diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils.py b/lib/ansible/utils.py
index c46ff6a342f..0c72f8ae5fd 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils.py
@@ -26,19 +26,11 @@ import jinja2
 import yaml
 import optparse
 from operator import methodcaller
-
 try:
     import json
 except ImportError:
     import simplejson as json
 
-try:
-    import hashlib 
-    HAVE_HASHLIB=True
-except ImportError: 
-    import md5
-    HAVE_HASHLIB=False
-
 from ansible import errors
 import ansible.constants as C
 
@@ -320,18 +312,21 @@ def parse_kv(args):
                 options[k]=v
     return options
 
-def local_md5(filename):
+def local_md5(file):
      ''' compute local md5sum, return None if file is not present '''
-     if os.path.exists(filename):
-         md5val=None
-         if os.path.exists(filename):
-             if HAVE_HASHLIB:
-                 md5val=hashlib.md5(file(filename).read()).hexdigest()
-             else:
-                 md5val=md5.new(file(filename).read()).hexdigest()
-         return md5val
-     else:
+     #was >>> cmd = "/usr/bin/md5sum %s 2> /dev/null || /sbin/md5 -q %s" % (file,file)
+     md5s = [
+         "(/usr/bin/md5sum %s 2>/dev/null)" % (file),
+         "(/sbin/md5sum -q %s 2>/dev/null)" % (file),
+         "(/usr/bin/digest -a md5 -v %s 2>/dev/null)" % (file)
+     ]
+     cmd = " || ".join(md5s)
+
+     if not os.path.exists(file):
          return None
+     else:
+         c = os.popen(cmd)
+         return c.read().split()[0]
 
 
 ####################################################################
diff --git a/library/assemble b/library/assemble
index bf612cca65c..23c50221b27 100755
--- a/library/assemble
+++ b/library/assemble
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ import shlex
 import shutil
 import syslog
 import tempfile
-
 try:
     import hashlib
     HAVE_HASHLIB=True
@@ -65,18 +64,12 @@ def write_temp_file(data):
     os.close(fd)
     return path
 
-def local_md5(filename):
-     ''' compute local md5sum, return None if file is not present '''
-     if os.path.exists(filename):
-         md5val=None
-         if os.path.exists(filename):
-             if HAVE_HASHLIB:
-                 md5val=hashlib.md5(file(filename).read()).hexdigest()
-             else:
-                 md5val=md5.new(file(filename).read()).hexdigest()
-         return md5val
-     else:
-         return None
+def file_digest(path):
+    if HAVE_HASHLIB:
+        digest = hashlib.md5(file(path).read()).hexdigest()
+    else:
+        digest = md5.new(file(path).read()).hexdigest()
+    return digest
 
 # ===========================================
 
@@ -118,10 +111,10 @@ if not os.path.isdir(src):
     fail_json(msg="Source (%s) is not a directory" % src)
 
 path = write_temp_file(assemble_from_fragments(src))
-pathmd5 = local_md5(path)
+pathmd5 = file_digest(path)
 
 if os.path.exists(dest):
-    destmd5 = local_md5(dest)
+    destmd5 = file_digest(dest)
 
 if pathmd5 != destmd5:
     shutil.copy(path, dest)
diff --git a/library/copy b/library/copy
index a6be0caa6df..f06f7793606 100755
--- a/library/copy
+++ b/library/copy
@@ -24,13 +24,6 @@ import shlex
 import shutil
 import syslog
 
-try:
-    import hashlib
-    HAVE_HASHLIB=True
-except ImportError:
-    import md5
-    HAVE_HASHLIB=False
-
 # ===========================================
 # convert arguments of form a=b c=d
 # to a dictionary
@@ -45,20 +38,9 @@ def exit_kv(rc=0, **kwargs):
     print dump_kv(kwargs)
     sys.exit(rc)
 
-def local_md5(filename):
-     ''' compute local md5sum, return None if file is not present '''
-     if os.path.exists(filename):
-         md5val=None
-         if os.path.exists(filename):
-             if HAVE_HASHLIB:
-                 md5val=hashlib.md5(file(filename).read()).hexdigest()
-             else:
-                 md5val=md5.new(file(filename).read()).hexdigest()
-         return md5val
-     else:
-         return None
-
-# ===========================================
+def md5_sum(f):
+    md5sum = os.popen("/usr/bin/md5sum %(file)s 2>/dev/null || /sbin/md5 -q %(file)s 2>/dev/null || /usr/bin/digest -a md5 -v %(file)s 2>/dev/null" % {"file": f}).read().split()[0]
+    return md5sum
 
 if len(sys.argv) == 1:
     exit_kv(rc=1, failed=1, msg="incorrect number of arguments given")
@@ -91,7 +73,7 @@ if not os.path.exists(src):
     exit_kv(rc=1, failed=1, msg="Source %s failed to transfer" % (src))
 if not os.access(src, os.R_OK):
     exit_kv(rc=1, failed=1, msg="Source %s not readable" % (src))
-md5sum_src = local_md5(src)
+md5sum_src = md5_sum(src)
 
 md5sum_dest = None
 # check if there is no dest file
@@ -101,7 +83,7 @@ if os.path.exists(dest):
         exit_kv(rc=1, failed=1, msg="Destination %s not writable" % (dest))
     if not os.access(dest, os.R_OK):
         exit_kv(rc=1, failed=1, msg="Destination %s not readable" % (dest))
-    md5sum_dest = local_md5(dest)
+    md5sum_dest = md5_sum(dest)
 else:
     if not os.access(os.path.dirname(dest), os.W_OK):
         exit_kv(rc=1, failed=1, msg="Destination %s not writable" % (os.path.dirname(dest)))
diff --git a/library/setup b/library/setup
index c6edbfe4812..15f5b67fd8f 100755
--- a/library/setup
+++ b/library/setup
@@ -33,13 +33,6 @@ import subprocess
 import traceback
 import syslog
 
-try:
-    import hashlib
-    HAVE_HASHLIB=True
-except ImportError:
-    import md5
-    HAVE_HASHLIB=False
-
 try:
     import selinux
     HAVE_SELINUX=True
@@ -318,20 +311,9 @@ def ansible_facts():
     get_service_facts(facts)
     return facts
 
-def local_md5(filename):
-     ''' compute local md5sum, return None if file is not present '''
-     if os.path.exists(filename):
-         md5val=None
-         if os.path.exists(filename):
-             if HAVE_HASHLIB:
-                 md5val=hashlib.md5(file(filename).read()).hexdigest()
-             else:
-                 md5val=md5.new(file(filename).read()).hexdigest()
-         return md5val
-     else:
-         return None
-
-# ===========================================
+def md5_sum(f):
+    md5sum = os.popen("/usr/bin/md5sum %(file)s 2>/dev/null || /sbin/md5 -q %(file)s 2>/dev/null || /usr/bin/digest -a md5 -v %(file)s 2>/dev/null" % {"file": f}).read().split()[0]
+    return md5sum
 
 # load config & template variables
 
@@ -369,7 +351,7 @@ md5sum = None
 if not os.path.exists(ansible_file):
     changed = True
 else:
-    md5sum = local_md5(ansible_file)
+    md5sum = md5_sum(ansible_file)
 
 # Get some basic facts in case facter or ohai are not installed
 for (k, v) in ansible_facts().items():
@@ -418,7 +400,7 @@ reformat = json.dumps(setup_options, sort_keys=True, indent=4)
 f.write(reformat)
 f.close()
 
-md5sum2 = local_md5(ansible_file)
+md5sum2 = md5_sum(ansible_file)
 
 if md5sum != md5sum2:
    changed = True