamlSafeLoader
-            )
-        )
+        __pillar__.update(salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(args.pillar))
 
     # Validate or not
     if args.validate:
@@ -644,19 +622,32 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     if __opts__['pepa_validate']:
         validate(result, __opts__['ext_pillar'][loc]['pepa']['resource'])
 
-    yaml.dumper.SafeDumper.ignore_aliases = lambda self, data: True
-    if not args.no_color:
-        try:
-            # pylint: disable=import-error
-            import pygments
-            import pygments.lexers
-            import pygments.formatters
-            # pylint: disable=no-member
-            print(pygments.highlight(yaml.safe_dump(result),
-                                     pygments.lexers.YamlLexer(),
-                                     pygments.formatters.TerminalFormatter()))
-            # pylint: enable=no-member, import-error
-        except ImportError:
-            print(yaml.safe_dump(result, indent=4, default_flow_style=False))
-    else:
-        print(yaml.safe_dump(result, indent=4, default_flow_style=False))
+    try:
+        orig_ignore = salt.utils.yaml.SafeOrderedDumper.ignore_aliases
+        salt.utils.yaml.SafeOrderedDumper.ignore_aliases = lambda x, y: True
+
+        def _print_result(result):
+            print(salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(
+                result,
+                indent=4,
+                default_flow_style=False))
+
+        if not args.no_color:
+            try:
+                # pylint: disable=import-error
+                import pygments
+                import pygments.lexers
+                import pygments.formatters
+                # pylint: disable=no-member
+                print(pygments.highlight(
+                    salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(result),
+                    pygments.lexers.YamlLexer(),
+                    pygments.formatters.TerminalFormatter()))
+                # pylint: enable=no-member, import-error
+            except ImportError:
+                _print_result(result)
+        else:
+            _print_result(result)
+    finally:
+        # Undo monkeypatching
+        salt.utils.yaml.SafeOrderedDumper.ignore_aliases = orig_ignore
diff --git a/salt/pillar/pillar_ldap.py b/salt/pillar/pillar_ldap.py
index c803c7348c1..80e570a6741 100644
--- a/salt/pillar/pillar_ldap.py
+++ b/salt/pillar/pillar_ldap.py
@@ -113,8 +113,7 @@ TODO: see also ``_result_to_dict()`` documentation
 '''
 
 # Import python libs
-from __future__ import print_function
-from __future__ import absolute_import
+from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
 import os
 import logging
 
@@ -122,7 +121,6 @@ import logging
 from salt.exceptions import SaltInvocationError
 
 # Import third party libs
-import yaml
 from jinja2 import Environment, FileSystemLoader
 try:
     import ldap  # pylint: disable=W0611
@@ -278,10 +276,11 @@ def ext_pillar(minion_id,  # pylint: disable=W0613
     Execute LDAP searches and return the aggregated data
     '''
     if os.path.isfile(config_file):
+        import salt.utils.yaml
         try:
             #open(config_file, 'r') as raw_config:
             config = _render_template(config_file) or {}
-            opts = yaml.safe_load(config) or {}
+            opts = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(config) or {}
             opts['conf_file'] = config_file
         except Exception as err:
             import salt.log
diff --git a/salt/pillar/puppet.py b/salt/pillar/puppet.py
index 9b61257ca6a..7df8704d432 100644
--- a/salt/pillar/puppet.py
+++ b/salt/pillar/puppet.py
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 # Don't "fix" the above docstring to put it on two lines, as the sphinx
 # autosummary pulls only the first line for its description.
 
-# Import python libs
+# Import Python libs
 import logging
 
-# Import third party libs
-import yaml
+# Import Salt libs
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Set up logging
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -24,9 +24,8 @@ def ext_pillar(minion_id,
     Execute an unmodified puppet_node_classifier and read the output as YAML
     '''
     try:
-        data = yaml.safe_load(__salt__['cmd.run']('{0} {1}'.format(command, minion_id)))
-        data = data['parameters']
-        return data
+        data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(__salt__['cmd.run']('{0} {1}'.format(command, minion_id)))
+        return data['parameters']
     except Exception:
         log.critical(
                 'YAML data from {0} failed to parse'.format(command)
diff --git a/salt/pillar/stack.py b/salt/pillar/stack.py
index 9c9367812d9..fafaebda533 100644
--- a/salt/pillar/stack.py
+++ b/salt/pillar/stack.py
@@ -376,20 +376,19 @@ You can also select a custom merging strategy using a ``__`` object in a list:
 
 # Import Python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import
+import functools
+import glob
 import os
 import posixpath
 import logging
-from functools import partial
-from glob import glob
 
-import yaml
 from jinja2 import FileSystemLoader, Environment
 
 # Import Salt libs
 from salt.ext import six
 import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.jinja
-
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 strategies = ('overwrite', 'merge-first', 'merge-last', 'remove')
@@ -399,9 +398,9 @@ def ext_pillar(minion_id, pillar, *args, **kwargs):
     stack = {}
     stack_config_files = list(args)
     traverse = {
-        'pillar': partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, pillar),
-        'grains': partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, __grains__),
-        'opts': partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, __opts__),
+        'pillar': functools.partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, pillar),
+        'grains': functools.partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, __grains__),
+        'opts': functools.partial(salt.utils.data.traverse_dict_and_list, __opts__),
         }
     for matcher, matchs in six.iteritems(kwargs):
         t, matcher = matcher.split(':', 1)
@@ -432,7 +431,6 @@ def _construct_unicode(loader, node):
 def _process_stack_cfg(cfg, stack, minion_id, pillar):
     log.debug('Config: {0}'.format(cfg))
     basedir, filename = os.path.split(cfg)
-    yaml.SafeLoader.add_constructor("tag:yaml.org,2002:python/unicode", _construct_unicode)
     jenv = Environment(loader=FileSystemLoader(basedir), extensions=['jinja2.ext.do', salt.utils.jinja.SerializerExtension])
     jenv.globals.update({
         "__opts__": __opts__,
@@ -448,7 +446,7 @@ def _process_stack_cfg(cfg, stack, minion_id, pillar):
             jenv.get_template(filename).render(stack=stack)):
         if not item.strip():
             continue  # silently ignore whitespace or empty lines
-        paths = glob(os.path.join(basedir, item))
+        paths = glob.glob(os.path.join(basedir, item))
         if not paths:
             log.warning('Ignoring pillar stack template "{0}": can\'t find from '
                      'root dir "{1}"'.format(item, basedir))
@@ -457,7 +455,7 @@ def _process_stack_cfg(cfg, stack, minion_id, pillar):
             log.debug('YAML: basedir={0}, path={1}'.format(basedir, path))
             # FileSystemLoader always expects unix-style paths
             unix_path = _to_unix_slashes(os.path.relpath(path, basedir))
-            obj = yaml.safe_load(jenv.get_template(unix_path).render(stack=stack))
+            obj = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(jenv.get_template(unix_path).render(stack=stack))
             if not isinstance(obj, dict):
                 log.info('Ignoring pillar stack template "{0}": Can\'t parse '
                          'as a valid yaml dictionary'.format(path))
@@ -535,7 +533,7 @@ def _parse_stack_cfg(content):
     Allow top level cfg to be YAML
     '''
     try:
-        obj = yaml.safe_load(content)
+        obj = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(content)
         if isinstance(obj, list):
             return obj
     except Exception as e:
diff --git a/salt/returners/highstate_return.py b/salt/returners/highstate_return.py
index 46e9b43c89a..32a0e623220 100644
--- a/salt/returners/highstate_return.py
+++ b/salt/returners/highstate_return.py
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ import smtplib
 import cgi
 from email.mime.text import MIMEText
 
-import yaml
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range
 from salt.ext.six.moves import StringIO
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -92,6 +91,7 @@ from salt.ext import six
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.stringutils
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.returners
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ def _produce_output(report, failed, setup):
         report_text = salt.utils.json.dumps(report)
     elif report_format == 'yaml':
         string_file = StringIO()
-        yaml.safe_dump(report, string_file, default_flow_style=False)
+        salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(report, string_file, default_flow_style=False)
         string_file.seek(0)
         report_text = string_file.read()
     else:
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ def __test_html():
     '''
     with salt.utils.files.fopen('test.rpt', 'r') as input_file:
         data_text = salt.utils.stringutils.to_unicode(input_file.read())
-    data = yaml.safe_load(data_text)
+    data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(data_text)
 
     string_file = StringIO()
     _generate_html(data, string_file)
diff --git a/salt/returners/slack_returner.py b/salt/returners/slack_returner.py
index 9a5e8d7cd1c..7bd5faf91b8 100644
--- a/salt/returners/slack_returner.py
+++ b/salt/returners/slack_returner.py
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ To override individual configuration items, append --return_kwargs '{"key:": "va
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 
 # Import Python libs
-import yaml
 import pprint
 import logging
 
@@ -91,7 +90,7 @@ from salt.ext.six.moves.urllib.parse import urlencode as _urlencode
 # Import Salt Libs
 import salt.returners
 import salt.utils.slack
-from salt.utils.yamldumper import SafeOrderedDumper
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -212,7 +211,7 @@ def returner(ret):
         returns = dict((key, value) for key, value in returns.items() if value['result'] is not True or value['changes'])
 
     if yaml_format is True:
-        returns = yaml.dump(returns, Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper)
+        returns = salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(returns)
     else:
         returns = pprint.pformat(returns)
 
diff --git a/salt/runners/pagerduty.py b/salt/runners/pagerduty.py
index 7095c9836c5..a8d4e08eaa2 100644
--- a/salt/runners/pagerduty.py
+++ b/salt/runners/pagerduty.py
@@ -17,13 +17,11 @@ Runner Module for Firing Events via PagerDuty
 '''
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 
-# Import python libs
-import yaml
-
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.functools
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.pagerduty
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 
 
@@ -176,7 +174,7 @@ def create_event(service_key=None, description=None, details=None,
     trigger_url = 'https://events.pagerduty.com/generic/2010-04-15/create_event.json'
 
     if isinstance(details, six.string_types):
-        details = yaml.safe_load(details)
+        details = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(details)
         if isinstance(details, six.string_types):
             details = {'details': details}
 
diff --git a/salt/spm/__init__.py b/salt/spm/__init__.py
index 8a27e2c7feb..565dae5b893 100644
--- a/salt/spm/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/spm/__init__.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ This module provides the point of entry to SPM, the Salt Package Manager
 # Import Python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 import os
-import yaml
 import tarfile
 import shutil
 import hashlib
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ import salt.utils.http as http
 import salt.utils.path
 import salt.utils.platform
 import salt.utils.win_functions
-from salt.utils.yamldumper import SafeOrderedDumper
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Get logging started
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -255,7 +254,7 @@ class SPMClient(object):
 
                     formula_tar = tarfile.open(pkg, 'r:bz2')
                     formula_ref = formula_tar.extractfile('{0}/FORMULA'.format(pkg_name))
-                    formula_def = yaml.safe_load(formula_ref)
+                    formula_def = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(formula_ref)
 
                     file_map[pkg_name] = pkg
                     to_, op_, re_ = self._check_all_deps(
@@ -459,7 +458,7 @@ class SPMClient(object):
         self.ui.status('... installing {0}'.format(pkg_name))
         formula_tar = tarfile.open(pkg_file, 'r:bz2')
         formula_ref = formula_tar.extractfile('{0}/FORMULA'.format(pkg_name))
-        formula_def = yaml.safe_load(formula_ref)
+        formula_def = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(formula_ref)
 
         for field in ('version', 'release', 'summary', 'description'):
             if field not in formula_def:
@@ -625,7 +624,7 @@ class SPMClient(object):
         for repo_file in repo_files:
             repo_path = '{0}.d/{1}'.format(self.opts['spm_repos_config'], repo_file)
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(repo_path) as rph:
-                repo_data = yaml.safe_load(rph)
+                repo_data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(rph)
                 for repo in repo_data:
                     if repo_data[repo].get('enabled', True) is False:
                         continue
@@ -662,7 +661,7 @@ class SPMClient(object):
         try:
             if query:
                 if 'SPM-METADATA' in dl_path:
-                    response = yaml.safe_load(query.get('text', '{}'))
+                    response = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(query.get('text', '{}'))
                 else:
                     response = query.get('text')
             else:
@@ -683,7 +682,7 @@ class SPMClient(object):
             if dl_path.startswith('file://'):
                 dl_path = dl_path.replace('file://', '')
                 with salt.utils.files.fopen(dl_path, 'r') as rpm:
-                    metadata = yaml.safe_load(rpm)
+                    metadata = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(rpm)
             else:
                 metadata = self._query_http(dl_path, repo_info)
 
@@ -738,7 +737,7 @@ class SPMClient(object):
                 spm_name = '-'.join(comps[:-2])
                 spm_fh = tarfile.open(spm_path, 'r:bz2')
                 formula_handle = spm_fh.extractfile('{0}/FORMULA'.format(spm_name))
-                formula_conf = yaml.safe_load(formula_handle.read())
+                formula_conf = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(formula_handle.read())
 
                 use_formula = True
                 if spm_name in repo_metadata:
@@ -784,13 +783,12 @@ class SPMClient(object):
 
         metadata_filename = '{0}/SPM-METADATA'.format(repo_path)
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(metadata_filename, 'w') as mfh:
-            yaml.dump(
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(
                 repo_metadata,
                 mfh,
                 indent=4,
                 canonical=False,
                 default_flow_style=False,
-                Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper
             )
 
         log.debug('Wrote %s', metadata_filename)
@@ -900,7 +898,7 @@ class SPMClient(object):
 
         formula_tar = tarfile.open(pkg_file, 'r:bz2')
         formula_ref = formula_tar.extractfile('{0}/FORMULA'.format(name))
-        formula_def = yaml.safe_load(formula_ref)
+        formula_def = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(formula_ref)
 
         self.ui.status(self._get_info(formula_def))
 
