diff --git a/ceilometer/polling/manager.py b/ceilometer/polling/manager.py
index 93d16d1228..b6501c6c4b 100644
--- a/ceilometer/polling/manager.py
+++ b/ceilometer/polling/manager.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import collections
 import itertools
 import logging
 import random
+import time
 import uuid
 
 from concurrent import futures
@@ -362,6 +363,11 @@ class AgentManager(cotyledon.Service):
     def construct_group_id(self, discovery_group_id):
         return '%s-%s' % (self.group_prefix, discovery_group_id)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _delayed(delay, target, *args, **kwargs):
+        time.sleep(delay)
+        return target(*args, **kwargs)
+
     def start_polling_tasks(self):
         # set shuffle time before polling task if necessary
         delay_polling_time = random.randint(
@@ -384,7 +390,7 @@ class AgentManager(cotyledon.Service):
             def task(running_task):
                 self.interval_task(running_task)
 
-            utils.spawn_thread(utils.delayed, delay_polling_time,
+            utils.spawn_thread(self._delayed, delay_polling_time,
                                self.polling_periodics.add, task, polling_task)
 
         utils.spawn_thread(self.polling_periodics.start, allow_empty=True)
diff --git a/ceilometer/tests/unit/polling/test_manager.py b/ceilometer/tests/unit/polling/test_manager.py
index 2062d3cd9a..0a8e584e0e 100644
--- a/ceilometer/tests/unit/polling/test_manager.py
+++ b/ceilometer/tests/unit/polling/test_manager.py
@@ -357,8 +357,6 @@ class TestRunTasks(agentbase.BaseAgentManagerTestCase):
         self._batching_samples(4, 1)
 
     def _batching_samples(self, expected_samples, call_count):
-        self.useFixture(fixtures.MockPatchObject(manager.utils, 'delayed',
-                                                 side_effect=fakedelayed))
         poll_cfg = {
             'sources': [{
                 'name': 'test_pipeline',
@@ -372,6 +370,7 @@ class TestRunTasks(agentbase.BaseAgentManagerTestCase):
                 'publishers': ["test"]}]
         }
         self.setup_polling(poll_cfg)
+        self.mgr._delayed = fakedelayed
         polling_task = list(self.mgr.setup_polling_tasks().values())[0]
 
         self.mgr.interval_task(polling_task)
diff --git a/ceilometer/utils.py b/ceilometer/utils.py
index e877bc5192..e8837efedb 100644
--- a/ceilometer/utils.py
+++ b/ceilometer/utils.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import calendar
 import datetime
 import decimal
 import threading
-import time
 
 from oslo_concurrency import processutils
 from oslo_config import cfg
@@ -155,11 +154,6 @@ def kill_listeners(listeners):
         listener.wait()
 
 
-def delayed(delay, target, *args, **kwargs):
-    time.sleep(delay)
-    return target(*args, **kwargs)
-
-
 def spawn_thread(target, *args, **kwargs):
     t = threading.Thread(target=target, args=args, kwargs=kwargs)
     t.daemon = True