diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/admin_toolshed.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/admin_toolshed.py
index 2219afd4ba6..048ffa19cff 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/admin_toolshed.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/admin_toolshed.py
@@ -205,11 +205,11 @@ class AdminToolshed( AdminGalaxy ):
     def browse_toolshed( self, trans, **kwd ):
         tool_shed_url = kwd.get( 'tool_shed_url', '' )
         tool_shed_url = common_util.get_tool_shed_url_from_tool_shed_registry( trans.app, tool_shed_url )
-        url = common_util.url_join( tool_shed_url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'categories' ] )
-        categories = json.loads( common_util.tool_shed_get( trans.app, url ) )
+        url = util.build_url( tool_shed_url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'categories' ] )
+        categories = json.loads( util.url_get( url ) )
         repositories = []
-        url = common_util.url_join( tool_shed_url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'repositories' ] )
-        for repo in json.loads( common_util.tool_shed_get( trans.app, url ) ):
+        url = util.build_url( tool_shed_url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'repositories' ] )
+        for repo in json.loads( util.url_get( url ) ):
             repositories.append( dict( value=repo[ 'id' ], label='%s/%s' % ( repo[ 'owner' ], repo[ 'name' ] ) ) )
         return trans.fill_template( '/admin/tool_shed_repository/browse_categories.mako',
                                     tool_shed_url=tool_shed_url,
@@ -221,21 +221,20 @@ class AdminToolshed( AdminGalaxy ):
     def browse_tool_shed_category( self, trans, **kwd ):
         tool_shed_url = kwd.get( 'tool_shed_url', '' )
         category_id = kwd.get( 'category_id', '' )
-        url = common_util.url_join( tool_shed_url )
-        json_data = json.loads( common_util.tool_shed_get( trans.app, url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'categories', category_id, 'repositories' ] ) )
+        url = util.build_url( tool_shed_url )
+        json_data = json.loads( util.url_get( url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'categories', category_id, 'repositories' ] ) )
         for idx, repository in enumerate( json_data[ 'repositories' ] ):
             try:
-                metadata = json.loads( common_util.tool_shed_get( trans.app,
-                                                                  url,
-                                                                  pathspec=[ 'api', 'repositories', repository[ 'id' ], 'metadata' ],
-                                                                  params=dict( recursive=False ) ) )
+                metadata = json.loads( util.url_get( url,
+                                                     pathspec=[ 'api', 'repositories', repository[ 'id' ], 'metadata' ],
+                                                     params=dict( recursive=False ) ) )
                 json_data[ 'repositories' ][ idx ][ 'metadata' ] = metadata
             except:
                 json_data[ 'repositories' ][ idx ][ 'metadata' ] = { 'tools_functionally_correct': True }
 
         repositories = []
-        url = common_util.url_join( tool_shed_url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'repositories' ] )
-        for repo in json.loads( common_util.tool_shed_get( trans.app, url ) ):
+        url = util.build_url( tool_shed_url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'repositories' ] )
+        for repo in json.loads( util.url_get( url ) ):
             repositories.append( dict( value=repo[ 'id' ], label='%s/%s' % ( repo[ 'owner' ], repo[ 'name' ] ) ) )
         return trans.fill_template( '/admin/tool_shed_repository/browse_category.mako',
                                     tool_shed_url=tool_shed_url,
@@ -1277,8 +1276,8 @@ class AdminToolshed( AdminGalaxy ):
     def preview_repository( self, trans, **kwd ):
         tool_shed_url = kwd.get( 'tool_shed_url', '' )
         tsr_id = kwd.get( 'tsr_id', '' )
-        toolshed_data = json.loads( common_util.tool_shed_get( trans.app, tool_shed_url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'repositories', tsr_id ] ) )
-        toolshed_data[ 'metadata' ] = json.loads( common_util.tool_shed_get( trans.app, tool_shed_url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'repositories', tsr_id, 'metadata' ] ) )
+        toolshed_data = json.loads( util.url_get( tool_shed_url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'repositories', tsr_id ] ) )
+        toolshed_data[ 'metadata' ] = json.loads( util.url_get( tool_shed_url, pathspec=[ 'api', 'repositories', tsr_id, 'metadata' ] ) )
         shed_tool_conf_select_field = tool_util.build_shed_tool_conf_select_field( trans.app )
         tool_panel_section_select_field = tool_util.build_tool_panel_section_select_field( trans.app )
         return trans.fill_template( '/admin/tool_shed_repository/preview_repository.mako',