diff --git a/oslo_messaging/_drivers/zmq_driver/client/publishers/dealer/zmq_dealer_publisher_direct.py b/oslo_messaging/_drivers/zmq_driver/client/publishers/dealer/zmq_dealer_publisher_direct.py
index 6759b34d8..d1a61e1ef 100644
--- a/oslo_messaging/_drivers/zmq_driver/client/publishers/dealer/zmq_dealer_publisher_direct.py
+++ b/oslo_messaging/_drivers/zmq_driver/client/publishers/dealer/zmq_dealer_publisher_direct.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class DealerPublisherDirect(zmq_dealer_publisher_base.DealerPublisherBase):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, conf, matchmaker):
-        sender = zmq_senders.RequestSenderDirect(conf, async=True)
+        sender = zmq_senders.RequestSenderDirect(conf, use_async=True)
         receiver = zmq_receivers.ReceiverDirect(conf)
         super(DealerPublisherDirect, self).__init__(conf, matchmaker,
                                                     sender, receiver)
diff --git a/oslo_messaging/_drivers/zmq_driver/client/zmq_senders.py b/oslo_messaging/_drivers/zmq_driver/client/zmq_senders.py
index 9f3f6d72b..6813bf529 100644
--- a/oslo_messaging/_drivers/zmq_driver/client/zmq_senders.py
+++ b/oslo_messaging/_drivers/zmq_driver/client/zmq_senders.py
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ zmq = zmq_async.import_zmq()
 class SenderBase(object):
     """Base request/response sending interface."""
 
-    def __init__(self, conf, async=False):
+    def __init__(self, conf, use_async=False):
         self.conf = conf
-        self.async = async
+        self.use_async = use_async
         self._lock = threading.Lock()
         self._send_versions = zmq_version.get_method_versions(self, 'send')
 
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ class RequestSenderDirect(RequestSenderBase):
                    "msg_version": request.message_version})
 
     def _send_v_1_0(self, socket, request):
-        flags = zmq.NOBLOCK if self.async else 0
+        flags = zmq.NOBLOCK if self.use_async else 0
         socket.send(b'', zmq.SNDMORE | flags)
         socket.send_string('1.0', zmq.SNDMORE | flags)
         socket.send(six.b(str(request.msg_type)), zmq.SNDMORE | flags)