@@ -1017,7 +1015,7 @@ class SPMClient(object):
         if not os.path.exists(formula_path):
             raise SPMPackageError('Formula file {0} not found'.format(formula_path))
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(formula_path) as fp_:
-            formula_conf = yaml.safe_load(fp_)
+            formula_conf = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fp_)
 
         for field in ('name', 'version', 'release', 'summary', 'description'):
             if field not in formula_conf:
diff --git a/salt/states/boto_apigateway.py b/salt/states/boto_apigateway.py
index ee0bcc6c154..2113a3d89a6 100644
--- a/salt/states/boto_apigateway.py
+++ b/salt/states/boto_apigateway.py
@@ -52,12 +52,11 @@ import hashlib
 import logging
 import os
 import re
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt Libs
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
-from salt.utils.yamlloader import SaltYamlSafeLoader
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -718,10 +717,7 @@ class _Swagger(object):
                                                        error_response_template,
                                                        response_template)
                 with salt.utils.files.fopen(self._swagger_file, 'rb') as sf:
-                    self._cfg = yaml.load(
-                        sf,
-                        Loader=SaltYamlSafeLoader
-                    )
+                    self._cfg = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(sf)
                 self._swagger_version = ''
             else:
                 raise IOError('Invalid swagger file path, {0}'.format(swagger_file_path))
diff --git a/salt/states/boto_cloudfront.py b/salt/states/boto_cloudfront.py
index eb4d2ab940d..24a53c57eb8 100644
--- a/salt/states/boto_cloudfront.py
+++ b/salt/states/boto_cloudfront.py
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import difflib
 import logging
 
-import yaml
-
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -176,14 +174,16 @@ def present(
         )
 
         def _yaml_safe_dump(attrs):
-            '''Safely dump YAML using a readable flow style'''
+            '''
+            Safely dump YAML using a readable flow style
+            '''
             dumper_name = 'IndentedSafeOrderedDumper'
-            dumper = __utils__['yamldumper.get_dumper'](dumper_name)
-            return yaml.dump(
+            dumper = __utils__['yaml.get_dumper'](dumper_name)
+            return __utils__['yaml.dump'](
                 attrs,
                 default_flow_style=False,
-                Dumper=dumper,
-            )
+                Dumper=dumper)
+
         changes_diff = ''.join(difflib.unified_diff(
             _yaml_safe_dump(full_config_old).splitlines(True),
             _yaml_safe_dump(full_config_new).splitlines(True),
diff --git a/salt/states/boto_s3.py b/salt/states/boto_s3.py
index b4e994aa57f..7093a5b2e2a 100644
--- a/salt/states/boto_s3.py
+++ b/salt/states/boto_s3.py
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ import copy
 import difflib
 import logging
 
-import yaml
-
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.ext.six as six
 import salt.utils.hashutils
@@ -265,14 +263,16 @@ def object_present(
         action = 'create'
 
     def _yaml_safe_dump(attrs):
-        '''Safely dump YAML using a readable flow style'''
+        '''
+        Safely dump YAML using a readable flow style
+        '''
         dumper_name = 'IndentedSafeOrderedDumper'
-        dumper = __utils__['yamldumper.get_dumper'](dumper_name)
-        return yaml.dump(
+        dumper = __utils__['yaml.get_dumper'](dumper_name)
+        return __utils__['yaml.dump'](
             attrs,
             default_flow_style=False,
-            Dumper=dumper,
-        )
+            Dumper=dumper)
+
     changes_diff = ''.join(difflib.unified_diff(
         _yaml_safe_dump(s3_metadata).splitlines(True),
         _yaml_safe_dump(desired_metadata).splitlines(True),
diff --git a/salt/states/boto_sqs.py b/salt/states/boto_sqs.py
index 1c385a09b95..e2700ed9cd4 100644
--- a/salt/states/boto_sqs.py
+++ b/salt/states/boto_sqs.py
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 # Import Python libs
 import difflib
 import logging
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.json
@@ -204,14 +203,15 @@ def present(
     final_attributes.update(attrs_to_set)
 
     def _yaml_safe_dump(attrs):
-        '''Safely dump YAML using a readable flow style'''
-        dumper_name = 'IndentedSafeOrderedDumper'
-        dumper = __utils__['yamldumper.get_dumper'](dumper_name)
-        return yaml.dump(
+        '''
+        Safely dump YAML using a readable flow style
+        '''
+        dumper = __utils__['yaml.get_dumper']('IndentedSafeOrderedDumper')
+        return __utils__['yaml.dump'](
             attrs,
             default_flow_style=False,
-            Dumper=dumper,
-        )
+            Dumper=dumper)
+
     attributes_diff = ''.join(difflib.unified_diff(
         _yaml_safe_dump(current_attributes).splitlines(True),
         _yaml_safe_dump(final_attributes).splitlines(True),
diff --git a/salt/states/heat.py b/salt/states/heat.py
index 0bc32d6a2f4..ed600c897eb 100644
--- a/salt/states/heat.py
+++ b/salt/states/heat.py
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ mysql:
 # Import Python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 import logging
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.exceptions
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
@@ -55,36 +55,6 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     pass
 
-if hasattr(yaml, 'CSafeLoader'):
-    YamlLoader = yaml.CSafeLoader
-else:
-    YamlLoader = yaml.SafeLoader
-
-if hasattr(yaml, 'CSafeDumper'):
-    YamlDumper = yaml.CSafeDumper
-else:
-    YamlDumper = yaml.SafeDumper
-
-
-def _represent_yaml_str(self, node):
-    '''
-    Represent for yaml
-    '''
-    return self.represent_scalar(node)
-YamlDumper.add_representer('tag:yaml.org,2002:str',
-                           _represent_yaml_str)
-YamlDumper.add_representer('tag:yaml.org,2002:timestamp',
-                           _represent_yaml_str)
-
-
-def _construct_yaml_str(self, node):
-    '''
-    Construct for yaml
-    '''
-    return self.construct_scalar(node)
-YamlLoader.add_constructor('tag:yaml.org,2002:timestamp',
-                           _construct_yaml_str)
-
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -108,12 +78,9 @@ def _parse_template(tmpl_str):
         tpl = salt.utils.json.loads(tmpl_str)
     else:
         try:
-            tpl = yaml.load(tmpl_str, Loader=YamlLoader)
-        except yaml.YAMLError:
-            try:
-                tpl = yaml.load(tmpl_str, Loader=yaml.SafeLoader)
-            except yaml.YAMLError as yea:
-                raise ValueError(yea)
+            tpl = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(tmpl_str)
+        except salt.utils.yaml.YAMLError as exc:
+            raise ValueError(six.text_type(exc))
         else:
             if tpl is None:
                 tpl = {}
@@ -220,7 +187,7 @@ def deployed(name, template=None, enviroment=None, params=None, poll=5,
                             tpl = tpl.decode('utf-8')
                         template_parse = _parse_template(tpl)
                         if 'heat_template_version' in template_parse:
-                            template_new = yaml.dump(template_parse, Dumper=YamlDumper)
+                            template_new = salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(template_parse)
                         else:
                             template_new = jsonutils.dumps(template_parse, indent=2, ensure_ascii=False)
                         salt.utils.files.safe_rm(template_tmp_file)
diff --git a/salt/states/netyang.py b/salt/states/netyang.py
index 5295062743d..dbbc7adeb32 100644
--- a/salt/states/netyang.py
+++ b/salt/states/netyang.py
@@ -28,11 +28,10 @@ log = logging.getLogger(__file__)
 
 # Import third party libs
 try:
-    import yaml
-    # pylint: disable=W0611
+    # pylint: disable=unused-import
     import napalm_yang
     HAS_NAPALM_YANG = True
-    # pylint: enable=W0611
+    # pylint: enable=unused-import
 except ImportError:
     HAS_NAPALM_YANG = False
 
@@ -40,6 +39,7 @@ except ImportError:
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.napalm
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # state properties
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ def managed(name,
         data = {'to_dict': data}
     data = [data]
     with salt.utils.files.fopen(temp_file, 'w') as file_handle:
-        yaml.safe_dump(salt.utils.json.loads(salt.utils.json.dumps(data)), file_handle, encoding='utf-8', allow_unicode=True)
+        salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(salt.utils.json.loads(salt.utils.json.dumps(data)), file_handle, encoding='utf-8')
     device_config = __salt__['napalm_yang.parse'](*models,
                                                   config=True,
                                                   profiles=profiles)
diff --git a/salt/tops/ext_nodes.py b/salt/tops/ext_nodes.py
index c71668f1f33..d12fdb93f89 100644
--- a/salt/tops/ext_nodes.py
+++ b/salt/tops/ext_nodes.py
@@ -47,12 +47,12 @@ The above essentially is the same as a top.sls containing the following:
 '''
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 
-# Import python libs
+# Import Python libs
 import logging
 import subprocess
 
-# Import third party libs
-import yaml
+# Import Salt libs
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -76,12 +76,12 @@ def top(**kwargs):
             __opts__['master_tops']['ext_nodes'],
             kwargs['opts']['id']
             )
-    ndata = yaml.safe_load(
-            subprocess.Popen(
-                cmd,
-                shell=True,
-                stdout=subprocess.PIPE
-                ).communicate()[0])
+    ndata = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(
+        subprocess.Popen(
+            cmd,
+            shell=True,
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE.communicate()[0])
+    )
     if not ndata:
         log.info('master_tops ext_nodes call did not return any data')
     ret = {}
diff --git a/salt/utils/args.py b/salt/utils/args.py
index 51db5d23624..6f5e687bd7d 100644
--- a/salt/utils/args.py
+++ b/salt/utils/args.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from salt.ext.six.moves import zip  # pylint: disable=import-error,redefined-bui
 import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.jid
 import salt.utils.versions
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 
 if six.PY3:
@@ -154,19 +155,19 @@ def yamlify_arg(arg):
 
     try:
         # Explicit late import to avoid circular import. DO NOT MOVE THIS.
-        import salt.utils.yamlloader as yamlloader
+        import salt.utils.yaml
         original_arg = arg
         if '#' in arg:
             # Only yamlify if it parses into a non-string type, to prevent
             # loss of content due to # as comment character
-            parsed_arg = yamlloader.load(arg, Loader=yamlloader.SaltYamlSafeLoader)
+            parsed_arg = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(arg)
             if isinstance(parsed_arg, six.string_types) or parsed_arg is None:
                 return arg
             return parsed_arg
         if arg == 'None':
             arg = None
         else:
-            arg = yamlloader.load(arg, Loader=yamlloader.SaltYamlSafeLoader)
+            arg = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(arg)
 
         if isinstance(arg, dict):
             # dicts must be wrapped in curly braces
diff --git a/salt/utils/cloud.py b/salt/utils/cloud.py
index e1a59369910..bfc9902773c 100644
--- a/salt/utils/cloud.py
+++ b/salt/utils/cloud.py
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.platform
 import salt.utils.versions
 import salt.utils.vt
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.utils.nb_popen import NonBlockingPopen
-from salt.utils.yamldumper import SafeOrderedDumper
 from salt.utils.validate.path import is_writeable
 
 # Import salt cloud libs
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ from salt.exceptions import (
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range  # pylint: disable=import-error,redefined-builtin,W0611
 from jinja2 import Template
-import yaml
 
 # Let's import pwd and catch the ImportError. We'll raise it if this is not
 # Windows. This import has to be below where we import salt.utils.platform!
@@ -287,10 +286,10 @@ def salt_config_to_yaml(configuration, line_break='\n'):
     '''
     Return a salt configuration dictionary, master or minion, as a yaml dump
     '''
-    return yaml.dump(configuration,
-                     line_break=line_break,
-                     default_flow_style=False,
-                     Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper)
+    return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(
+        configuration,
+        line_break=line_break,
+        default_flow_style=False)
 
 
 def bootstrap(vm_, opts=None):
diff --git a/salt/utils/color.py b/salt/utils/color.py
index 21efb315dc2..573ff512822 100644
--- a/salt/utils/color.py
+++ b/salt/utils/color.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import os
 # Import Salt libs
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.textformat import TextFormat
-import salt.utils.files
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -21,13 +20,14 @@ def get_color_theme(theme):
     Return the color theme to use
     '''
     # Keep the heavy lifting out of the module space
-    import yaml
+    import salt.utils.files
+    import salt.utils.yaml
     if not os.path.isfile(theme):
         log.warning('The named theme {0} if not available'.format(theme))
 
     try:
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(theme, 'rb') as fp_:
-            colors = yaml.safe_load(fp_.read())
+            colors = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fp_)
             ret = {}
             for color in colors:
                 ret[color] = '\033[{0}m'.format(colors[color])
diff --git a/salt/utils/data.py b/salt/utils/data.py
index 84ed7ec4508..34178ad106d 100644
--- a/salt/utils/data.py
+++ b/salt/utils/data.py
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ import copy
 import fnmatch
 import logging
 import re
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.dictupdate
 import salt.utils.stringutils
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.defaults import DEFAULT_TARGET_DELIM
 from salt.exceptions import SaltException
 from salt.utils.decorators.jinja import jinja_filter
@@ -473,8 +473,8 @@ def repack_dictlist(data,
     '''
     if isinstance(data, six.string_types):
         try:
-            data = yaml.safe_load(data)
-        except yaml.parser.ParserError as err:
+            data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(data)
+        except salt.utils.yaml.parser.ParserError as err:
             log.error(err)
             return {}
 
diff --git a/salt/utils/http.py b/salt/utils/http.py
index edaf86f2bc5..a70dbbc2919 100644
--- a/salt/utils/http.py
+++ b/salt/utils/http.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import logging
 import os
 import pprint
 import socket
-import yaml
 import io
 import zlib
 import gzip
@@ -47,6 +46,7 @@ import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.network
 import salt.utils.platform
 import salt.utils.stringutils
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.version
 import salt.utils.xmlutil as xml
 from salt._compat import ElementTree as ET
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ def query(url,
             for item in items:
                 ret['dict'].append(xml.to_dict(item))
         elif decode_type == 'yaml':
-            ret['dict'] = yaml.safe_load(result_text)
+            ret['dict'] = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(result_text)
         else:
             text = True
 
diff --git a/salt/utils/jinja.py b/salt/utils/jinja.py
index f1fcb10df52..01e98d30ef6 100644
--- a/salt/utils/jinja.py
+++ b/salt/utils/jinja.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ from xml.etree.ElementTree import Element, SubElement, tostring
 # Import third party libs
 import jinja2
 from salt.ext import six
-import yaml
 from jinja2 import BaseLoader, Markup, TemplateNotFound, nodes
 from jinja2.environment import TemplateModule
 from jinja2.exceptions import TemplateRuntimeError
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.url
-import salt.utils.yamldumper
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.utils.decorators.jinja import jinja_filter, jinja_test, jinja_global
 from salt.utils.odict import OrderedDict
 
@@ -785,7 +784,7 @@ class SerializerExtension(Extension, object):
         return Markup(salt.utils.json.dumps(value, sort_keys=sort_keys, indent=indent).strip())
 
     def format_yaml(self, value, flow_style=True):
-        yaml_txt = salt.utils.yamldumper.safe_dump(
+        yaml_txt = salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(
             value, default_flow_style=flow_style).strip()
         if yaml_txt.endswith('\n...'):
             yaml_txt = yaml_txt[:len(yaml_txt)-4]
@@ -844,7 +843,7 @@ class SerializerExtension(Extension, object):
         if isinstance(value, TemplateModule):
             value = str(value)
         try:
-            return yaml.safe_load(value)
+            return salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(value)
         except AttributeError:
             raise TemplateRuntimeError(
                 'Unable to load yaml from {0}'.format(value))
diff --git a/salt/utils/kickstart.py b/salt/utils/kickstart.py
index f8df726c086..9f9376c780e 100644
--- a/salt/utils/kickstart.py
+++ b/salt/utils/kickstart.py
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@ Utilities for managing kickstart
 .. versionadded:: Beryllium
 '''
 from __future__ import absolute_import
-import yaml
 import shlex
 import argparse  # pylint: disable=minimum-python-version
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range
 
 
@@ -1176,6 +1176,6 @@ def mksls(src, dst=None):
 
     if dst:
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(dst, 'w') as fp_:
-            fp_.write(yaml.safe_dump(sls, default_flow_style=False))
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(sls, fp_, default_flow_style=False)
     else:
-        return yaml.safe_dump(sls, default_flow_style=False)
+        return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(sls, default_flow_style=False)
diff --git a/salt/utils/mount.py b/salt/utils/mount.py
index 09dbc8bfc19..67f69eb23f5 100644
--- a/salt/utils/mount.py
+++ b/salt/utils/mount.py
@@ -7,15 +7,13 @@ Common functions for managing mounts
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 import logging
 import os
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.stringutils
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.utils.versions
 
-from salt.utils.yamldumper import SafeOrderedDumper
-
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -25,7 +23,7 @@ def _read_file(path):
     '''
     try:
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(path, 'rb') as contents:
-            return yaml.safe_load(contents.read())
+            return salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(contents)
     except (OSError, IOError):
         return {}
 
@@ -53,11 +51,8 @@ def write_cache(cache, opts):
 
     try:
         _cache = salt.utils.stringutils.to_bytes(
-                    yaml.dump(
-                        cache,
-                        Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper
-                    )
-                )
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(cache)
+        )
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(cache_file, 'wb+') as fp_:
             fp_.write(_cache)
         return True
diff --git a/salt/utils/parsers.py b/salt/utils/parsers.py
index fcb11d8761b..8d89932b140 100644
--- a/salt/utils/parsers.py
+++ b/salt/utils/parsers.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import getpass
 import logging
 import optparse
 import traceback
-import yaml
 from functools import partial
 
 
@@ -39,13 +38,13 @@ import salt.utils.process
 import salt.utils.stringutils
 import salt.utils.user
 import salt.utils.xdg
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.defaults import DEFAULT_TARGET_DELIM
 from salt.utils.validate.path import is_writeable
 from salt.utils.verify import verify_files
 import salt.exceptions
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range  # pylint: disable=import-error,redefined-builtin
-from salt.utils.yamldumper import SafeOrderedDumper
 
 
 def _sorted(mixins_or_funcs):
@@ -2091,11 +2090,9 @@ class SaltCMDOptionParser(six.with_metaclass(OptionParserMeta,
         if self.options.config_dump:
             cfg = config.master_config(self.get_config_file_path())
             sys.stdout.write(
-                yaml.dump(
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(
                     cfg,
-                    default_flow_style=False,
-                    Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper
-                )
+                    default_flow_style=False)
             )
             sys.exit(salt.defaults.exitcodes.EX_OK)
 
diff --git a/salt/utils/preseed.py b/salt/utils/preseed.py
index acebe16dea5..1406271a8f6 100644
--- a/salt/utils/preseed.py
+++ b/salt/utils/preseed.py
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ Utilities for managing Debian preseed
 .. versionadded:: Beryllium
 '''
 from __future__ import absolute_import
-import yaml
 import shlex
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 
 def mksls(src, dst=None):
@@ -73,6 +73,6 @@ def mksls(src, dst=None):
 
     if dst is not None:
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(dst, 'w') as fh_:
-            fh_.write(yaml.safe_dump(sls, default_flow_style=False))
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(sls, fh_, default_flow_style=False)
     else:
-        return yaml.safe_dump(sls, default_flow_style=False)
+        return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(sls, default_flow_style=False)
diff --git a/salt/utils/reactor.py b/salt/utils/reactor.py
index debb23598e7..0d95db5854e 100644
--- a/salt/utils/reactor.py
+++ b/salt/utils/reactor.py
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@ import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.event
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.process
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.wheel
 import salt.defaults.exitcodes
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class Reactor(salt.utils.process.SignalHandlingMultiprocessingProcess, salt.stat
         if isinstance(self.opts['reactor'], six.string_types):
             try:
                 with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.opts['reactor']) as fp_:
-                    react_map = yaml.safe_load(fp_.read())
+                    react_map = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fp_)
             except (OSError, IOError):
                 log.error(
                     'Failed to read reactor map: "{0}"'.format(
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class Reactor(salt.utils.process.SignalHandlingMultiprocessingProcess, salt.stat
             log.debug('Reading reactors from yaml {0}'.format(self.opts['reactor']))
             try:
                 with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.opts['reactor']) as fp_:
-                    react_map = yaml.safe_load(fp_.read())
+                    react_map = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fp_)
             except (OSError, IOError):
                 log.error(
                     'Failed to read reactor map: "{0}"'.format(
diff --git a/salt/utils/saltclass.py b/salt/utils/saltclass.py
index c12ff57f5eb..06810547b3e 100644
--- a/salt/utils/saltclass.py
+++ b/salt/utils/saltclass.py
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import os
 import re
 import logging
-import yaml
 from jinja2 import FileSystemLoader, Environment
 
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.path
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext.six import iteritems
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def render_jinja(_file, salt_data):
 
 # Renders yaml from rendered jinja
 def render_yaml(_file, salt_data):
-    return yaml.safe_load(render_jinja(_file, salt_data))
+    return salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(render_jinja(_file, salt_data))
 
 
 # Returns a dict from a class yaml definition
diff --git a/salt/utils/schedule.py b/salt/utils/schedule.py
index ac9a61d26e5..a5061baec9f 100644
--- a/salt/utils/schedule.py
+++ b/salt/utils/schedule.py
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import logging
 import errno
 import random
 import weakref
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.config
@@ -38,6 +37,7 @@ import salt.utils.platform
 import salt.utils.process
 import salt.utils.stringutils
 import salt.utils.user
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.loader
 import salt.minion
 import salt.payload
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ import salt.exceptions
 import salt.log.setup as log_setup
 import salt.defaults.exitcodes
 from salt.utils.odict import OrderedDict
-from salt.utils.yamldumper import SafeOrderedDumper
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -176,9 +175,8 @@ class Schedule(object):
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(schedule_conf, 'wb+') as fp_:
                 fp_.write(
                     salt.utils.stringutils.to_bytes(
-                        yaml.dump(
-                            {'schedule': self._get_schedule(include_pillar=False)},
-                            Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper
+                        salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(
+                            {'schedule': self._get_schedule(include_pillar=False)}
                         )
                     )
                 )
diff --git a/salt/utils/schema.py b/salt/utils/schema.py
index 2d8984cd458..4de3374596c 100644
--- a/salt/utils/schema.py
+++ b/salt/utils/schema.py
@@ -328,10 +328,10 @@ import functools
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.args
+#import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.utils.odict import OrderedDict
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-#import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 
 BASE_SCHEMA_URL = 'https://non-existing.saltstack.com/schemas'
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ class BaseSchemaItem(SchemaItem):
     #                                          width=RENDER_COMMENT_YAML_MAX_LINE_LENGTH,
     #                                          initial_indent='# '))
     #        output += '\n'
-    #        yamled_default_value = yaml.dump(self.default, default_flow_style=False).split('\n...', 1)[0]
+    #        yamled_default_value = salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(self.default, default_flow_style=False).split('\n...', 1)[0]
     #        output += '# Default: {0}\n'.format(yamled_default_value)
     #        output += '#{0}: {1}\n'.format(name, yamled_default_value)
     #    output += '# <---- '
diff --git a/salt/utils/thin.py b/salt/utils/thin.py
index aa8176d7f5a..017b8486065 100644
--- a/salt/utils/thin.py
+++ b/salt/utils/thin.py
@@ -512,6 +512,8 @@ def gen_min(cachedir, extra_mods='', overwrite=False, so_mods='',
         'salt/utils/vt.py',
         'salt/utils/templates.py',
         'salt/utils/aggregation.py',
+        'salt/utils/yaml.py',
+        'salt/utils/yamldumper.py',
         'salt/utils/yamlloader.py',
         'salt/utils/event.py',
         'salt/serializers',
diff --git a/salt/utils/yaml.py b/salt/utils/yaml.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7fbfbe6035c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/salt/utils/yaml.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+'''
+Convenience module that provides our custom loader and dumper in a single module
+'''
+from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
+
+# pylint: disable=wildcard-import,unused-wildcard-import,unused-import
+from yaml import YAMLError, parser, scanner
+from salt.utils.yamldumper import *
+from salt.utils.yamlloader import *
diff --git a/salt/utils/yamldumper.py b/salt/utils/yamldumper.py
index 514aae9613c..d8d0aaac442 100644
--- a/salt/utils/yamldumper.py
+++ b/salt/utils/yamldumper.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ except ImportError:
     from yaml import Dumper
     from yaml import SafeDumper
 
-import yaml
+import yaml  # pylint: disable=blacklisted-import
 import collections
 
 from salt.utils.odict import OrderedDict
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ except ImportError:
     odict = None
     HAS_IOFLO = False
 
+__all__ = ['OrderedDumper', 'SafeOrderedDumper', 'IndentedSafeOrderedDumper',
+           'get_dumper', 'dump', 'safe_dump']
+
 
 class IndentMixin(Dumper):
     '''
@@ -75,6 +78,13 @@ SafeOrderedDumper.add_representer(
     yaml.representer.SafeRepresenter.represent_dict
 )
 
+OrderedDumper.add_representer(
+    'tag:yaml.org,2002:timestamp',
+    OrderedDumper.represent_scalar)
+SafeOrderedDumper.add_representer(
+    'tag:yaml.org,2002:timestamp',
+    SafeOrderedDumper.represent_scalar)
+
 if HAS_IOFLO:
     OrderedDumper.add_representer(odict, represent_ordereddict)
     SafeOrderedDumper.add_representer(odict, represent_ordereddict)
@@ -88,9 +98,24 @@ def get_dumper(dumper_name):
     }.get(dumper_name)
 
 
+def dump(data, stream=None, **kwargs):
+    '''
+    .. versionadded:: Oxygen
+
+    Helper that wraps yaml.dump and ensures that we encode unicode strings
+    unless explicitly told not to.
+    '''
+    if 'allow_unicode' not in kwargs:
+        kwargs['allow_unicode'] = True
+    return yaml.dump(data, stream, **kwargs)
+
+
 def safe_dump(data, stream=None, **kwargs):
     '''
     Use a custom dumper to ensure that defaultdict and OrderedDict are
-    represented properly
+    represented properly. Ensure that unicode strings are encoded unless
+    explicitly told not to.
     '''
+    if 'allow_unicode' not in kwargs:
+        kwargs['allow_unicode'] = True
     return yaml.dump(data, stream, Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper, **kwargs)
diff --git a/salt/utils/yamlencoding.py b/salt/utils/yamlencoding.py
index 2f8ac8fb32e..2b21d776864 100644
--- a/salt/utils/yamlencoding.py
+++ b/salt/utils/yamlencoding.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import io
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
+import yaml  # pylint: disable=blacklisted-import
 from salt.ext import six
 
 # Import salt libs
diff --git a/salt/utils/yamlloader.py b/salt/utils/yamlloader.py
index 032db42c780..b0cac25593b 100644
--- a/salt/utils/yamlloader.py
+++ b/salt/utils/yamlloader.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import warnings
 
 # Import third party libs
 import re
-import yaml
+import yaml  # pylint: disable=blacklisted-import
 from yaml.nodes import MappingNode, SequenceNode
 from yaml.constructor import ConstructorError
 try:
@@ -18,11 +18,7 @@ try:
 except Exception:
     pass
 
-# This function is safe and needs to stay as yaml.load. The load function
-# accepts a custom loader, and every time this function is used in Salt
-# the custom loader defined below is used. This should be altered though to
-# not require the custom loader to be explicitly added.
-load = yaml.load  # pylint: disable=C0103
+__all__ = ['SaltYamlSafeLoader', 'load', 'safe_load']
 
 
 class DuplicateKeyWarning(RuntimeWarning):
@@ -53,6 +49,9 @@ class SaltYamlSafeLoader(yaml.SafeLoader, object):
         self.add_constructor(
             'tag:yaml.org,2002:python/unicode',
             type(self).construct_unicode)
+        self.add_constructor(
+            'tag:yaml.org,2002:timestamp',
+            type(self).construct_scalar)
         self.dictclass = dictclass
 
     def construct_yaml_map(self, node):
@@ -153,3 +152,16 @@ class SaltYamlSafeLoader(yaml.SafeLoader, object):
             mergeable_items = [x for x in merge if x[0].value not in existing_nodes]
 
             node.value = mergeable_items + node.value
+
+
+def load(stream, Loader=SaltYamlSafeLoader):
+    return yaml.load(stream, Loader=Loader)
+
+
+def safe_load(stream, Loader=SaltYamlSafeLoader):
+    '''
+    .. versionadded:: Oxygen
+
+    Helper function which automagically uses our custom loader.
+    '''
+    return yaml.load(stream, Loader=Loader)
diff --git a/salt/utils/yast.py b/salt/utils/yast.py
index 481e1dcf07a..de0c85ff025 100644
--- a/salt/utils/yast.py
+++ b/salt/utils/yast.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 from salt._compat import ElementTree as ET
 import salt.utils.xmlutil as xml
 import salt.utils.files
-import yaml
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 
 def mksls(src, dst=None):
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ def mksls(src, dst=None):
 
     if dst is not None:
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(dst, 'w') as fh_:
-            fh_.write(yaml.safe_dump(ps_opts, default_flow_style=False))
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(ps_opts, fh_, default_flow_style=False)
     else:
-        return yaml.safe_dump(ps_opts, default_flow_style=False)
+        return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(ps_opts, default_flow_style=False)
diff --git a/salt/wheel/config.py b/salt/wheel/config.py
index 26da2725975..cf6d0bc0ad9 100644
--- a/salt/wheel/config.py
+++ b/salt/wheel/config.py
@@ -8,13 +8,10 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 import logging
 import os
 
-# Import third party libs
-import yaml
-
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.config
 import salt.utils.files
-from salt.utils.yamldumper import SafeOrderedDumper
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -44,13 +41,7 @@ def apply(key, value):
     data = values()
     data[key] = value
     with salt.utils.files.fopen(path, 'w+') as fp_:
-        fp_.write(
-            yaml.dump(
-                data,
-                default_flow_style=False,
-                Dumper=SafeOrderedDumper
-            )
-        )
+        salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(data, default_flow_style=False)
 
 
 def update_config(file_name, yaml_contents):
@@ -84,7 +75,7 @@ def update_config(file_name, yaml_contents):
     dir_path = os.path.join(__opts__['config_dir'],
                             os.path.dirname(__opts__['default_include']))
     try:
-        yaml_out = yaml.safe_dump(yaml_contents, default_flow_style=False)
+        yaml_out = salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(yaml_contents, default_flow_style=False)
 
         if not os.path.exists(dir_path):
             log.debug('Creating directory %s', dir_path)
@@ -95,5 +86,5 @@ def update_config(file_name, yaml_contents):
             fp_.write(yaml_out)
 
         return 'Wrote {0}'.format(file_name)
-    except (IOError, OSError, yaml.YAMLError, ValueError) as err:
+    except (IOError, OSError, salt.utils.yaml.YAMLError, ValueError) as err:
         return six.text_type(err)
diff --git a/tests/consist.py b/tests/consist.py
index 28c59c6503d..6b3890ac2ec 100644
--- a/tests/consist.py
+++ b/tests/consist.py
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ import optparse
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.color
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 
 colors = salt.utils.color.get_colors()
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def run(command):
     cmd = r'salt \* {0} --yaml-out -t 500 > high'.format(command)
     subprocess.call(cmd, shell=True)
     with salt.utils.files.fopen('high') as fp_:
-        data = yaml.load(fp_)
+        data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fp_)
     hashes = set()
     for key, val in six.iteritems(data):
         has = hashlib.md5(str(val)).hexdigest()
diff --git a/tests/integration/__init__.py b/tests/integration/__init__.py
index 9c9ccb5714b..f6209725763 100644
--- a/tests/integration/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/integration/__init__.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import salt.utils.path
 import salt.utils.platform
 import salt.utils.process
 import salt.utils.stringutils
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.log.setup as salt_log_setup
 from salt.utils.verify import verify_env
 from salt.utils.immutabletypes import freeze
@@ -67,7 +68,6 @@ except ImportError:
     pass
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 import msgpack
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six.moves import cStringIO
@@ -933,24 +933,18 @@ class TestDaemon(object):
         for entry in ('master', 'minion', 'sub_minion', 'syndic', 'syndic_master', 'proxy'):
             computed_config = copy.deepcopy(locals()['{0}_opts'.format(entry)])
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(RUNTIME_VARS.TMP_CONF_DIR, entry), 'w') as fp_:
-                fp_.write(yaml.dump(computed_config, default_flow_style=False))
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(computed_config, fp_, default_flow_style=False)
         sub_minion_computed_config = copy.deepcopy(sub_minion_opts)
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(RUNTIME_VARS.TMP_SUB_MINION_CONF_DIR, 'minion'), 'w') as wfh:
-            wfh.write(
-                yaml.dump(sub_minion_computed_config, default_flow_style=False)
-            )
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(sub_minion_computed_config, wfh, default_flow_style=False)
         shutil.copyfile(os.path.join(RUNTIME_VARS.TMP_CONF_DIR, 'master'), os.path.join(RUNTIME_VARS.TMP_SUB_MINION_CONF_DIR, 'master'))
 
         syndic_master_computed_config = copy.deepcopy(syndic_master_opts)
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(RUNTIME_VARS.TMP_SYNDIC_MASTER_CONF_DIR, 'master'), 'w') as wfh:
-            wfh.write(
-                yaml.dump(syndic_master_computed_config, default_flow_style=False)
-            )
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(syndic_master_computed_config, wfh, default_flow_style=False)
         syndic_computed_config = copy.deepcopy(syndic_opts)
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(RUNTIME_VARS.TMP_SYNDIC_MINION_CONF_DIR, 'minion'), 'w') as wfh:
-            wfh.write(
-                yaml.dump(syndic_computed_config, default_flow_style=False)
-            )
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(syndic_computed_config, wfh, default_flow_style=False)
         shutil.copyfile(os.path.join(RUNTIME_VARS.TMP_CONF_DIR, 'master'), os.path.join(RUNTIME_VARS.TMP_SYNDIC_MINION_CONF_DIR, 'master'))
         # <---- Transcribe Configuration -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/minion/test_pillar.py b/tests/integration/minion/test_pillar.py
index a2fa5879140..e1806aa3d0e 100644
--- a/tests/integration/minion/test_pillar.py
+++ b/tests/integration/minion/test_pillar.py
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ from tests.support.unit import skipIf
 from tests.support.helpers import requires_system_grains
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.path
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.pillar as pillar
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ class DecryptGPGPillarTest(ModuleCase):
         Test recursive decryption of secrets:vault as well as the fallback to
         default decryption renderer.
         '''
-        decrypt_pillar_opts = yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
+        decrypt_pillar_opts = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
             decrypt_pillar:
               - 'secrets:vault'
             '''))
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ class DecryptGPGPillarTest(ModuleCase):
         Test recursive decryption of secrets:vault using a pipe instead of a
         colon as the nesting delimiter.
         '''
-        decrypt_pillar_opts = yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
+        decrypt_pillar_opts = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
             decrypt_pillar_delimiter: '|'
             decrypt_pillar:
               - 'secrets|vault'
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ class DecryptGPGPillarTest(ModuleCase):
         Test recursive decryption, only with a more deeply-nested target. This
         should leave the other keys in secrets:vault encrypted.
         '''
-        decrypt_pillar_opts = yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
+        decrypt_pillar_opts = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
             decrypt_pillar:
               - 'secrets:vault:qux'
             '''))
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ class DecryptGPGPillarTest(ModuleCase):
         explicitly defined, overriding the default. Setting the default to a
         nonexistant renderer so we can be sure that the override happened.
         '''
-        decrypt_pillar_opts = yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
+        decrypt_pillar_opts = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
             decrypt_pillar_default: asdf
             decrypt_pillar_renderers:
               - asdf
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ class DecryptGPGPillarTest(ModuleCase):
         Test decryption using a missing renderer. It should fail, leaving the
         encrypted keys intact, and add an error to the pillar dictionary.
         '''
-        decrypt_pillar_opts = yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
+        decrypt_pillar_opts = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
             decrypt_pillar_default: asdf
             decrypt_pillar_renderers:
               - asdf
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ class DecryptGPGPillarTest(ModuleCase):
         fail, leaving the encrypted keys intact, and add an error to the pillar
         dictionary.
         '''
-        decrypt_pillar_opts = yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
+        decrypt_pillar_opts = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(textwrap.dedent('''\
             decrypt_pillar_default: foo
             decrypt_pillar_renderers:
               - foo
diff --git a/tests/integration/modules/test_state.py b/tests/integration/modules/test_state.py
index 1a0293bac86..63649cbad65 100644
--- a/tests/integration/modules/test_state.py
+++ b/tests/integration/modules/test_state.py
@@ -1650,10 +1650,10 @@ class StateModuleTest(ModuleCase, SaltReturnAssertsMixin):
         '''
         helper class to add pillar data at runtime
         '''
-        import yaml
+        import salt.utils.yaml
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(TMP_PILLAR_TREE,
                                                  'pillar.sls'), 'w') as fp:
-            fp.write(yaml.dump(pillar))
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(pillar, fp)
 
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(TMP_PILLAR_TREE, 'top.sls'), 'w') as fp:
             fp.write(textwrap.dedent('''\
diff --git a/tests/integration/runners/test_runner_returns.py b/tests/integration/runners/test_runner_returns.py
index 63e607773f2..d998bb971d6 100644
--- a/tests/integration/runners/test_runner_returns.py
+++ b/tests/integration/runners/test_runner_returns.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 import errno
 import os
 import tempfile
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt Testing libs
 from tests.support.case import ShellCase
@@ -18,6 +17,7 @@ import salt.payload
 import salt.utils.args
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.jid
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 
 class RunnerReturnsTest(ShellCase):
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class RunnerReturnsTest(ShellCase):
         '''
         Dump the config dict to the conf file
         '''
-        self.conf.write(yaml.dump(data, default_flow_style=False))
+        self.conf.write(salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(data, default_flow_style=False))
         self.conf.flush()
 
     def test_runner_returns_disabled(self):
diff --git a/tests/integration/runners/test_state.py b/tests/integration/runners/test_state.py
index 5283ff90c05..82e3ebf29c6 100644
--- a/tests/integration/runners/test_state.py
+++ b/tests/integration/runners/test_state.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import shutil
 import signal
 import tempfile
 import textwrap
-import yaml
 import threading
 from salt.ext.six.moves import queue
 
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@ import salt.utils.event
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.stringutils
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ class OrchEventTest(ShellCase):
         '''
         Dump the config dict to the conf file
         '''
-        self.conf.write(yaml.dump(data, default_flow_style=False))
+        self.conf.write(salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(data, default_flow_style=False))
         self.conf.flush()
 
     def test_jid_in_ret_event(self):
diff --git a/tests/integration/shell/test_call.py b/tests/integration/shell/test_call.py
index 2d5b74684ce..3dff8fea5e5 100644
--- a/tests/integration/shell/test_call.py
+++ b/tests/integration/shell/test_call.py
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ import shutil
 from datetime import datetime
 import logging
 
-# Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
-
 # Import Salt Testing libs
 from tests.support.case import ShellCase
 from tests.support.unit import skipIf
@@ -30,6 +27,7 @@ from tests.integration.utils import testprogram
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -175,7 +173,7 @@ class CallTest(ShellCase, testprogram.TestProgramCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin
             os.makedirs(config_dir)
 
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.get_config_file_path('master')) as fhr:
-            master_config = yaml.load(fhr.read())
+            master_config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fhr)
 
         master_root_dir = master_config['root_dir']
         this_minion_key = os.path.join(
@@ -205,9 +203,7 @@ class CallTest(ShellCase, testprogram.TestProgramCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin
             # Let's first test with a master running
 
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(minion_config_file, 'w') as fh_:
-                fh_.write(
-                    yaml.dump(minion_config, default_flow_style=False)
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(minion_config, fh_, default_flow_style=False)
             ret = self.run_script(
                 'salt-call',
                 '--config-dir {0} cmd.run "echo foo"'.format(
@@ -235,9 +231,7 @@ class CallTest(ShellCase, testprogram.TestProgramCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin
             minion_config.pop('master')
             minion_config.pop('master_port')
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(minion_config_file, 'w') as fh_:
-                fh_.write(
-                    yaml.dump(minion_config, default_flow_style=False)
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(minion_config, fh_, default_flow_style=False)
 
             out = self.run_script(
                 'salt-call',
@@ -283,9 +277,7 @@ class CallTest(ShellCase, testprogram.TestProgramCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin
             # Should work with local file client
             minion_config['file_client'] = 'local'
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(minion_config_file, 'w') as fh_:
-                fh_.write(
-                    yaml.dump(minion_config, default_flow_style=False)
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(minion_config, fh_, default_flow_style=False)
             ret = self.run_script(
                 'salt-call',
                 '--config-dir {0} cmd.run "echo foo"'.format(
@@ -310,12 +302,10 @@ class CallTest(ShellCase, testprogram.TestProgramCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin
         os.chdir(config_dir)
 
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.get_config_file_path('minion'), 'r') as fh_:
-            minion_config = yaml.load(fh_.read())
+            minion_config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fh_)
             minion_config['log_file'] = 'file:///dev/log/LOG_LOCAL3'
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(config_dir, 'minion'), 'w') as fh_:
-                fh_.write(
-                    yaml.dump(minion_config, default_flow_style=False)
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(minion_config, fh_, default_flow_style=False)
         ret = self.run_script(
             'salt-call',
             '--config-dir {0} cmd.run "echo foo"'.format(
diff --git a/tests/integration/shell/test_cp.py b/tests/integration/shell/test_cp.py
index 1e7a5978e1b..523b19a176a 100644
--- a/tests/integration/shell/test_cp.py
+++ b/tests/integration/shell/test_cp.py
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@ import pipes
 import shutil
 import tempfile
 
-# Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
-
 # Import Salt Testing libs
 from tests.support.case import ShellCase
 from tests.support.paths import TMP
@@ -25,6 +22,7 @@ from tests.support.mixins import ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -42,7 +40,7 @@ class CopyTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
         for line in self.run_salt('--out yaml "*" test.ping'):
             if not line:
                 continue
-            data = yaml.load(line)
+            data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(line)
             minions.extend(data.keys())
 
         self.assertNotEqual(minions, [])
@@ -62,7 +60,7 @@ class CopyTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
                     pipes.quote(minion), TMP
                 )
             )
-            data = yaml.load('\n'.join(ret))
+            data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load('\n'.join(ret))
             if data[minion] is False:
                 ret = self.run_salt(
                     '--out yaml {0} file.makedirs {1}'.format(
@@ -71,7 +69,7 @@ class CopyTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
                     )
                 )
 
-                data = yaml.load('\n'.join(ret))
+                data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load('\n'.join(ret))
                 self.assertTrue(data[minion])
 
             minion_testfile = os.path.join(
@@ -84,7 +82,7 @@ class CopyTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
                 pipes.quote(minion_testfile)
             ))
 
-            data = yaml.load('\n'.join(ret))
+            data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load('\n'.join(ret))
             for part in six.itervalues(data):
                 self.assertTrue(part[minion_testfile])
 
@@ -94,7 +92,7 @@ class CopyTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
                     pipes.quote(minion_testfile)
                 )
             )
-            data = yaml.load('\n'.join(ret))
+            data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load('\n'.join(ret))
             self.assertTrue(data[minion])
 
             ret = self.run_salt(
@@ -104,7 +102,7 @@ class CopyTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
                     pipes.quote(testfile_contents)
                 )
             )
-            data = yaml.load('\n'.join(ret))
+            data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load('\n'.join(ret))
             self.assertTrue(data[minion])
             ret = self.run_salt(
                 '--out yaml {0} file.remove {1}'.format(
@@ -112,7 +110,7 @@ class CopyTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
                     pipes.quote(minion_testfile)
                 )
             )
-            data = yaml.load('\n'.join(ret))
+            data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load('\n'.join(ret))
             self.assertTrue(data[minion])
 
     def test_issue_7754(self):
@@ -126,12 +124,10 @@ class CopyTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
 
         config_file_name = 'master'
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.get_config_file_path(config_file_name), 'r') as fhr:
-            config = yaml.load(fhr.read())
+            config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fhr)
             config['log_file'] = 'file:///dev/log/LOG_LOCAL3'
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(config_dir, config_file_name), 'w') as fhw:
-                fhw.write(
-                    yaml.dump(config, default_flow_style=False)
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(config, fhw, default_flow_style=False)
 
         try:
             fd_, fn_ = tempfile.mkstemp()
diff --git a/tests/integration/shell/test_key.py b/tests/integration/shell/test_key.py
index 9600c5d1849..b22b66eab83 100644
--- a/tests/integration/shell/test_key.py
+++ b/tests/integration/shell/test_key.py
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ from tests.support.paths import TMP
 from tests.support.mixins import ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.platform
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 USERA = 'saltdev'
 USERA_PWD = 'saltdev'
@@ -156,8 +156,8 @@ class KeyTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
         data = self.run_key('-L --out yaml')
         ret = {}
         try:
-            import yaml
-            ret = yaml.load('\n'.join(data))
+            import salt.utils.yaml
+            ret = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load('\n'.join(data))
         except Exception:
             pass
 
@@ -289,12 +289,10 @@ class KeyTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
 
         config_file_name = 'master'
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.get_config_file_path(config_file_name), 'r') as fhr:
-            config = yaml.load(fhr.read())
+            config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fhr)
             config['log_file'] = 'file:///dev/log/LOG_LOCAL3'
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(config_dir, config_file_name), 'w') as fhw:
-                fhw.write(
-                    yaml.dump(config, default_flow_style=False)
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(config, fhw, default_flow_style=False)
         ret = self.run_script(
             self._call_binary_,
             '--config-dir {0} -L'.format(
diff --git a/tests/integration/shell/test_master.py b/tests/integration/shell/test_master.py
index 929c9a9653a..39acaec9662 100644
--- a/tests/integration/shell/test_master.py
+++ b/tests/integration/shell/test_master.py
@@ -13,11 +13,9 @@ import os
 import signal
 import shutil
 
-# Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
-
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import salt test libs
 import tests.integration.utils
@@ -42,16 +40,14 @@ class MasterTest(ShellCase, testprogram.TestProgramCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMix
         config_file_name = 'master'
         pid_path = os.path.join(config_dir, '{0}.pid'.format(config_file_name))
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.get_config_file_path(config_file_name), 'r') as fhr:
-            config = yaml.load(fhr.read())
+            config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fhr)
             config['root_dir'] = config_dir
             config['log_file'] = 'file:///tmp/log/LOG_LOCAL3'
             config['ret_port'] = config['ret_port'] + 10
             config['publish_port'] = config['publish_port'] + 10
 
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(config_dir, config_file_name), 'w') as fhw:
-                fhw.write(
-                    yaml.dump(config, default_flow_style=False)
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(config, fhw, default_flow_style=False)
 
         ret = self.run_script(
             self._call_binary_,
diff --git a/tests/integration/shell/test_matcher.py b/tests/integration/shell/test_matcher.py
index f6b371e2bb7..b1a809021d1 100644
--- a/tests/integration/shell/test_matcher.py
+++ b/tests/integration/shell/test_matcher.py
@@ -6,9 +6,6 @@ import os
 import shutil
 import time
 
-# Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
-
 # Import Salt Testing libs
 from tests.support.case import ShellCase
 from tests.support.paths import TMP
@@ -16,6 +13,7 @@ from tests.support.mixins import ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 
 def minion_in_returns(minion, lines):
@@ -285,7 +283,7 @@ class MatchTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
 
     def test_ipcidr(self):
         subnets_data = self.run_salt('--out yaml \'*\' network.subnets')
-        yaml_data = yaml.load('\n'.join(subnets_data))
+        yaml_data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load('\n'.join(subnets_data))
 
         # We're just after the first defined subnet from 'minion'
         subnet = yaml_data['minion'][0]
@@ -349,14 +347,10 @@ class MatchTest(ShellCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin):
 
         config_file_name = 'master'
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.get_config_file_path(config_file_name), 'r') as fhr:
-            config = yaml.load(
-                fhr.read()
-            )
+            config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fhr)
             config['log_file'] = 'file:///dev/log/LOG_LOCAL3'
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(config_dir, config_file_name), 'w') as fhw:
-                fhw.write(
-                    yaml.dump(config, default_flow_style=False)
-            )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(config, fhw, default_flow_style=False)
         ret = self.run_script(
             self._call_binary_,
             '--config-dir {0} minion test.ping'.format(
diff --git a/tests/integration/shell/test_minion.py b/tests/integration/shell/test_minion.py
index 6f440ae6831..fc6bda2d03a 100644
--- a/tests/integration/shell/test_minion.py
+++ b/tests/integration/shell/test_minion.py
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ import signal
 import shutil
 import logging
 
-# Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
-
 # Import Salt Testing libs
 import tests.integration.utils
 from tests.support.case import ShellCase
@@ -33,6 +30,7 @@ from salt.ext import six
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -61,13 +59,11 @@ class MinionTest(ShellCase, testprogram.TestProgramCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMix
         config_file_name = 'minion'
         pid_path = os.path.join(config_dir, '{0}.pid'.format(config_file_name))
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.get_config_file_path(config_file_name), 'r') as fhr:
-            config = yaml.load(fhr.read())
+            config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fhr)
             config['log_file'] = 'file:///tmp/log/LOG_LOCAL3'
 
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(config_dir, config_file_name), 'w') as fhw:
-                fhw.write(
-                    yaml.dump(config, default_flow_style=False)
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(config, fhw, default_flow_style=False)
 
         ret = self.run_script(
             self._call_binary_,
diff --git a/tests/integration/shell/test_runner.py b/tests/integration/shell/test_runner.py
index 3cdaa7cffb5..410a614c421 100644
--- a/tests/integration/shell/test_runner.py
+++ b/tests/integration/shell/test_runner.py
@@ -16,12 +16,10 @@ from tests.support.paths import TMP
 from tests.support.mixins import ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin
 from tests.support.helpers import skip_if_not_root
 
-# Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
-
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.platform
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 USERA = 'saltdev'
 USERA_PWD = 'saltdev'
@@ -102,12 +100,10 @@ class RunTest(ShellCase, testprogram.TestProgramCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMixin)
 
         config_file_name = 'master'
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.get_config_file_path(config_file_name), 'r') as fhr:
-            config = yaml.load(fhr.read())
+            config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fhr)
             config['log_file'] = 'file:///dev/log/LOG_LOCAL3'
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(config_dir, config_file_name), 'w') as fhw:
-                fhw.write(
-                    yaml.dump(config, default_flow_style=False)
-                )
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(config, fhw, default_flow_style=False)
         ret = self.run_script(
             self._call_binary_,
             '--config-dir {0} -d'.format(
diff --git a/tests/integration/shell/test_syndic.py b/tests/integration/shell/test_syndic.py
index 239b848b73a..87eb055ebe0 100644
--- a/tests/integration/shell/test_syndic.py
+++ b/tests/integration/shell/test_syndic.py
@@ -14,9 +14,6 @@ import signal
 import shutil
 import logging
 
-# Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
-
 # Import Salt Testing libs
 from tests.support.case import ShellCase
 from tests.support.paths import TMP
@@ -25,7 +22,7 @@ from tests.integration.utils import testprogram
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
-
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -48,7 +45,7 @@ class SyndicTest(ShellCase, testprogram.TestProgramCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMix
         for fname in ('master', 'minion'):
             pid_path = os.path.join(config_dir, '{0}.pid'.format(fname))
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.get_config_file_path(fname), 'r') as fhr:
-                config = yaml.load(fhr.read())
+                config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(fhr)
                 config['log_file'] = config['syndic_log_file'] = 'file:///tmp/log/LOG_LOCAL3'
                 config['root_dir'] = config_dir
                 if 'ret_port' in config:
@@ -56,9 +53,7 @@ class SyndicTest(ShellCase, testprogram.TestProgramCase, ShellCaseCommonTestsMix
                     config['publish_port'] = int(config['publish_port']) + 10
 
                 with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(config_dir, fname), 'w') as fhw:
-                    fhw.write(
-                        yaml.dump(config, default_flow_style=False)
-                    )
+                    salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(config, fhw, default_flow_style=False)
 
         ret = self.run_script(
             self._call_binary_,
diff --git a/tests/integration/utils/testprogram.py b/tests/integration/utils/testprogram.py
index 80d2b9128d6..bcf6c2c6e39 100644
--- a/tests/integration/utils/testprogram.py
+++ b/tests/integration/utils/testprogram.py
@@ -19,11 +19,10 @@ import sys
 import tempfile
 import time
 
-import yaml
-
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.process
 import salt.utils.psutil_compat as psutils
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.defaults.exitcodes as exitcodes
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range  # pylint: disable=import-error,redefined-builtin
@@ -600,7 +599,7 @@ class TestSaltProgram(six.with_metaclass(TestSaltProgramMeta, TestProgram)):
 
     @staticmethod
     def config_caster(cfg):
-        return yaml.safe_load(cfg)
+        return salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(cfg)
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         if len(args) < 2 and 'program' not in kwargs:
@@ -649,8 +648,7 @@ class TestSaltProgram(six.with_metaclass(TestSaltProgramMeta, TestProgram)):
                 cfg[key] = val.format(**subs)
             else:
                 cfg[key] = val
-        scfg = yaml.safe_dump(cfg, default_flow_style=False)
-        return scfg
+        return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(cfg, default_flow_style=False)
 
     def setup(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(TestSaltProgram, self).setup(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/tests/jenkins.py b/tests/jenkins.py
index 0bbb0f89b7f..9ca0cf840ce 100644
--- a/tests/jenkins.py
+++ b/tests/jenkins.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import random
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.stringutils
+import salt.utils.yaml
 try:
     from salt.utils.nb_popen import NonBlockingPopen
 except ImportError:
@@ -44,7 +45,6 @@ except ImportError:
         from nb_popen import NonBlockingPopen
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 try:
     import requests
     HAS_REQUESTS = True
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def build_pillar_data(options):
         pillar['package_artifact_dir'] = options.package_artifact_dir
     if options.pillar:
         pillar.update(dict(options.pillar))
-    return yaml.dump(pillar, default_flow_style=True, indent=0, width=sys.maxint).rstrip()
+    return salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(pillar, default_flow_style=True, indent=0, width=sys.maxint).rstrip()
 
 
 def build_minion_target(options, vm_name):
diff --git a/tests/minionswarm.py b/tests/minionswarm.py
index aacdb6d21ce..2b09cd6e964 100644
--- a/tests/minionswarm.py
+++ b/tests/minionswarm.py
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ import uuid
 # Import salt libs
 import salt
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import third party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range  # pylint: disable=import-error,redefined-builtin
 
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ class MinionSwarm(Swarm):
         if self.opts['config_dir']:
             spath = os.path.join(self.opts['config_dir'], 'minion')
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(spath) as conf:
-                data = yaml.load(conf) or {}
+                data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(conf) or {}
         minion_id = '{0}-{1}'.format(
                 self.opts['name'],
                 str(idx).zfill(self.zfill)
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ class MinionSwarm(Swarm):
             data['grains']['uuid'] = str(uuid.uuid4())
 
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(path, 'w+') as fp_:
-            yaml.dump(data, fp_)
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(data, fp_)
         self.confs.add(dpath)
 
     def prep_configs(self):
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ class MasterSwarm(Swarm):
         if self.opts['config_dir']:
             spath = os.path.join(self.opts['config_dir'], 'master')
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(spath) as conf:
-                data = yaml.load(conf)
+                data = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(conf)
         data.update({
             'log_file': os.path.join(self.conf, 'master.log'),
             'open_mode': True  # TODO Pre-seed keys
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ class MasterSwarm(Swarm):
         path = os.path.join(self.conf, 'master')
 
