diff --git a/wsme/rest/args.py b/wsme/rest/args.py
index 2a49672..9dc16c7 100644
--- a/wsme/rest/args.py
+++ b/wsme/rest/args.py
@@ -216,8 +216,8 @@ def args_from_params(funcdef, params):
 
 
 def args_from_body(funcdef, body, mimetype):
-    from wsme.rest import json_utils as restjson
-    from wsme.rest import xml_utils as restxml
+    from wsme.rest import json as restjson
+    from wsme.rest import xml as restxml
 
     if funcdef.body_type is not None:
         datatypes = {funcdef.arguments[-1].name: funcdef.body_type}
diff --git a/wsme/rest/json_utils.py b/wsme/rest/json.py
similarity index 99%
rename from wsme/rest/json_utils.py
rename to wsme/rest/json.py
index a7c2f4f..cf8727c 100644
--- a/wsme/rest/json_utils.py
+++ b/wsme/rest/json.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 """REST+Json protocol implementation."""
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import datetime
 import decimal
 import json
diff --git a/wsme/rest/protocol.py b/wsme/rest/protocol.py
index f5a0625..1ecf4de 100644
--- a/wsme/rest/protocol.py
+++ b/wsme/rest/protocol.py
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ class RestProtocol(Protocol):
         self.content_types = []
 
         for dataformat in dataformats:
-            __import__('wsme.rest.' + dataformat + '_utils')
-            dfmod = getattr(wsme.rest, dataformat + '_utils')
+            __import__('wsme.rest.' + dataformat)
+            dfmod = getattr(wsme.rest, dataformat)
             self.dataformats[dataformat] = dfmod
             self.content_types.extend(dfmod.accept_content_types)
 
diff --git a/wsme/rest/xml_utils.py b/wsme/rest/xml.py
similarity index 100%
rename from wsme/rest/xml_utils.py
rename to wsme/rest/xml.py
diff --git a/wsme/tests/test_restjson.py b/wsme/tests/test_restjson.py
index eca8e47..9935f98 100644
--- a/wsme/tests/test_restjson.py
+++ b/wsme/tests/test_restjson.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from wsme.exc import ClientSideError, InvalidInput
 from wsme.types import isarray, isdict, isusertype, register_type
 from wsme.types import UserType, ArrayType, DictType
 from wsme.rest import expose, validate
-from wsme.rest.json_utils import fromjson, tojson, parse
+from wsme.rest.json import fromjson, tojson, parse
 import wsme.tests.protocol
 from wsme.utils import parse_isodatetime, parse_isotime, parse_isodate
 
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ class TestRestJson(wsme.tests.protocol.RestOnlyProtocolTestCase):
         v.aint = 4
         v.astr = 's'
 
-        r = wsme.rest.json_utils.encode_sample_value(MyType, v, True)
+        r = wsme.rest.json.encode_sample_value(MyType, v, True)
         print(r)
         assert r[0] == ('javascript')
         assert r[1] == json.dumps({'aint': 4, 'astr': 's'}, ensure_ascii=False,
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ class TestRestJson(wsme.tests.protocol.RestOnlyProtocolTestCase):
         assert tojson(wsme.types.bytes, b('ascii')) == u('ascii')
 
     def test_encode_sample_params(self):
-        r = wsme.rest.json_utils.encode_sample_params(
+        r = wsme.rest.json.encode_sample_params(
             [('a', int, 2)], True
         )
         assert r[0] == 'javascript', r[0]
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ class TestRestJson(wsme.tests.protocol.RestOnlyProtocolTestCase):
 }''', r[1]
 
     def test_encode_sample_result(self):
-        r = wsme.rest.json_utils.encode_sample_result(
+        r = wsme.rest.json.encode_sample_result(
             int, 2, True
         )
         assert r[0] == 'javascript', r[0]
diff --git a/wsme/tests/test_restxml.py b/wsme/tests/test_restxml.py
index 3fc01fe..9e2f08d 100644
--- a/wsme/tests/test_restxml.py
+++ b/wsme/tests/test_restxml.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import base64
 from six import u, b
 import six
 
-from wsme.rest.xml_utils import fromxml, toxml
+from wsme.rest.xml import fromxml, toxml
 import wsme.tests.protocol
 from wsme.types import isarray, isdict, isusertype, register_type
 from wsme.utils import parse_isodatetime, parse_isodate, parse_isotime
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class TestRestXML(wsme.tests.protocol.RestOnlyProtocolTestCase):
         value.aint = 5
         value.atext = u('test')
 
