diff --git a/beets/dbcore/query.py b/beets/dbcore/query.py
index a33a2946a..d8a3a0ea8 100644
--- a/beets/dbcore/query.py
+++ b/beets/dbcore/query.py
@@ -670,9 +670,7 @@ class DurationQuery(NumericQuery):
         if not s:
             return None
         try:
-            # TODO: tidy up circular import
-            from beets.ui import raw_seconds_short
-            return raw_seconds_short(s)
+            return util.raw_seconds_short(s)
         except ValueError:
             try:
                 return float(s)
diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index d8eb9d5d3..ed6b39280 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ class DurationType(types.Float):
     def parse(self, string):
         try:
             # Try to format back hh:ss to seconds.
-            return beets.ui.raw_seconds_short(string)
+            return util.raw_seconds_short(string)
         except ValueError:
             # Fall back to a plain float..
             try:
diff --git a/beets/ui/__init__.py b/beets/ui/__init__.py
index 3a25a03ff..c51c3acb6 100644
--- a/beets/ui/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/ui/__init__.py
@@ -416,19 +416,6 @@ def human_seconds_short(interval):
     return u'%i:%02i' % (interval // 60, interval % 60)
 
 
-def raw_seconds_short(string):
-    """Formats a human-readable M:SS string as a float (number of seconds).
-
-    Raises ValueError if the conversion cannot take place due to `string` not
-    being in the right format.
-    """
-    match = re.match('^(\d+):([0-5]\d)$', string)
-    if not match:
-        raise ValueError('String not in M:SS format')
-    minutes, seconds = map(int, match.groups())
-    return float(minutes * 60 + seconds)
-
-
 # Colorization.
 
 # ANSI terminal colorization code heavily inspired by pygments:
diff --git a/beets/util/__init__.py b/beets/util/__init__.py
index e2d09c3ab..55c599a05 100644
--- a/beets/util/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/util/__init__.py
@@ -843,3 +843,16 @@ def case_sensitive(path):
     lower = _windows_long_path_name(path.lower())
     upper = _windows_long_path_name(path.upper())
     return lower != upper
+
+
+def raw_seconds_short(string):
+    """Formats a human-readable M:SS string as a float (number of seconds).
+
+    Raises ValueError if the conversion cannot take place due to `string` not
+    being in the right format.
+    """
+    match = re.match('^(\d+):([0-5]\d)$', string)
+    if not match:
+        raise ValueError('String not in M:SS format')
+    minutes, seconds = map(int, match.groups())
+    return float(minutes * 60 + seconds)