diff --git a/IPython/kernel/blocking/channels.py b/IPython/kernel/blocking/channels.py
index ac383e9..6f762b6 100644
--- a/IPython/kernel/blocking/channels.py
+++ b/IPython/kernel/blocking/channels.py
@@ -11,21 +11,6 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     from Queue import Queue, Empty  # Py 2
 
-from IPython.utils.py3compat import string_types, iteritems
-
-# some utilities to validate message structure, these might get moved elsewhere
-# if they prove to have more generic utility
-
-def validate_string_dict(dct):
-    """Validate that the input is a dict with string keys and values.
-
-    Raises ValueError if not."""
-    for k,v in iteritems(dct):
-        if not isinstance(k, string_types):
-            raise ValueError('key %r in dict must be a string' % k)
-        if not isinstance(v, string_types):
-            raise ValueError('value %r in dict must be a string' % v)
-
 
 class ZMQSocketChannel(object):
     """A ZMQ socket in a simple blocking API"""
diff --git a/IPython/kernel/channels.py b/IPython/kernel/channels.py
index 3e700f5..6fed384 100644
--- a/IPython/kernel/channels.py
+++ b/IPython/kernel/channels.py
@@ -14,12 +14,10 @@ import zmq
 # import ZMQError in top-level namespace, to avoid ugly attribute-error messages
 # during garbage collection of threads at exit:
 from zmq import ZMQError
-from zmq.eventloop import ioloop, zmqstream
 
 from IPython.core.release import kernel_protocol_version_info
 
 from .channelsabc import HBChannelABC
-from IPython.utils.py3compat import string_types, iteritems
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Constants and exceptions
@@ -30,23 +28,6 @@ major_protocol_version = kernel_protocol_version_info[0]
 class InvalidPortNumber(Exception):
     pass
 
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Utility functions
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-# some utilities to validate message structure, these might get moved elsewhere
-# if they prove to have more generic utility
-
-def validate_string_dict(dct):
-    """Validate that the input is a dict with string keys and values.
-
-    Raises ValueError if not."""
-    for k,v in iteritems(dct):
-        if not isinstance(k, string_types):
-            raise ValueError('key %r in dict must be a string' % k)
-        if not isinstance(v, string_types):
-            raise ValueError('value %r in dict must be a string' % v)
-
 
 def make_shell_socket(context, identity, address):
     socket = context.socket(zmq.DEALER)
diff --git a/IPython/kernel/client.py b/IPython/kernel/client.py
index 959bc96..9046dcc 100644
--- a/IPython/kernel/client.py
+++ b/IPython/kernel/client.py
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 # Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
-from IPython.kernel.channels import validate_string_dict, major_protocol_version
-from IPython.utils.py3compat import string_types
+from IPython.kernel.channels import major_protocol_version
+from IPython.utils.py3compat import string_types, iteritems
 
 import zmq
 
@@ -21,6 +21,20 @@ from .clientabc import KernelClientABC
 from .connect import ConnectionFileMixin
 
 
+# some utilities to validate message structure, these might get moved elsewhere
+# if they prove to have more generic utility
+
+def validate_string_dict(dct):
+    """Validate that the input is a dict with string keys and values.
+
+    Raises ValueError if not."""
+    for k,v in iteritems(dct):
+        if not isinstance(k, string_types):
+            raise ValueError('key %r in dict must be a string' % k)
+        if not isinstance(v, string_types):
+            raise ValueError('value %r in dict must be a string' % v)
+
+
 class KernelClient(ConnectionFileMixin):
     """Communicates with a single kernel on any host via zmq channels.
 
diff --git a/IPython/qt/client.py b/IPython/qt/client.py
index 3414523..902f37d 100644
--- a/IPython/qt/client.py
+++ b/IPython/qt/client.py
@@ -37,28 +37,11 @@ class QtHBChannel(SuperQObject, HBChannel):
 
 from IPython.core.release import kernel_protocol_version_info
 
-from IPython.utils.py3compat import string_types, iteritems
-
 major_protocol_version = kernel_protocol_version_info[0]
 
 class InvalidPortNumber(Exception):
     pass
 
-# some utilities to validate message structure, these might get moved elsewhere
-# if they prove to have more generic utility
-
-
-def validate_string_dict(dct):
-    """Validate that the input is a dict with string keys and values.
-
-    Raises ValueError if not."""
-    for k,v in iteritems(dct):
-        if not isinstance(k, string_types):
-            raise ValueError('key %r in dict must be a string' % k)
-        if not isinstance(v, string_types):
-            raise ValueError('value %r in dict must be a string' % v)
-
-
 
 class QtZMQSocketChannel(SuperQObject):
     """A ZMQ socket emitting a Qt signal when a message is received."""