-        language, sample = wsme.rest.xml_utils.encode_sample_value(
+        language, sample = wsme.rest.xml.encode_sample_value(
             MyType, value, True)
         print(language, sample)
 
@@ -175,13 +175,13 @@ class TestRestXML(wsme.tests.protocol.RestOnlyProtocolTestCase):
 </value>""")
 
     def test_encode_sample_params(self):
-        lang, content = wsme.rest.xml_utils.encode_sample_params(
+        lang, content = wsme.rest.xml.encode_sample_params(
             [('a', int, 2)], True)
         assert lang == 'xml', lang
         assert content == b('<parameters>\n  <a>2</a>\n</parameters>'), content
 
     def test_encode_sample_result(self):
-        lang, content = wsme.rest.xml_utils.encode_sample_result(int, 2, True)
+        lang, content = wsme.rest.xml.encode_sample_result(int, 2, True)
         assert lang == 'xml', lang
         assert content == b('<result>2</result>'), content
 
diff --git a/wsmeext/flask.py b/wsmeext/flask.py
index d6e57ab..86df242 100644
--- a/wsmeext/flask.py
+++ b/wsmeext/flask.py
@@ -10,17 +10,17 @@ import flask
 import wsme
 import wsme.api
 import wsme.rest.args
-import wsme.rest.json_utils
-import wsme.rest.xml_utils
+import wsme.rest.json
+import wsme.rest.xml
 from wsme.utils import is_valid_code
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 TYPES = {
-    'application/json': wsme.rest.json_utils,
-    'application/xml': wsme.rest.xml_utils,
-    'text/xml': wsme.rest.xml_utils,
+    'application/json': wsme.rest.json,
+    'application/xml': wsme.rest.xml,
+    'text/xml': wsme.rest.xml,
 }
 
 
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def get_dataformat():
 
     log.info('Could not determine what format is wanted by the caller, '
              'falling back to JSON')
-    return wsme.rest.json_utils
+    return wsme.rest.json
 
 
 def signature(*args, **kw):
diff --git a/wsmeext/pecan.py b/wsmeext/pecan.py
index 474c45e..54a1a73 100644
--- a/wsmeext/pecan.py
+++ b/wsmeext/pecan.py
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ import pecan
 
 import wsme
 import wsme.rest.args
-import wsme.rest.json_utils
-import wsme.rest.xml_utils
+import wsme.rest.json
+import wsme.rest.xml
 from wsme.utils import is_valid_code
 
 
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ class JSonRenderer(object):
     @staticmethod
     def render(template_path, namespace):
         if 'faultcode' in namespace:
-            return wsme.rest.json_utils.encode_error(None, namespace)
-        return wsme.rest.json_utils.encode_result(
+            return wsme.rest.json.encode_error(None, namespace)
+        return wsme.rest.json.encode_result(
             namespace['result'],
             namespace['datatype']
         )
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ class XMLRenderer(object):
     @staticmethod
     def render(template_path, namespace):
         if 'faultcode' in namespace:
-            return wsme.rest.xml_utils.encode_error(None, namespace)
-        return wsme.rest.xml_utils.encode_result(
+            return wsme.rest.xml.encode_error(None, namespace)
+        return wsme.rest.xml.encode_result(
             namespace['result'],
             namespace['datatype']
         )
diff --git a/wsmeext/sphinxext.py b/wsmeext/sphinxext.py
index 4ca5370..7e40cfa 100644
--- a/wsmeext/sphinxext.py
+++ b/wsmeext/sphinxext.py
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ from sphinx.util.docfields import Field
 from sphinx.util.nodes import make_refnode
 
 import wsme
-import wsme.rest.json_utils
-import wsme.rest.xml_utils
+import wsme.rest.json
+import wsme.rest.xml
 import wsme.types
 
 field_re = re.compile(r':(?P<field>\w+)(\s+(?P<name>\w+))?:')
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ def get_protocols(names):
         protocols.extend('restjson', 'restxml')
     if 'restjson' in names:
         names.remove('restjson')
-        protocols.append(('Json', wsme.rest.json_utils))
+        protocols.append(('Json', wsme.rest.json))
     if 'restxml' in names:
         names.remove('restxml')
-        protocols.append(('XML', wsme.rest.xml_utils))
+        protocols.append(('XML', wsme.rest.xml))
     for name in names:
         p = wsme.protocol.getprotocol(name)
         protocols.append((p.displayname or p.name, p))