diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/eos.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/eos.py
index 39771d0f9c4..3655820d321 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/eos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/eos.py
@@ -19,12 +19,15 @@
 
 import re
 
-from ansible.module_utils.basic import json, get_exception, AnsibleModule
-from ansible.module_utils.network import Command, NetCli, NetworkError, get_module
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import json, AnsibleModule, get_exception
+from ansible.module_utils.network import NetCli, NetworkError, NetworkModule, Command
 from ansible.module_utils.network import add_argument, register_transport, to_list
 from ansible.module_utils.netcfg import NetworkConfig
 from ansible.module_utils.urls import fetch_url, url_argument_spec
 
+# temporary fix until modules are update.  to be removed before 2.2 final
+from ansible.module_utils.network import get_module
+
 EAPI_FORMATS = ['json', 'text']
 
 add_argument('use_ssl', dict(default=True, type='bool'))
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network.py
index 4d80de7b039..0a8b9d83cbb 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network.py
@@ -48,24 +48,6 @@ def to_list(val):
     else:
         return list()
 
-def connect(module):
-    try:
-        if not module.connected:
-            module.connection.connect(module.params)
-            if module.params['authorize']:
-                module.connection.authorize(module.params)
-    except NetworkError:
-        exc = get_exception()
-        module.fail_json(msg=exc.message)
-
-def disconnect(module):
-    try:
-        if module.connected:
-            module.connection.disconnect()
-    except NetworkError:
-        exc = get_exception()
-        module.fail_json(msg=exc.message)
-
 
 class Command(object):
 
@@ -157,15 +139,39 @@ class NetworkError(Exception):
 class NetworkModule(AnsibleModule):
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        connect_on_load = kwargs.pop('connect_on_load', True)
+
+        argument_spec = NET_TRANSPORT_ARGS.copy()
+        argument_spec['transport']['choices'] = NET_CONNECTIONS.keys()
+        argument_spec.update(NET_CONNECTION_ARGS.copy())
+
+        if kwargs.get('argument_spec'):
+            argument_spec.update(kwargs['argument_spec'])
+        kwargs['argument_spec'] = argument_spec
+
         super(NetworkModule, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+
         self.connection = None
         self._cli = None
         self._config = None
 
+        try:
+            transport = self.params['transport'] or '__default__'
+            cls = NET_CONNECTIONS[transport]
+            self.connection = cls()
+        except KeyError:
+            self.fail_json(msg='Unknown transport or no default transport specified')
+        except (TypeError, NetworkError):
+            exc = get_exception()
+            self.fail_json(msg=exc.message)
+
+        if connect_on_load:
+            self.connect()
+
     @property
     def cli(self):
         if not self.connected:
-            connect(self)
+            self.connect()
         if self._cli:
             return self._cli
         self._cli = Cli(self.connection)
@@ -174,7 +180,7 @@ class NetworkModule(AnsibleModule):
     @property
     def config(self):
         if not self.connected:
-            connect(self)
+            self.connect()
         if self._config:
             return self._config
         self._config = Config(self.connection)
@@ -193,6 +199,24 @@ class NetworkModule(AnsibleModule):
                     if self.params.get(key) is None and value is not None:
                         self.params[key] = value
 
+    def connect(self):
+        try:
+            if not self.connected:
+                self.connection.connect(self.params)
+                if self.params['authorize']:
+                    self.connection.authorize(self.params)
+        except NetworkError:
+            exc = get_exception()
+            self.fail_json(msg=exc.message)
+
+    def disconnect(self):
+        try:
+            if self.connected:
+                self.connection.disconnect()
+        except NetworkError:
+            exc = get_exception()
+            self.fail_json(msg=exc.message)
+
 
 class NetCli(object):
     """Basic paramiko-based ssh transport any NetworkModule can use."""
@@ -249,32 +273,6 @@ class NetCli(object):
             raise NetworkError(exc.message, commands=commands)
 
 
-def get_module(connect_on_load=True, **kwargs):
-    argument_spec = NET_TRANSPORT_ARGS.copy()
-    argument_spec['transport']['choices'] = NET_CONNECTIONS.keys()
-    argument_spec.update(NET_CONNECTION_ARGS.copy())
-
-    if kwargs.get('argument_spec'):
-        argument_spec.update(kwargs['argument_spec'])
-    kwargs['argument_spec'] = argument_spec
-
-    module = NetworkModule(**kwargs)
-
-    try:
-        transport = module.params['transport'] or '__default__'
-        cls = NET_CONNECTIONS[transport]
-        module.connection = cls()
-    except KeyError:
-        module.fail_json(msg='Unknown transport or no default transport specified')
-    except (TypeError, NetworkError):
-        exc = get_exception()
-        module.fail_json(msg=exc.message)
-
-    if connect_on_load:
-        connect(module)
-
-    return module
-
 def register_transport(transport, default=False):
     def register(cls):
         NET_CONNECTIONS[transport] = cls
@@ -286,3 +284,9 @@ def register_transport(transport, default=False):
 def add_argument(key, value):
     NET_CONNECTION_ARGS[key] = value
 
+def get_module(*args, **kwargs):
+    # This is a temporary factory function to avoid break all modules
+    # until the modules are updated.  This function *will* be removed
+    # before 2.2 final
+    return NetworkModule(*args, **kwargs)
+