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(path, 'w+') as fp_:
-            yaml.dump(data, fp_)
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(data, fp_)
 
     def shutdown(self):
         print('Killing master')
diff --git a/tests/modparser.py b/tests/modparser.py
index cc8b2d7cac0..dbdc6d7ce3d 100644
--- a/tests/modparser.py
+++ b/tests/modparser.py
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ import sys
 import os
 import modulefinder
 import pprint
-import yaml
 import salt.utils.json
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 
 def parse():
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     try:
         scand = scan(opts)
         if opts['format'] == 'yaml':
-            print(yaml.dump(scand))
+            print(salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(scand))
         if opts['format'] == 'json':
             print(salt.utils.json.dumps(scand))
         else:
diff --git a/tests/saltsh.py b/tests/saltsh.py
index 6b70f87fcb6..d3404f1fc47 100644
--- a/tests/saltsh.py
+++ b/tests/saltsh.py
@@ -42,14 +42,11 @@ import salt.runner
 import jinja2
 from salt.ext.six.moves import builtins  # pylint: disable=import-error
 
-
-# pylint: disable=W0611
+# pylint: disable=unused-import
 # These are imported to be available in the spawned shell
-
-
-import yaml
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import pprint
-
+# pylint: enable=unused-import
 
 HISTFILE = '{HOME}/.saltsh_history'.format(**os.environ)
 
diff --git a/tests/support/case.py b/tests/support/case.py
index aee748c9a5b..e9e07a76d70 100644
--- a/tests/support/case.py
+++ b/tests/support/case.py
@@ -655,13 +655,13 @@ class SPMCase(TestCase, AdaptedConfigurationTestCaseMixin):
         })
 
         import salt.utils.files
-        import yaml
+        import salt.utils.yaml
 
         if not os.path.isdir(config['formula_path']):
             os.makedirs(config['formula_path'])
 
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(self._tmp_spm, 'spm'), 'w') as fp:
-            fp.write(yaml.dump(config))
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(config, fp)
 
         return config
 
diff --git a/tests/support/copyartifacts.py b/tests/support/copyartifacts.py
index c9eae272338..b4ad7057979 100644
--- a/tests/support/copyartifacts.py
+++ b/tests/support/copyartifacts.py
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ import argparse  # pylint: disable=minimum-python-version
 import os
 import paramiko
 import subprocess
-import yaml
+
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 
 class DownloadArtifacts(object):
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ class DownloadArtifacts(object):
 
     def setup_transport(self):
         # pylint: disable=minimum-python-version
-        config = yaml.load(subprocess.check_output(['bundle', 'exec', 'kitchen', 'diagnose', self.instance]))
+        config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(subprocess.check_output(['bundle', 'exec', 'kitchen', 'diagnose', self.instance]))
         # pylint: enable=minimum-python-version
         state = config['instances'][self.instance]['state_file']
         tport = config['instances'][self.instance]['transport']
diff --git a/tests/support/gitfs.py b/tests/support/gitfs.py
index 72871476014..3046082244f 100644
--- a/tests/support/gitfs.py
+++ b/tests/support/gitfs.py
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ import signal
 import tempfile
 import textwrap
 import time
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.path
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.fileserver import gitfs
 from salt.pillar import git_pillar
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range  # pylint: disable=redefined-builtin
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ class GitPillarTestBase(GitTestBase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
         '''
         cachedir = tempfile.mkdtemp(dir=TMP)
         self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, cachedir, ignore_errors=True)
-        ext_pillar_opts = yaml.safe_load(
+        ext_pillar_opts = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(
             ext_pillar_conf.format(
                 cachedir=cachedir,
                 extmods=os.path.join(cachedir, 'extmods'),
diff --git a/tests/support/mixins.py b/tests/support/mixins.py
index 22d490ea74d..0804818b06b 100644
--- a/tests/support/mixins.py
+++ b/tests/support/mixins.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.functools
 import salt.utils.path
 import salt.utils.stringutils
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.version
 import salt.exceptions
 from salt.utils.verify import verify_env
@@ -43,7 +44,6 @@ from salt.utils.immutabletypes import freeze
 from salt._compat import ElementTree as etree
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 from salt.ext.six.moves import zip  # pylint: disable=import-error,redefined-builtin
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class AdaptedConfigurationTestCaseMixin(object):
         rdict['config_dir'] = conf_dir
         rdict['conf_file'] = os.path.join(conf_dir, config_for)
         with salt.utils.files.fopen(rdict['conf_file'], 'w') as wfh:
-            wfh.write(yaml.dump(rdict, default_flow_style=False))
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(rdict, wfh, default_flow_style=False)
         return rdict
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/tests/unit/config/test_config.py b/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
index 72c7eca5bd5..c01a5c7a2e8 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/unit/config/test_config.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import salt.minion
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.network
 import salt.utils.platform
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.syspaths import CONFIG_DIR
 from salt import config as sconfig
 from salt.exceptions import (
@@ -33,9 +34,6 @@ from salt.exceptions import (
     SaltCloudConfigError
 )
 
-# Import Third-Party Libs
-import yaml
-
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 # mock hostname should be more complex than the systems FQDN
@@ -1133,7 +1131,7 @@ class ConfigTestCase(TestCase, AdaptedConfigurationTestCaseMixin):
             default_config = sconfig.cloud_config(config_file_path)
             default_config['deploy_scripts_search_path'] = deploy_dir_path
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(config_file_path, 'w') as cfd:
-                cfd.write(yaml.dump(default_config, default_flow_style=False))
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(default_config, cfd, default_flow_style=False)
 
             default_config = sconfig.cloud_config(config_file_path)
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/fileserver/test_gitfs.py b/tests/unit/fileserver/test_gitfs.py
index bda0182eecb..bc0e0aca6df 100644
--- a/tests/unit/fileserver/test_gitfs.py
+++ b/tests/unit/fileserver/test_gitfs.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ except ImportError:
     pass
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 try:
     import git  # pylint: disable=unused-import
     HAS_GITPYTHON = True
@@ -39,6 +38,7 @@ import salt.fileserver.gitfs as gitfs
 import salt.utils.gitfs
 import salt.utils.platform
 import salt.utils.win_functions
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ class GitfsConfigTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
                   - baz:
                     - mountpoint: abc
         ''')
-        with patch.dict(gitfs.__opts__, yaml.safe_load(opts_override)):
+        with patch.dict(gitfs.__opts__, salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(opts_override)):
             git_fs = salt.utils.gitfs.GitFS(
                 gitfs.__opts__,
                 gitfs.__opts__['gitfs_remotes'],
diff --git a/tests/unit/loader/test_globals.py b/tests/unit/loader/test_globals.py
index a61dafe7b05..118e1741c19 100644
--- a/tests/unit/loader/test_globals.py
+++ b/tests/unit/loader/test_globals.py
@@ -5,17 +5,16 @@
 
     Test Salt's loader regarding globals that it should pack in
 '''
-
 # Import Python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
+import inspect
 
 # Import Salt Testing libs
 from tests.support.case import ModuleCase
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.loader
-import inspect
-import yaml
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ class LoaderGlobalsTest(ModuleCase):
 
         # get the names of the globals you should have
         func_name = inspect.stack()[1][3]
-        names = next(six.itervalues(yaml.load(getattr(self, func_name).__doc__)))
+        names = next(six.itervalues(salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(getattr(self, func_name).__doc__)))
 
         # Now, test each module!
         for item in global_vars:
diff --git a/tests/unit/modules/test_pkg_resource.py b/tests/unit/modules/test_pkg_resource.py
index 3ac5a6f7d8c..16420272708 100644
--- a/tests/unit/modules/test_pkg_resource.py
+++ b/tests/unit/modules/test_pkg_resource.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from tests.support.mock import (
 
 # Import Salt Libs
 import salt.utils.data
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.modules.pkg_resource as pkg_resource
 from salt.ext import six
 
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ class PkgresTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
             Test to accepts list of dicts (or a string representing a
             list of dicts) and packs the key/value pairs into a single dict.
         '''
-        with patch.object(yaml,
+        with patch.object(salt.utils.yaml,
                           'safe_load',
                           MagicMock(side_effect=yaml.parser.ParserError('f'))):
             with patch.dict(pkg_resource.__salt__,
diff --git a/tests/unit/modules/test_virt.py b/tests/unit/modules/test_virt.py
index 029bff098e1..2d0cd6a46d8 100644
--- a/tests/unit/modules/test_virt.py
+++ b/tests/unit/modules/test_virt.py
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ from tests.support.unit import skipIf, TestCase
 from tests.support.mock import NO_MOCK, NO_MOCK_REASON, MagicMock, patch
 
 # Import salt libs
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.modules.virt as virt
 import salt.modules.config as config
 from salt._compat import ElementTree as ET
 import salt.config
 
 # Import third party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext import six
 
 
@@ -329,8 +329,8 @@ class VirtTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
 '''
         with patch('salt.modules.virt._nic_profile') as nic_profile, \
                 patch('salt.modules.virt._disk_profile') as disk_profile:
-            disk_profile.return_value = yaml.load(diskp_yaml)
-            nic_profile.return_value = yaml.load(nicp_yaml)
+            disk_profile.return_value = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(diskp_yaml)
+            nic_profile.return_value = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(nicp_yaml)
             diskp = virt._disk_profile('noeffect', 'esxi')
             nicp = virt._nic_profile('noeffect', 'esxi')
             xml_data = virt._gen_xml(
@@ -376,8 +376,8 @@ class VirtTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
 '''
         with patch('salt.modules.virt._nic_profile') as nic_profile, \
                 patch('salt.modules.virt._disk_profile') as disk_profile:
-            disk_profile.return_value = yaml.load(diskp_yaml)
-            nic_profile.return_value = yaml.load(nicp_yaml)
+            disk_profile.return_value = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(diskp_yaml)
+            nic_profile.return_value = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(nicp_yaml)
             diskp = virt._disk_profile('noeffect', 'kvm')
             nicp = virt._nic_profile('noeffect', 'kvm')
             xml_data = virt._gen_xml(
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ class VirtTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
                    bridge: br1
                    model: virtio
         '''
-        mock_config = yaml.load(yaml_config)
+        mock_config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(yaml_config)
         with patch.dict(salt.modules.config.__opts__, mock_config):
 
             for name in six.iterkeys(mock_config['virt.nic']):
diff --git a/tests/unit/netapi/rest_cherrypy/test_tools.py b/tests/unit/netapi/rest_cherrypy/test_tools.py
index 1d1b9291ae8..4fbded4cb9e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/netapi/rest_cherrypy/test_tools.py
+++ b/tests/unit/netapi/rest_cherrypy/test_tools.py
@@ -2,15 +2,17 @@
 
 # Import Python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.utils.json
-from tests.support.cherrypy_testclasses import BaseToolsTest
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
 from salt.ext.six.moves.urllib.parse import urlencode  # pylint: disable=no-name-in-module,import-error
 
+# Import Salt libs
+from tests.support.cherrypy_testclasses import BaseToolsTest
+
 
 class TestOutFormats(BaseToolsTest):
     def __get_cp_config__(self):
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ class TestInFormats(BaseToolsTest):
     def test_yaml_ctype(self):
         data = {'valid': 'stuff'}
         request, response = self.request('/', method='POST',
-            body=yaml.dump(data), headers=(
+            body=salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(data), headers=(
                 ('Content-type', 'application/x-yaml'),
         ))
         self.assertEqual(response.status, '200 OK')
diff --git a/tests/unit/netapi/rest_tornado/test_handlers.py b/tests/unit/netapi/rest_tornado/test_handlers.py
index 3a5329f7275..1e9040059a3 100644
--- a/tests/unit/netapi/rest_tornado/test_handlers.py
+++ b/tests/unit/netapi/rest_tornado/test_handlers.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from tests.support.unit import TestCase, skipIf
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.auth
 import salt.utils.json
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.ext.six.moves import map  # pylint: disable=import-error
 try:
     import salt.netapi.rest_tornado as rest_tornado
@@ -22,7 +23,6 @@ except ImportError:
     HAS_TORNADO = False
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 # pylint: disable=import-error
 try:
     import tornado.escape
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ class TestBaseSaltAPIHandler(SaltnadoTestCase):
         # Request application/x-yaml
         response = self.fetch('/', headers={'Accept': self.content_type_map['yaml']})
         self.assertEqual(response.headers['Content-Type'], self.content_type_map['yaml'])
-        self.assertEqual(type(yaml.load(response.body)), dict)
+        self.assertEqual(type(salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(response.body)), dict)
 
         # Request not supported content-type
         response = self.fetch('/', headers={'Accept': self.content_type_map['xml']})
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ class TestBaseSaltAPIHandler(SaltnadoTestCase):
         accept_header = self.content_type_map['real-accept-header-yaml']
         response = self.fetch('/', headers={'Accept': accept_header})
         self.assertEqual(response.headers['Content-Type'], self.content_type_map['yaml'])
-        self.assertEqual(type(yaml.load(response.body)), dict)
+        self.assertEqual(type(salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(response.body)), dict)
 
     def test_token(self):
         '''
@@ -256,14 +256,14 @@ class TestBaseSaltAPIHandler(SaltnadoTestCase):
         # send yaml as json (should break)
         response = self.fetch('/',
                               method='POST',
-                              body=yaml.dump(valid_lowstate),
+                              body=salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(valid_lowstate),
                               headers={'Content-Type': self.content_type_map['json']})
         self.assertEqual(response.code, 400)
 
         # send as yaml
         response = self.fetch('/',
                               method='POST',
-                              body=yaml.dump(valid_lowstate),
+                              body=salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(valid_lowstate),
                               headers={'Content-Type': self.content_type_map['yaml']})
         self.assertEqual(valid_lowstate, salt.utils.json.loads(response.body)['lowstate'])
 
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ class TestBaseSaltAPIHandler(SaltnadoTestCase):
         # send as yaml
         response = self.fetch('/',
                               method='POST',
-                              body=yaml.dump(request_lowstate),
+                              body=salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(request_lowstate),
                               headers={'Content-Type': self.content_type_map['yaml']})
         self.assertEqual(valid_lowstate, salt.utils.json.loads(response.body)['lowstate'])
 
