diff --git a/django/__init__.py b/django/__init__.py
index 85cf02c9a4..32e1374765 100644
--- a/django/__init__.py
+++ b/django/__init__.py
@@ -1,53 +1,7 @@
-import datetime
-import os
-import subprocess
-
-
 VERSION = (1, 5, 0, 'alpha', 0)
 
-
-def get_version(version=None):
-    """Derives a PEP386-compliant version number from VERSION."""
-    if version is None:
-        version = VERSION
-    assert len(version) == 5
-    assert version[3] in ('alpha', 'beta', 'rc', 'final')
-
-    # Now build the two parts of the version number:
-    # main = X.Y[.Z]
-    # sub = .devN - for pre-alpha releases
-    #     | {a|b|c}N - for alpha, beta and rc releases
-
-    parts = 2 if version[2] == 0 else 3
-    main = '.'.join(str(x) for x in version[:parts])
-
-    sub = ''
-    if version[3] == 'alpha' and version[4] == 0:
-        git_changeset = get_git_changeset()
-        if git_changeset:
-            sub = '.dev%s' % git_changeset
-
-    elif version[3] != 'final':
-        mapping = {'alpha': 'a', 'beta': 'b', 'rc': 'c'}
-        sub = mapping[version[3]] + str(version[4])
-
-    return main + sub
-
-
-def get_git_changeset():
-    """Returns a numeric identifier of the latest git changeset.
-
-    The result is the UTC timestamp of the changeset in YYYYMMDDHHMMSS format.
-    This value isn't guaranteed to be unique but collisions are very unlikely,
-    so it's sufficient for generating the development version numbers.
-    """
-    repo_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
-    git_show = subprocess.Popen('git show --pretty=format:%ct --quiet HEAD',
-            stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-            shell=True, cwd=repo_dir, universal_newlines=True)
-    timestamp = git_show.communicate()[0].partition('\n')[0]
-    try:
-        timestamp = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(int(timestamp))
-    except ValueError:
-        return None
-    return timestamp.strftime('%Y%m%d%H%M%S')
+def get_version(*args, **kwargs):
+    # Don't litter django/__init__.py with all the get_version stuff.
+    # Only import if it's actually called.
+    from django.utils.version import get_version
+    return get_version(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/django/utils/version.py b/django/utils/version.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3f108b8af2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/django/utils/version.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import datetime
+import os
+import subprocess
+
+def get_version(version=None):
+    "Returns a PEP 386-compliant version number from VERSION."
+    if version is None:
+        from django import VERSION as version
+    else:
+        assert len(version) == 5
+        assert version[3] in ('alpha', 'beta', 'rc', 'final')
+
+    # Now build the two parts of the version number:
+    # main = X.Y[.Z]
+    # sub = .devN - for pre-alpha releases
+    #     | {a|b|c}N - for alpha, beta and rc releases
+
+    parts = 2 if version[2] == 0 else 3
+    main = '.'.join(str(x) for x in version[:parts])
+
+    sub = ''
+    if version[3] == 'alpha' and version[4] == 0:
+        git_changeset = get_git_changeset()
+        if git_changeset:
+            sub = '.dev%s' % git_changeset
+
+    elif version[3] != 'final':
+        mapping = {'alpha': 'a', 'beta': 'b', 'rc': 'c'}
+        sub = mapping[version[3]] + str(version[4])
+
+    return main + sub
+
+def get_git_changeset():
+    """Returns a numeric identifier of the latest git changeset.
+
+    The result is the UTC timestamp of the changeset in YYYYMMDDHHMMSS format.
+    This value isn't guaranteed to be unique, but collisions are very unlikely,
+    so it's sufficient for generating the development version numbers.
+    """
+    repo_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+    git_show = subprocess.Popen('git show --pretty=format:%ct --quiet HEAD',
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+            shell=True, cwd=repo_dir, universal_newlines=True)
+    timestamp = git_show.communicate()[0].partition('\n')[0]
+    try:
+        timestamp = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(int(timestamp))
+    except ValueError:
+        return None
+    return timestamp.strftime('%Y%m%d%H%M%S')