diff --git a/requirements-py3.txt b/requirements-py3.txt
index 7746e00b..f4714583 100644
--- a/requirements-py3.txt
+++ b/requirements-py3.txt
@@ -10,3 +10,4 @@ zake>=0.1.6 # Apache-2.0
 msgpack-python>=0.4.0
 retrying>=1.2.3,!=1.3.0 # Apache-2.0
 oslo.utils>=1.4.0                       # Apache-2.0
+oslo.serialization>=1.4.0               # Apache-2.0
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 1f34e92e..3dd1ca6b 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@ msgpack-python>=0.4.0
 retrying>=1.2.3,!=1.3.0 # Apache-2.0
 futures>=2.1.6
 oslo.utils>=1.4.0                       # Apache-2.0
+oslo.serialization>=1.4.0               # Apache-2.0
diff --git a/tooz/utils.py b/tooz/utils.py
index 97289a78..b6b716be 100644
--- a/tooz/utils.py
+++ b/tooz/utils.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #    under the License.
 
 import msgpack
+from oslo_serialization import msgpackutils
 import six
 
 from tooz import coordination
@@ -36,26 +37,18 @@ def to_binary(text, encoding='ascii'):
 
 
 def dumps(data, excp_cls=coordination.ToozError):
-    """Serializes provided data using msgpack into a byte string.
-
-    TODO(harlowja): use oslo.serialization 'msgpackutils.py' when we can since
-    that handles more native types better than the default does...
-    """
+    """Serializes provided data using msgpack into a byte string."""
     try:
-        return msgpack.packb(data, use_bin_type=True)
+        return msgpackutils.dumps(data)
     except (msgpack.PackException, ValueError) as e:
         coordination.raise_with_cause(excp_cls, exception_message(e),
                                       cause=e)
 
 
 def loads(blob, excp_cls=coordination.ToozError):
-    """Deserializes provided data using msgpack (from a prior byte string).
-
-    TODO(harlowja): use oslo.serialization 'msgpackutils.py' when we can since
-    that handles more native types better than the default does...
-    """
+    """Deserializes provided data using msgpack (from a prior byte string)."""
     try:
-        return msgpack.unpackb(blob, encoding='utf-8')
+        return msgpackutils.loads(blob)
     except (msgpack.UnpackException, ValueError) as e:
         coordination.raise_with_cause(excp_cls, exception_message(e),
                                       cause=e)