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ class TestSaltAuthHandler(SaltnadoTestCase):
         # Test in YAML
         response = self.fetch('/login',
                                method='POST',
-                               body=yaml.dump(self.auth_creds_dict),
+                               body=salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(self.auth_creds_dict),
                                headers={'Content-Type': self.content_type_map['yaml']})
 
         self.assertEqual(response.code, 200)
diff --git a/tests/unit/pillar/test_hg.py b/tests/unit/pillar/test_hg.py
index 66da2465fc8..9f2172c3806 100644
--- a/tests/unit/pillar/test_hg.py
+++ b/tests/unit/pillar/test_hg.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import os
 import tempfile
 import shutil
 import subprocess
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt Testing libs
 from tests.integration import AdaptedConfigurationTestCaseMixin
@@ -28,6 +27,7 @@ FILE_DATA = {
 
 # Import Salt Libs
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.pillar.hg_pillar as hg_pillar
 HGLIB = hg_pillar.hglib
 
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class HgPillarTestCase(TestCase, AdaptedConfigurationTestCaseMixin, LoaderModule
         subprocess.check_call(['hg', 'init', hg_repo])
         for filename in FILE_DATA:
             with salt.utils.files.fopen(os.path.join(hg_repo, filename), 'w') as data_file:
-                yaml.dump(FILE_DATA[filename], data_file)
+                salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(FILE_DATA[filename], data_file)
         subprocess.check_call(['hg', 'ci', '-A', '-R', hg_repo, '-m', 'first commit', '-u', COMMIT_USER_NAME])
         return hg_repo
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/ssh/test_roster_defaults.py b/tests/unit/ssh/test_roster_defaults.py
index 3f0d991040e..ce8ad85ab50 100644
--- a/tests/unit/ssh/test_roster_defaults.py
+++ b/tests/unit/ssh/test_roster_defaults.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import os
 import shutil
 import tempfile
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt Testing libs
 from tests.support.unit import TestCase
@@ -20,6 +19,7 @@ from tests.support.paths import TMP
 import salt.roster
 import salt.config
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 ROSTER = '''
 localhost:
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class SSHRosterDefaults(TestCase):
                 )
             opts = salt.config.master_config(fpath)
             with patch('salt.roster.get_roster_file', MagicMock(return_value=ROSTER)):
-                with patch('salt.template.compile_template', MagicMock(return_value=yaml.load(ROSTER))):
+                with patch('salt.template.compile_template', MagicMock(return_value=salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(ROSTER))):
                     roster = salt.roster.Roster(opts=opts)
                     self.assertEqual(roster.targets('*', 'glob'), expected)
         finally:
diff --git a/tests/unit/states/test_boto_apigateway.py b/tests/unit/states/test_boto_apigateway.py
index 7614ed5556c..fad38f88846 100644
--- a/tests/unit/states/test_boto_apigateway.py
+++ b/tests/unit/states/test_boto_apigateway.py
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ from tests.support.mock import NO_MOCK, NO_MOCK_REASON, MagicMock, patch
 import salt.config
 import salt.loader
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.utils.versions import LooseVersion
 
 # pylint: disable=import-error,no-name-in-module
 from tests.unit.modules.test_boto_apigateway import BotoApiGatewayTestCaseMixin
 
 # Import 3rd-party libs
-import yaml
 from salt.ext.six.moves import range
 try:
     import boto3
@@ -57,99 +57,99 @@ error_content = {
   }
 }
 
-api_ret = dict(description=u'{\n    "context": "See deployment or stage description",\n    "provisioned_by": "Salt boto_apigateway.present State"\n}',
+api_ret = dict(description='{\n    "context": "See deployment or stage description",\n    "provisioned_by": "Salt boto_apigateway.present State"\n}',
                createdDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
-               id=u'vni0vq8wzi',
-               name=u'unit test api')
+               id='vni0vq8wzi',
+               name='unit test api')
 
-no_apis_ret = {u'items': []}
+no_apis_ret = {'items': []}
 
-apis_ret = {u'items': [api_ret]}
+apis_ret = {'items': [api_ret]}
 
-mock_model_ret = dict(contentType=u'application/json',
-                      description=u'mock model',
-                      id=u'123abc',
-                      name=u'mock model',
-                      schema=(u'{\n'
-                              u'    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",\n'
-                              u'    "properties": {\n'
-                              u'        "field": {\n'
-                              u'            "type": "string"\n'
-                              u'        }\n'
-                              u'    }\n'
-                              u'}'))
+mock_model_ret = dict(contentType='application/json',
+                      description='mock model',
+                      id='123abc',
+                      name='mock model',
+                      schema=('{\n'
+                              '    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",\n'
+                              '    "properties": {\n'
+                              '        "field": {\n'
+                              '            "type": "string"\n'
+                              '        }\n'
+                              '    }\n'
+                              '}'))
 
-models_ret = {u'items': [dict(contentType=u'application/json',
-                              description=u'Error',
-                              id=u'50nw8r',
-                              name=u'Error',
-                              schema=(u'{\n'
-                                      u'    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",\n'
-                                      u'    "properties": {\n'
-                                      u'        "code": {\n'
-                                      u'            "format": "int32",\n'
-                                      u'            "type": "integer"\n'
-                                      u'        },\n'
-                                      u'        "fields": {\n'
-                                      u'            "type": "string"\n'
-                                      u'        },\n'
-                                      u'        "message": {\n'
-                                      u'            "type": "string"\n'
-                                      u'        }\n'
-                                      u'    },\n'
-                                      u'    "title": "Error Schema",\n'
-                                      u'    "type": "object"\n'
-                                      u'}')),
-                         dict(contentType=u'application/json',
-                              description=u'User',
-                              id=u'terlnw',
-                              name=u'User',
-                              schema=(u'{\n'
-                                      u'    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",\n'
-                                      u'    "properties": {\n'
-                                      u'        "password": {\n'
-                                      u'            "description": "A password for the new user",\n'
-                                      u'            "type": "string"\n'
-                                      u'        },\n'
-                                      u'        "username": {\n'
-                                      u'            "description": "A unique username for the user",\n'
-                                      u'            "type": "string"\n'
-                                      u'        }\n'
-                                      u'    },\n'
-                                      u'    "title": "User Schema",\n'
-                                      u'    "type": "object"\n'
-                                      u'}'))]}
+models_ret = {'items': [dict(contentType='application/json',
+                              description='Error',
+                              id='50nw8r',
+                              name='Error',
+                              schema=('{\n'
+                                      '    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",\n'
+                                      '    "properties": {\n'
+                                      '        "code": {\n'
+                                      '            "format": "int32",\n'
+                                      '            "type": "integer"\n'
+                                      '        },\n'
+                                      '        "fields": {\n'
+                                      '            "type": "string"\n'
+                                      '        },\n'
+                                      '        "message": {\n'
+                                      '            "type": "string"\n'
+                                      '        }\n'
+                                      '    },\n'
+                                      '    "title": "Error Schema",\n'
+                                      '    "type": "object"\n'
+                                      '}')),
+                         dict(contentType='application/json',
+                              description='User',
+                              id='terlnw',
+                              name='User',
+                              schema=('{\n'
+                                      '    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",\n'
+                                      '    "properties": {\n'
+                                      '        "password": {\n'
+                                      '            "description": "A password for the new user",\n'
+                                      '            "type": "string"\n'
+                                      '        },\n'
+                                      '        "username": {\n'
+                                      '            "description": "A unique username for the user",\n'
+                                      '            "type": "string"\n'
+                                      '        }\n'
+                                      '    },\n'
+                                      '    "title": "User Schema",\n'
+                                      '    "type": "object"\n'
+                                      '}'))]}
 
-root_resources_ret = {u'items': [dict(id=u'bgk0rk8rqb',
-                                      path=u'/')]}
+root_resources_ret = {'items': [dict(id='bgk0rk8rqb',
+                                      path='/')]}
 
-resources_ret = {u'items': [dict(id=u'bgk0rk8rqb',
-                                 path=u'/'),
-                            dict(id=u'9waiaz',
-                                 parentId=u'bgk0rk8rqb',
-                                 path=u'/users',
-                                 pathPart=u'users',
-                                 resourceMethods={u'POST': {}})]}
+resources_ret = {'items': [dict(id='bgk0rk8rqb',
+                                 path='/'),
+                            dict(id='9waiaz',
+                                 parentId='bgk0rk8rqb',
+                                 path='/users',
+                                 pathPart='users',
+                                 resourceMethods={'POST': {}})]}
 
-no_resources_ret = {u'items': []}
+no_resources_ret = {'items': []}
 
 stage1_deployment1_ret = dict(cacheClusterEnabled=False,
                               cacheClusterSize=0.5,
                               cacheClusterStatus='NOT_AVAILABLE',
                               createdDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
-                              deploymentId=u'kobnrb',
-                              description=(u'{\n'
-                                           u'    "current_deployment_label": {\n'
-                                           u'        "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
-                                           u'        "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
-                                           u'        "swagger_file_md5sum": "4fb17e43bab3a96e7f2410a1597cd0a5",\n'
-                                           u'        "swagger_info_object": {\n'
-                                           u'            "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                                           u'            "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                                           u'            "version": "0.0.0"\n'
-                                           u'        }\n'
-                                           u'    }\n'
-                                           u'}'),
+                              deploymentId='kobnrb',
+                              description=('{\n'
+                                           '    "current_deployment_label": {\n'
+                                           '        "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
+                                           '        "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
+                                           '        "swagger_file_md5sum": "4fb17e43bab3a96e7f2410a1597cd0a5",\n'
+                                           '        "swagger_info_object": {\n'
+                                           '            "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                                           '            "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                                           '            "version": "0.0.0"\n'
+                                           '        }\n'
+                                           '    }\n'
+                                           '}'),
                               lastUpdatedDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
                               methodSettings=dict(),
                               stageName='test',
@@ -159,19 +159,19 @@ stage1_deployment1_vars_ret = dict(cacheClusterEnabled=False,
                                    cacheClusterSize=0.5,
                                    cacheClusterStatus='NOT_AVAILABLE',
                                    createdDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
-                                   deploymentId=u'kobnrb',
-                                   description=(u'{\n'
-                                                u'    "current_deployment_label": {\n'
-                                                u'        "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
-                                                u'        "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
-                                                u'        "swagger_file_md5sum": "4fb17e43bab3a96e7f2410a1597cd0a5",\n'
-                                                u'        "swagger_info_object": {\n'
-                                                u'            "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                                                u'            "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                                                u'            "version": "0.0.0"\n'
-                                                u'        }\n'
-                                                u'    }\n'
-                                                u'}'),
+                                   deploymentId='kobnrb',
+                                   description=('{\n'
+                                                '    "current_deployment_label": {\n'
+                                                '        "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
+                                                '        "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
+                                                '        "swagger_file_md5sum": "4fb17e43bab3a96e7f2410a1597cd0a5",\n'
+                                                '        "swagger_info_object": {\n'
+                                                '            "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                                                '            "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                                                '            "version": "0.0.0"\n'
+                                                '        }\n'
+                                                '    }\n'
+                                                '}'),
                                    lastUpdatedDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
                                    methodSettings=dict(),
                                    stageName='test',
@@ -181,19 +181,19 @@ stage1_deployment2_ret = dict(cacheClusterEnabled=False,
                               cacheClusterSize=0.5,
                               cacheClusterStatus='NOT_AVAILABLE',
                               createdDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
-                              deploymentId=u'kobnrc',
-                              description=(u'{\n'
-                                           u'    "current_deployment_label": {\n'
-                                           u'        "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
-                                           u'        "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
-                                           u'        "swagger_file_md5sum": "5fd538c4336ed5c54b4bf39ddf97c661",\n'
-                                           u'        "swagger_info_object": {\n'
-                                           u'            "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                                           u'            "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                                           u'            "version": "0.0.2"\n'
-                                           u'        }\n'
-                                           u'    }\n'
-                                           u'}'),
+                              deploymentId='kobnrc',
+                              description=('{\n'
+                                           '    "current_deployment_label": {\n'
+                                           '        "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
+                                           '        "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
+                                           '        "swagger_file_md5sum": "5fd538c4336ed5c54b4bf39ddf97c661",\n'
+                                           '        "swagger_info_object": {\n'
+                                           '            "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                                           '            "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                                           '            "version": "0.0.2"\n'
+                                           '        }\n'
+                                           '    }\n'
+                                           '}'),
                               lastUpdatedDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
                               methodSettings=dict(),
                               stageName='test',
@@ -203,55 +203,55 @@ stage2_ret = dict(cacheClusterEnabled=False,
                   cacheClusterSize=0.5,
                   cacheClusterStatus='NOT_AVAILABLE',
                   createdDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
-                  deploymentId=u'kobnrb',
-                  description=(u'{\n'
-                               u'    "current_deployment_label": {\n'
-                               u'        "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
-                               u'        "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
-                               u'        "swagger_file_md5sum": "4fb17e43bab3a96e7f2410a1597cd0a5",\n'
-                               u'        "swagger_info_object": {\n'
-                               u'            "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                               u'            "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                               u'            "version": "0.0.0"\n'
-                               u'        }\n'
-                               u'    }\n'
-                               u'}'),
+                  deploymentId='kobnrb',
+                  description=('{\n'
+                               '    "current_deployment_label": {\n'
+                               '        "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
+                               '        "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
+                               '        "swagger_file_md5sum": "4fb17e43bab3a96e7f2410a1597cd0a5",\n'
+                               '        "swagger_info_object": {\n'
+                               '            "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                               '            "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                               '            "version": "0.0.0"\n'
+                               '        }\n'
+                               '    }\n'
+                               '}'),
                   lastUpdatedDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
                   methodSettings=dict(),
                   stageName='dev',
                   variables=dict())
 
-stages_stage2_ret = {u'item': [stage2_ret]}
+stages_stage2_ret = {'item': [stage2_ret]}
 
