diff --git a/neutron/db/api.py b/neutron/db/api.py
index ce5afcb711a..c05820e58ed 100644
--- a/neutron/db/api.py
+++ b/neutron/db/api.py
@@ -175,17 +175,6 @@ def _is_nested_instance(e, etypes):
     return False
 
 
-@contextlib.contextmanager
-def exc_to_retry(etypes):
-    try:
-        yield
-    except Exception as e:
-        with excutils.save_and_reraise_exception() as ctx:
-            if _is_nested_instance(e, etypes):
-                ctx.reraise = False
-                raise db_exc.RetryRequest(e)
-
-
 def get_reader_session():
     """Helper to get reader session"""
     return context_manager.reader.get_sessionmaker()()
diff --git a/neutron/db/db_base_plugin_v2.py b/neutron/db/db_base_plugin_v2.py
index db9242e54c1..efce6b1dfe5 100644
--- a/neutron/db/db_base_plugin_v2.py
+++ b/neutron/db/db_base_plugin_v2.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from neutron_lib.callbacks import registry
 from neutron_lib.callbacks import resources
 from neutron_lib import constants
 from neutron_lib import context as ctx
+from neutron_lib.db import api as lib_db_api
 from neutron_lib import exceptions as exc
 from neutron_lib.exceptions import l3 as l3_exc
 from neutron_lib.plugins import constants as plugin_constants
@@ -471,7 +472,7 @@ class NeutronDbPluginV2(db_base_plugin_common.DbBasePluginCommon,
                           "The port has already been deleted.", port_id)
         # clean up subnets
         subnets = self._get_subnets_by_network(context, id)
-        with db_api.exc_to_retry(os_db_exc.DBReferenceError):
+        with lib_db_api.exc_to_retry(os_db_exc.DBReferenceError):
             # retry reference errors so we can check the port type and
             # cleanup if a network-owned port snuck in without failing
             for subnet in subnets:
@@ -1032,7 +1033,7 @@ class NeutronDbPluginV2(db_base_plugin_common.DbBasePluginCommon,
         self._delete_subnet(context, subnet)
 
     def _delete_subnet(self, context, subnet):
-        with db_api.exc_to_retry(sql_exc.IntegrityError), \
+        with lib_db_api.exc_to_retry(sql_exc.IntegrityError), \
                 db_api.context_manager.writer.using(context):
             registry.notify(resources.SUBNET, events.PRECOMMIT_DELETE,
                             self, context=context, subnet_id=subnet.id)
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_api.py b/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_api.py
index 3b9b113a619..ce55ab88e9f 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_api.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_api.py
@@ -24,43 +24,6 @@ from neutron.db import api as db_api
 from neutron.tests import base
 
 
-class TestExceptionToRetryContextManager(base.BaseTestCase):
-
-    def test_translates_single_exception(self):
-        with testtools.ExpectedException(db_exc.RetryRequest):
-            with db_api.exc_to_retry(ValueError):
-                raise ValueError()
-
-    def test_translates_multiple_exception_types(self):
-        with testtools.ExpectedException(db_exc.RetryRequest):
-            with db_api.exc_to_retry((ValueError, TypeError)):
-                raise TypeError()
-
-    def test_translates_DBerror_inner_exception(self):
-        with testtools.ExpectedException(db_exc.RetryRequest):
-            with db_api.exc_to_retry(ValueError):
-                raise db_exc.DBError(ValueError())
-
-    def test_passes_other_exceptions(self):
-        with testtools.ExpectedException(ValueError):
-            with db_api.exc_to_retry(TypeError):
-                raise ValueError()
-
-    def test_inner_exception_preserved_in_retryrequest(self):
-        try:
-            exc = ValueError('test')
-            with db_api.exc_to_retry(ValueError):
-                raise exc
-        except db_exc.RetryRequest as e:
-            self.assertEqual(exc, e.inner_exc)
-
-    def test_retries_on_multi_exception_containing_target(self):
-        with testtools.ExpectedException(db_exc.RetryRequest):
-            with db_api.exc_to_retry(ValueError):
-                e = exceptions.MultipleExceptions([ValueError(), TypeError()])
-                raise e
-
-
 class TestDeadLockDecorator(base.BaseTestCase):
 
     @db_api.retry_db_errors