diff --git a/ipapython/dnsutil.py b/ipapython/dnsutil.py
index 7f0a094f2..6ff500b22 100644
--- a/ipapython/dnsutil.py
+++ b/ipapython/dnsutil.py
@@ -185,3 +185,9 @@ def assert_absolute_dnsname(name):
     assert isinstance(name, DNSName), ("name must be DNSName instance, "
                                        "got '%s'" % type(name))
     assert name.is_absolute(), "name must be absolute, got '%s'" % name
+
+
+def is_auto_empty_zone(zone):
+    """True if specified zone name exactly matches an automatic empty zone."""
+    assert isinstance(zone, DNSName)
+    return zone in EMPTY_ZONES
diff --git a/ipapython/ipautil.py b/ipapython/ipautil.py
index 4c9693368..4597f1c63 100644
--- a/ipapython/ipautil.py
+++ b/ipapython/ipautil.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ from ipapython.ipa_log_manager import root_logger
 from ipapython import config
 from ipaplatform.paths import paths
 from ipapython.dn import DN
-from ipapython.dnsutil import DNSName, EMPTY_ZONES
+from ipapython.dnsutil import DNSName, is_auto_empty_zone
 
 SHARE_DIR = paths.USR_SHARE_IPA_DIR
 PLUGINS_SHARE_DIR = paths.IPA_PLUGINS
@@ -1065,12 +1065,6 @@ def check_zone_overlap(zone, raise_on_error=True):
         raise ValueError(msg)
 
 
-def is_auto_empty_zone(zone):
-    """True if specified zone name exactly matches an automatic empty zone."""
-    assert isinstance(zone, DNSName)
-    return zone in EMPTY_ZONES
-
-
 def config_replace_variables(filepath, replacevars=dict(), appendvars=dict()):
     """
     Take a key=value based configuration file, and write new version