diff --git a/monitoring/sensu_check.py b/monitoring/sensu_check.py
index b968304c34f..a1bd36ca665 100644
--- a/monitoring/sensu_check.py
+++ b/monitoring/sensu_check.py
@@ -183,19 +183,23 @@ def sensu_check(module, path, name, state='present', backup=False):
         import simplejson as json
 
     try:
-        with open(path) as stream:
-            config = json.load(stream)
-    except IOError as e:
-        if e.errno is 2:  # File not found, non-fatal
-            if state == 'absent':
-                reasons.append('file did not exist and state is `absent\'')
-                return changed, reasons
-            config = {}
-        else:
-            module.fail_json(msg=str(e))
-    except ValueError:
-        msg = '{path} contains invalid JSON'.format(path=path)
-        module.fail_json(msg=msg)
+        try:
+            stream = open(path, 'r')
+            config = json.load(stream.read())
+        except IOError, e:
+            if e.errno is 2:  # File not found, non-fatal
+                if state == 'absent':
+                    reasons.append('file did not exist and state is `absent\'')
+                    return changed, reasons
+                config = {}
+            else:
+                module.fail_json(msg=str(e))
+        except ValueError:
+            msg = '{path} contains invalid JSON'.format(path=path)
+            module.fail_json(msg=msg)
+    finally:
+        if stream:
+            stream.close()
 
     if 'checks' not in config:
         if state == 'absent':
@@ -274,10 +278,14 @@ def sensu_check(module, path, name, state='present', backup=False):
         if backup:
             module.backup_local(path)
         try:
-            with open(path, 'w') as stream:
+            try:
+                stream = open(path, 'w')
                 stream.write(json.dumps(config, indent=2) + '\n')
-        except IOError as e:
-            module.fail_json(msg=str(e))
+            except IOError, e:
+                module.fail_json(msg=str(e))
+        finally:
+            if stream:
+                stream.close()
 
     return changed, reasons