-no_stages_ret = {u'item': []}
+no_stages_ret = {'item': []}
 
 deployment1_ret = dict(createdDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
-                       description=(u'{\n'
-                                    u'    "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
-                                    u'    "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
-                                    u'    "swagger_file_md5sum": "99cd44f491f25a8e8bb468b0a8e23a0a",\n'
-                                    u'    "swagger_info_object": {\n'
-                                    u'        "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                                    u'        "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                                    u'        "version": "0.0.0"\n'
-                                    u'    }\n'
-                                    u'}'),
-                       id=u'kobnrb')
+                       description=('{\n'
+                                    '    "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
+                                    '    "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
+                                    '    "swagger_file_md5sum": "693c57997a12a2446bb5c08c793d943c",\n'
+                                    '    "swagger_info_object": {\n'
+                                    '        "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                                    '        "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                                    '        "version": "0.0.0"\n'
+                                    '    }\n'
+                                    '}'),
+                       id='kobnrb')
 
 deployment2_ret = dict(createdDate=datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 17, 16, 33, 50),
-                       description=(u'{\n'
-                                    u'    "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
-                                    u'    "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
-                                    u'    "swagger_file_md5sum": "5fd538c4336ed5c54b4bf39ddf97c661",\n'
-                                    u'    "swagger_info_object": {\n'
-                                    u'        "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                                    u'        "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
-                                    u'        "version": "0.0.2"\n'
-                                    u'    }\n'
-                                    u'}'),
-                       id=u'kobnrc')
+                       description=('{\n'
+                                    '    "api_name": "unit test api",\n'
+                                    '    "swagger_file": "temp-swagger-sample.yaml",\n'
+                                    '    "swagger_file_md5sum": "5fd538c4336ed5c54b4bf39ddf97c661",\n'
+                                    '    "swagger_info_object": {\n'
+                                    '        "description": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                                    '        "title": "salt boto apigateway unit test service",\n'
+                                    '        "version": "0.0.2"\n'
+                                    '    }\n'
+                                    '}'),
+                       id='kobnrc')
 
-deployments_ret = {u'items': [deployment1_ret, deployment2_ret]}
+deployments_ret = {'items': [deployment1_ret, deployment2_ret]}
 
 function_ret = dict(FunctionName='unit_test_api_users_post',
                     Runtime='python2.7',
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ class TempSwaggerFile(object):
                                                                        'name': 'NewUser',
                                                                        'schema': {'$ref': '#/definitions/User'}}],
                                                        'produces': ['application/json'],
-                                                       'description': 'Creates a new user.\n',
+                                                       'description': 'Creates a new user.',
                                                        'tags': ['Auth'],
                                                        'consumes': ['application/json'],
                                                        'summary': 'Registers a new user'}}},
@@ -370,8 +370,8 @@ class TempSwaggerFile(object):
 
     def __enter__(self):
         self.swaggerfile = 'temp-swagger-sample.yaml'
-        with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.swaggerfile, 'w') as f:
-            f.write(yaml.dump(self.swaggerdict))
+        with salt.utils.files.fopen(self.swaggerfile, 'w') as fp_:
+            salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(self.swaggerdict, fp_)
         return self.swaggerfile
 
     def __exit__(self, objtype, value, traceback):
diff --git a/tests/unit/states/test_boto_cloudfront.py b/tests/unit/states/test_boto_cloudfront.py
index dddb78d384b..567867a6e21 100644
--- a/tests/unit/states/test_boto_cloudfront.py
+++ b/tests/unit/states/test_boto_cloudfront.py
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ class BotoCloudfrontTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
             whitelist=['boto3', 'dictdiffer', 'yamldumper'],
             context={},
         )
+        # Force the LazyDict to populate its references. Otherwise the lookup
+        # will fail inside the unit tests.
+        list(utils)
         return {
             boto_cloudfront: {
                 '__utils__': utils,
diff --git a/tests/unit/states/test_boto_sqs.py b/tests/unit/states/test_boto_sqs.py
index 80672e87f4b..0a8260a42e7 100644
--- a/tests/unit/states/test_boto_sqs.py
+++ b/tests/unit/states/test_boto_sqs.py
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ class BotoSqsTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
             whitelist=['boto3', 'yamldumper'],
             context={}
         )
+        # Force the LazyDict to populate its references. Otherwise the lookup
+        # will fail inside the unit tests.
+        list(utils)
         return {
             boto_sqs: {
                 '__utils__': utils,
diff --git a/tests/unit/states/test_file.py b/tests/unit/states/test_file.py
index 2444d83c636..6e3b4196208 100644
--- a/tests/unit/states/test_file.py
+++ b/tests/unit/states/test_file.py
@@ -26,13 +26,11 @@ from tests.support.mock import (
     mock_open,
     patch)
 
-# Import third party libs
-import yaml
-
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
 import salt.utils.json
 import salt.utils.platform
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.states.file as filestate
 import salt.serializers.yaml as yamlserializer
 import salt.serializers.json as jsonserializer
@@ -75,10 +73,10 @@ class TestFileState(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
             }
 
             filestate.serialize('/tmp', dataset)
-            self.assertEqual(yaml.load(returner.returned), dataset)
+            self.assertEqual(salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(returner.returned), dataset)
 
             filestate.serialize('/tmp', dataset, formatter="yaml")
-            self.assertEqual(yaml.load(returner.returned), dataset)
+            self.assertEqual(salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(returner.returned), dataset)
 
             filestate.serialize('/tmp', dataset, formatter="json")
             self.assertEqual(salt.utils.json.loads(returner.returned), dataset)
diff --git a/tests/unit/states/test_grains.py b/tests/unit/states/test_grains.py
index 836aed83268..c81368081c2 100644
--- a/tests/unit/states/test_grains.py
+++ b/tests/unit/states/test_grains.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 # Import Python libs
 import os
-import yaml
 import contextlib
 
 # Import Salt Testing libs
@@ -18,6 +17,7 @@ from tests.support.mock import NO_MOCK, NO_MOCK_REASON, MagicMock, patch
 
 # Import salt libs
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.modules.grains as grainsmod
 import salt.states.grains as grains
 
@@ -77,9 +77,8 @@ class GrainsTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
                 else:
                     grains_file = os.path.join(
                         os.path.dirname(grains.__opts__['conf_file']), 'grains')
-                cstr = yaml.safe_dump(grains_data, default_flow_style=False)
                 with salt.utils.files.fopen(grains_file, "w+") as grf:
-                    grf.write(cstr)
+                    salt.utils.yaml.safe_dump(grains_data, grf, default_flow_style=False)
                 yield
 
     # 'exists' function tests: 2
diff --git a/tests/unit/states/test_syslog_ng.py b/tests/unit/states/test_syslog_ng.py
index a2984dfec57..7c4c06f94cc 100644
--- a/tests/unit/states/test_syslog_ng.py
+++ b/tests/unit/states/test_syslog_ng.py
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 import os
 import re
 import tempfile
-import yaml
 
 from tests.support.mixins import LoaderModuleMockMixin
 from tests.support.unit import skipIf, TestCase
 from tests.support.mock import NO_MOCK, NO_MOCK_REASON, MagicMock, patch
 
 import salt.utils.files
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.states.syslog_ng as syslog_ng
 import salt.modules.syslog_ng as syslog_ng_module
 
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ class SyslogNGTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
         self._config_generator_template(GIVEN_CONFIG, SHORT_FORM_EXPECTED)
 
     def _config_generator_template(self, yaml_input, expected):
-        parsed_yaml_config = yaml.load(yaml_input["config"])
+        parsed_yaml_config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(yaml_input["config"])
         id = yaml_input["id"]
 
         with patch.dict(syslog_ng.__salt__, _SALT_VAR_WITH_MODULE_METHODS):
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ class SyslogNGTestCase(TestCase, LoaderModuleMockMixin):
             syslog_ng_module.write_config(config='@include "scl.conf"')
 
             for i in yaml_inputs:
-                parsed_yaml_config = yaml.load(i["config"])
+                parsed_yaml_config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(i["config"])
                 id = i["id"]
                 got = syslog_ng.config(id, config=parsed_yaml_config, write=True)
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/templates/test_jinja.py b/tests/unit/templates/test_jinja.py
index 1b6914802a7..550351dc411 100644
--- a/tests/unit/templates/test_jinja.py
+++ b/tests/unit/templates/test_jinja.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import os
 import pprint
 import re
 import tempfile
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt Testing libs
 from tests.support.unit import skipIf, TestCase
@@ -21,6 +20,7 @@ from tests.support.paths import TMP_CONF_DIR
 # Import Salt libs
 import salt.config
 import salt.loader
+import salt.utils.yaml
 from salt.exceptions import SaltRenderError
 
 from salt.ext import six
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ class TestCustomExtensions(TestCase):
         }
         env = Environment(extensions=[SerializerExtension])
         rendered = env.from_string('{{ dataset|yaml }}').render(dataset=dataset)
-        self.assertEqual(dataset, yaml.load(rendered))
+        self.assertEqual(dataset, salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(rendered))
 
     def test_serialize_yaml_str(self):
         dataset = "str value"
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_pydsl.py b/tests/unit/test_pydsl.py
index f14123ffba2..e2f6ca59295 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_pydsl.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_pydsl.py
@@ -242,8 +242,8 @@ class PyDSLRendererTestCase(CommonTestCaseBoilerplate):
 
     def test_load_highstate(self):
         result = self.render_sls(textwrap.dedent('''
-            import yaml
-            __pydsl__.load_highstate(yaml.load("""
+            import salt.utils.yaml
+            __pydsl__.load_highstate(salt.utils.yaml.safe_load("""
             A:
               cmd.run:
                 - name: echo hello
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/test_reactor.py b/tests/unit/utils/test_reactor.py
index 564c2f2b6eb..0b97438ee49 100644
--- a/tests/unit/utils/test_reactor.py
+++ b/tests/unit/utils/test_reactor.py
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ import glob
 import logging
 import os
 import textwrap
-import yaml
 
 import salt.loader
 import salt.utils.data
 import salt.utils.reactor as reactor
+import salt.utils.yaml
 
 from tests.support.unit import TestCase, skipIf
 from tests.support.mixins import AdaptedConfigurationTestCaseMixin
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ class TestReactor(TestCase, AdaptedConfigurationTestCaseMixin):
         Load the reactor config for mocking
         '''
         cls.opts = cls.get_temp_config('master')
-        reactor_config = yaml.safe_load(REACTOR_CONFIG)
+        reactor_config = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(REACTOR_CONFIG)
         cls.opts.update(reactor_config)
         cls.reactor = reactor.Reactor(cls.opts)
         cls.reaction_map = salt.utils.data.repack_dictlist(reactor_config['reactor'])
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/test_schema.py b/tests/unit/utils/test_schema.py
index dd5500f5fd3..0d1f305e575 100644
--- a/tests/unit/utils/test_schema.py
+++ b/tests/unit/utils/test_schema.py
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@
 # Import python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 import copy
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt Testing Libs
 from tests.support.unit import TestCase, skipIf
 
 # Import Salt Libs
 import salt.utils.json
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.utils.schema as schema
 from salt.utils.versions import LooseVersion as _LooseVersion
 
@@ -2112,7 +2112,7 @@ class ComplexSchemaTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertDictEqual(complex_obj.get_definition(), expected_def)
 
     def test_complex_definition_schema(self):
-        serialized = yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(self.schema.serialize()))
+        serialized = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(self.schema.serialize()))
         expected = {
             '$schema': 'http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#',
             'title': 'Test Complex Definition Schema',
@@ -2134,7 +2134,7 @@ class ComplexSchemaTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertDictEqual(serialized, expected)
 
     def test_one_of_complex_definition_schema(self):
-        serialized = yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(self.one_of_schema.serialize()))
+        serialized = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(self.one_of_schema.serialize()))
         expected = {
             '$schema': 'http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#',
             'title': 'Test OneOf Complex Definitions Schema',
@@ -2157,7 +2157,7 @@ class ComplexSchemaTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertDictEqual(serialized, expected)
 
     def test_array_complex_definition_schema(self):
-        serialized = yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(self.array_schema.serialize()))
+        serialized = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(self.array_schema.serialize()))
         expected = {
             '$schema': 'http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#',
             'title': 'Test Array Complex Definitions Schema',
@@ -2181,7 +2181,7 @@ class ComplexSchemaTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertDictEqual(serialized, expected)
 
     def test_dict_complex_definition_schema(self):
-        serialized = yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(self.dict_schema.serialize()))
+        serialized = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(self.dict_schema.serialize()))
         expected = {
             '$schema': 'http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#',
             'title': 'Test Dict Complex Definitions Schema',
@@ -2210,8 +2210,9 @@ class ComplexSchemaTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertDictEqual(serialized, expected)
 
     def test_complex_complex_definition_schema(self):
-        serialized = yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(
-            self.complex_schema.serialize()))
+        serialized = salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.json.dumps(
+            self.complex_schema.serialize()
+        ))
         expected = {
             '$schema': 'http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#',
             'title': 'Test Complex Complex Definition Schema',
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/test_yamlencoding.py b/tests/unit/utils/test_yamlencoding.py
index 984c5377bee..a1f8570ba1f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/utils/test_yamlencoding.py
+++ b/tests/unit/utils/test_yamlencoding.py
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ Tests for salt.utils.yamlencoding
 
 # Import Python libs
 from __future__ import absolute_import
-import yaml
 
 # Import Salt libs
+import salt.utils.yaml
 import salt.utils.yamlencoding
 from tests.support.unit import TestCase
 
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class YamlEncodingTestCase(TestCase):
 
     def test_yaml_dquote(self):
         for teststr in (r'"\ []{}"',):
-            self.assertEqual(teststr, yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.yamlencoding.yaml_dquote(teststr)))
+            self.assertEqual(teststr, salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.yamlencoding.yaml_dquote(teststr)))
 
     def test_yaml_dquote_doesNotAddNewLines(self):
         teststr = '"' * 100
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class YamlEncodingTestCase(TestCase):
 
     def test_yaml_encode(self):
         for testobj in (None, True, False, '[7, 5]', '"monkey"', 5, 7.5, "2014-06-02 15:30:29.7"):
-            self.assertEqual(testobj, yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.yamlencoding.yaml_encode(testobj)))
+            self.assertEqual(testobj, salt.utils.yaml.safe_load(salt.utils.yamlencoding.yaml_encode(testobj)))
 
         for testobj in ({}, [], set()):
             self.assertRaises(TypeError, salt.utils.yamlencoding.yaml_encode, testobj)