diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/filter/network.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/filter/network.py
index 3f266fa5bfb..bf7711d0fa9 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/filter/network.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/filter/network.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ from ansible.module_utils.six import iteritems, string_types
 from ansible.module_utils.common._collections_compat import Mapping
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError, AnsibleFilterError
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
-from ansible.utils.encrypt import random_password
+from ansible.utils.encrypt import passlib_or_crypt, random_password
 
 try:
     import yaml
@@ -47,12 +47,6 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     HAS_TEXTFSM = False
 
-try:
-    from passlib.hash import md5_crypt
-    HAS_PASSLIB = True
-except ImportError:
-    HAS_PASSLIB = False
-
 display = Display()
 
 
@@ -357,9 +351,6 @@ def parse_xml(output, tmpl):
 
 
 def type5_pw(password, salt=None):
-    if not HAS_PASSLIB:
-        raise AnsibleFilterError('type5_pw filter requires PassLib library to be installed')
-
     if not isinstance(password, string_types):
         raise AnsibleFilterError("type5_pw password input should be a string, but was given a input of %s" % (type(password).__name__))
 
@@ -375,7 +366,7 @@ def type5_pw(password, salt=None):
     elif not set(salt) <= set(salt_chars):
         raise AnsibleFilterError("type5_pw salt used inproper characters, must be one of %s" % (salt_chars))
 
-    encrypted_password = md5_crypt.encrypt(password, salt=salt)
+    encrypted_password = passlib_or_crypt(password, "md5_crypt", salt=salt)
 
     return encrypted_password
 
diff --git a/test/units/plugins/filter/test_network.py b/test/units/plugins/filter/test_network.py
index 8f135ab9df9..cbce8c823fa 100644
--- a/test/units/plugins/filter/test_network.py
+++ b/test/units/plugins/filter/test_network.py
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ import sys
 import pytest
 
 from units.compat import unittest
-from ansible.plugins.filter.network import (HAS_PASSLIB, parse_xml, type5_pw, hash_salt,
-                                            comp_type5, vlan_parser)
+from ansible.plugins.filter.network import parse_xml, type5_pw, hash_salt, comp_type5, vlan_parser
 
 fixture_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures', 'network')
 
@@ -83,7 +82,6 @@ class TestNetworkParseFilter(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual("parse_xml works on string input, but given input of : %s" % type(output), str(e.exception))
 
 
-@pytest.mark.skipif(not HAS_PASSLIB, reason="Current type5_pw filter needs passlib to function")
 class TestNetworkType5(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_defined_salt_success(self):
@@ -147,7 +145,6 @@ class TestHashSalt(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual("Could not parse salt out password correctly from $nTc1$Z28sUTcWfXlvVe2x.3XAa.", str(e.exception))
 
 
-@pytest.mark.skipif(not HAS_PASSLIB, reason="Current comp_type5 filter needs passlib to function")
 class TestCompareType5(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_compare_type5_boolean(self):