diff --git a/lib/ansible/cache/memcached.py b/lib/ansible/cache/memcached.py
index ea922434b50..470ab6b2243 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/cache/memcached.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/cache/memcached.py
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ import collections
 import os
 import sys
 import time
-import threading
 from itertools import chain
+from multiprocessing import Lock
 
 from ansible import constants as C
 from ansible.cache.base import BaseCacheModule
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class ProxyClientPool(object):
         self._num_connections = 0
         self._available_connections = collections.deque(maxlen=self.max_connections)
         self._locked_connections = set()
-        self._lock = threading.Lock()
+        self._lock = Lock()
 
     def _check_safe(self):
         if self.pid != os.getpid():
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/accelerate.py b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/accelerate.py
index 8b3d961854c..c9a6c435701 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/accelerate.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/accelerate.py
@@ -15,13 +15,12 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-import json
 import os
 import base64
 import socket
 import struct
 import time
-import threading
+from multiprocessing import Lock
 from ansible.callbacks import vvv, vvvv
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError, AnsibleFileNotFound
 from ansible.runner.connection_plugins.ssh import Connection as SSHConnection
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ from ansible import constants
 # multiple of the value to speed up file reads.
 CHUNK_SIZE=1044*20
 
-_LOCK = threading.Lock()
+_LOCK = Lock()
 
 class Connection(object):
     ''' raw socket accelerated connection '''
@@ -243,7 +242,7 @@ class Connection(object):
         ''' run a command on the remote host '''
 
         if sudoable and self.runner.become and self.runner.become_method not in self.become_methods_supported:
-            raise errors.AnsibleError("Internal Error: this module does not support running commands via %s" % self.runner.become_method)
+            raise AnsibleError("Internal Error: this module does not support running commands via %s" % self.runner.become_method)
 
         if in_data:
             raise AnsibleError("Internal Error: this module does not support optimized module pipelining")
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
index 8c699d632bb..5670840a56c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
@@ -19,9 +19,7 @@ import errno
 import sys
 import re
 import os
-import shlex
 import yaml
-import copy
 import optparse
 import operator
 from ansible import errors
@@ -29,8 +27,7 @@ from ansible import __version__
 from ansible.utils.display_functions import *
 from ansible.utils.plugins import *
 from ansible.utils.su_prompts import *
-from ansible.utils.hashing import secure_hash, secure_hash_s, checksum, checksum_s, md5, md5s
-from ansible.callbacks import display
+from ansible.utils.hashing import secure_hash, secure_hash_s, checksum, checksum_s, md5, md5s #unused here but 'reexported'
 from ansible.module_utils.splitter import split_args, unquote
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import heuristic_log_sanitize
 from ansible.utils.unicode import to_bytes, to_unicode
@@ -45,12 +42,11 @@ import pipes
 import random
 import difflib
 import warnings
-import traceback
 import getpass
 import subprocess
 import contextlib
-import threading
 import tempfile
+from multiprocessing import Lock
 
 from vault import VaultLib
 
@@ -64,7 +60,7 @@ LOOKUP_REGEX = re.compile(r'lookup\s*\(')
 PRINT_CODE_REGEX = re.compile(r'(?:{[{%]|[%}]})')
 CODE_REGEX = re.compile(r'(?:{%|%})')
 
-_LOCK = threading.Lock()
+_LOCK = Lock()
 
 try:
     # simplejson can be much faster if it's available
@@ -357,9 +353,6 @@ def path_dwim_relative(original, dirname, source, playbook_base, check=True):
     ''' find one file in a directory one level up in a dir named dirname relative to current '''
     # (used by roles code)
 
-    from ansible.utils import template
-
-
     basedir = os.path.dirname(original)
     if os.path.islink(basedir):
         basedir = unfrackpath(basedir)
@@ -552,8 +545,6 @@ def _clean_data_struct(orig_data, from_remote=False, from_inventory=False):
 def parse_json(raw_data, from_remote=False, from_inventory=False, no_exceptions=False):
     ''' this version for module return data only '''
 
-    orig_data = raw_data
-
     # ignore stuff like tcgetattr spewage or other warnings
     data = filter_leading_non_json_lines(raw_data)