diff --git a/pip/req.py b/pip/req.py
index b7dc939fa7d..8976a563271 100644
--- a/pip/req.py
+++ b/pip/req.py
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
 import tempfile
 import zipfile
 
-import pip
-
 from distutils.util import change_root
 from pip.locations import bin_py, running_under_virtualenv
 from pip.exceptions import (InstallationError, UninstallationError,
@@ -19,7 +17,7 @@
 from pip.log import logger
 from pip.util import display_path, rmtree
 from pip.util import ask, ask_path_exists, backup_dir
-from pip.util import is_installable_dir, is_local, dist_is_local, dist_in_usersite
+from pip.util import is_installable_dir, is_local, dist_is_local, dist_in_usersite, dist_in_site_packages
 from pip.util import renames, normalize_path, egg_link_path
 from pip.util import make_path_relative
 from pip.util import call_subprocess
@@ -694,7 +692,7 @@ def check_if_exists(self):
             if self.use_user_site:
                 if dist_in_usersite(existing_dist):
                     self.conflicts_with = existing_dist
-                elif running_under_virtualenv() and pip.util.dist_in_site_packages(existing_dist):
+                elif running_under_virtualenv() and dist_in_site_packages(existing_dist):
                     raise InstallationError("Will not install to the user site because it will lack sys.path precedence to %s in %s"
                                             %(existing_dist.project_name, existing_dist.location))
             else:
diff --git a/tests/test_user_site.py b/tests/test_user_site.py
index e4f5c73a8f5..eaba041cf74 100644
--- a/tests/test_user_site.py
+++ b/tests/test_user_site.py
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 patch_dist_in_site_packages = """
        def dist_in_site_packages(dist):
            return False
-       import pip
-       pip.util.dist_in_site_packages=dist_in_site_packages
+       from pip import req
+       req.dist_in_site_packages=dist_in_site_packages
 """