diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index ae6d384bc..54911488a 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import time
 import re
 import six
 import string
+import shlex
 
 from beets import logging
 from mediafile import MediaFile, UnreadableFileError
@@ -1391,7 +1392,7 @@ def parse_query_string(s, model_cls):
     message = u"Query is not unicode: {0!r}".format(s)
     assert isinstance(s, six.text_type), message
     try:
-        parts = util.shlex_split(s)
+        parts = shlex.split(s)
     except ValueError as exc:
         raise dbcore.InvalidQueryError(s, exc)
     return parse_query_parts(parts, model_cls)
diff --git a/beets/util/__init__.py b/beets/util/__init__.py
index 541e5f366..f43f11db5 100644
--- a/beets/util/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/util/__init__.py
@@ -924,25 +924,6 @@ def editor_command():
     return open_anything()
 
 
-def shlex_split(s):
-    """Split a Unicode or bytes string according to shell lexing rules.
-
-    Raise `ValueError` if the string is not a well-formed shell string.
-    This is a workaround for a bug in some versions of Python.
-    """
-    if isinstance(s, bytes):  # Shlex works fine.
-        return shlex.split(s)
-
-    elif isinstance(s, six.text_type):
-        # Work around a Python bug.
-        # http://bugs.python.org/issue6988
-        bs = s.encode('utf-8')
-        return [c.decode('utf-8') for c in shlex.split(bs)]
-
-    else:
-        raise TypeError(u'shlex_split called with non-string')
-
-
 def interactive_open(targets, command):
     """Open the files in `targets` by `exec`ing a new `command`, given
     as a Unicode string. (The new program takes over, and Python
@@ -954,7 +935,7 @@ def interactive_open(targets, command):
 
     # Split the command string into its arguments.
     try:
-        args = shlex_split(command)
+        args = shlex.split(command)
     except ValueError:  # Malformed shell tokens.
         args = [command]
 
diff --git a/beetsplug/edit.py b/beetsplug/edit.py
index 892052758..1d923cc36 100644
--- a/beetsplug/edit.py
+++ b/beetsplug/edit.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import yaml
 from tempfile import NamedTemporaryFile
 import os
 import six
+import shlex
 
 
 # These "safe" types can avoid the format/parse cycle that most fields go
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ class ParseError(Exception):
 def edit(filename, log):
     """Open `filename` in a text editor.
     """
-    cmd = util.shlex_split(util.editor_command())
+    cmd = shlex.split(util.editor_command())
     cmd.append(filename)
     log.debug(u'invoking editor command: {!r}', cmd)
     try:
diff --git a/beetsplug/hook.py b/beetsplug/hook.py
index ff3968a6a..595531f38 100644
--- a/beetsplug/hook.py
+++ b/beetsplug/hook.py
@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@ from __future__ import division, absolute_import, print_function
 
 import string
 import subprocess
+import shlex
 
 from beets.plugins import BeetsPlugin
-from beets.util import shlex_split, arg_encoding
+from beets.util import arg_encoding
 
 
 class CodingFormatter(string.Formatter):
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ class HookPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             # Use a string formatter that works on Unicode strings.
             formatter = CodingFormatter(arg_encoding())
 
-            command_pieces = shlex_split(command)
+            command_pieces = shlex.split(command)
 
             for i, piece in enumerate(command_pieces):
                 command_pieces[i] = formatter.format(piece, event=event,
diff --git a/beetsplug/play.py b/beetsplug/play.py
index 408db846e..d41346042 100644
--- a/beetsplug/play.py
+++ b/beetsplug/play.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from beets import util
 from os.path import relpath
 from tempfile import NamedTemporaryFile
 import subprocess
+import shlex
 
 # Indicate where arguments should be inserted into the command string.
 # If this is missing, they're placed at the end.
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ def play(command_str, selection, paths, open_args, log, item_type='track',
 
     try:
         if keep_open:
-            command = util.shlex_split(command_str)
+            command = shlex.split(command_str)
             command = command + open_args
             subprocess.call(command)
         else: