diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index c43d3d681..8ec5947c8 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ def read(fname):
         'PyYAML',
         'zeroc-ice>=3.6.4,<3.7',
         'pywin32; platform_system=="Windows"',
+        'requests'
     ],
     tests_require=[
         'pytest',
diff --git a/src/omero/plugins/import.py b/src/omero/plugins/import.py
index 5762e7b1e..029589c35 100644
--- a/src/omero/plugins/import.py
+++ b/src/omero/plugins/import.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 import csv
 import sys
 import shlex
-from urllib.request import urlopen
+import requests
 from zipfile import ZipFile
 
 
@@ -312,8 +312,14 @@ def add_python_argument(*args, **kwargs):
         for name, help in (
             ("bulk", "Bulk YAML file for driving multiple imports"),
             ("logprefix", "Directory or file prefix for --file and --errs"),
-            ("file", "File for storing the standard output from the Java process"),
-            ("errs", "File for storing the standard error from the Java process")
+            (
+                "file",
+                "File for storing the standard output from the Java process"
+            ),
+            (
+                "errs",
+                "File for storing the standard error from the Java process"
+            )
         ):
             add_python_argument("--%s" % name, nargs="?", help=help)
             add_python_argument("---%s" % name, nargs="?", help=SUPPRESS)
@@ -575,8 +581,8 @@ def download_omero_java(self, version):
         jars_dir, omero_java_txt = self._userdir_jars(parentonly=True)
         if not jars_dir.exists():
             jars_dir.mkdir()
-        with urlopen(omero_java_zip) as resp:
-            with ZipFile(BytesIO(resp.read())) as zipfile:
+        with requests.get(omero_java_zip) as resp:
+            with ZipFile(BytesIO(resp.content)) as zipfile:
                 topdirs = set(f.filename.split(
                     os.path.sep)[0] for f in zipfile.filelist if f.is_dir())
                 if len(topdirs) != 1:
@@ -767,6 +773,7 @@ def parse_csv(self, path, delimiter=","):
 class TestEngine(ImportControl):
     COMMAND = [TEST_CLASS]
 
+
 try:
     register("import", ImportControl, HELP, epilog=EXAMPLES)
     register("testengine", TestEngine, TESTHELP)
diff --git a/src/omero/util/upgrade_check.py b/src/omero/util/upgrade_check.py
index 3d422de64..2ec6d52ae 100644
--- a/src/omero/util/upgrade_check.py
+++ b/src/omero/util/upgrade_check.py
@@ -6,16 +6,14 @@
 """
 
 from future import standard_library
-standard_library.install_aliases()
 from builtins import str
 from builtins import object
 from omero_version import omero_version
 
 import platform
 import logging
-import urllib.request, urllib.error, urllib.parse
-import urllib.request, urllib.parse, urllib.error
-import socket
+import requests
+standard_library.install_aliases()
 
 
 class UpgradeCheck(object):
@@ -47,8 +45,8 @@ class UpgradeCheck(object):
     """
 
     #
-    # Default timeout is 3 seconds.
-    # * http://docs.python.org/2/library/socket.html#socket.setdefaulttimeout
+    # our default timeout to use for requests; package default is no timeout
+    # * https://requests.readthedocs.io/en/master/user/quickstart/#timeouts
     #
     DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 6.0
 
@@ -102,7 +100,7 @@ def getOSVersion(self):
                                      platform.mac_ver()[0])
             else:
                 version = platform.platform()
-        except:
+        except Exception:
             version = platform.platform()
         return version
 
@@ -129,20 +127,13 @@ def run(self):
             params["python.version"] = platform.python_version()
             params["python.compiler"] = platform.python_compiler()
             params["python.build"] = platform.python_build()
-            params = urllib.parse.urlencode(params)
-
-            old_timeout = socket.getdefaulttimeout()
-            try:
-                socket.setdefaulttimeout(self.timeout)
-                full_url = "%s?%s" % (self.url, params)
-                request = urllib.request.Request(full_url)
-                request.add_header('User-Agent', self.agent)
-                self.log.debug("Attempting to connect to %s" % full_url)
-                response = urllib.request.urlopen(request)
-                result = response.read()
-            finally:
-                socket.setdefaulttimeout(old_timeout)
 
+            headers = {'User-Agent': self.agent}
+            request = requests.get(
+                self.url, headers=headers, params=params,
+                timeout=self.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT
+            )
+            result = request.text
         except Exception as e:
             self.log.error(str(e), exc_info=0)
             self._set(None, e)
@@ -152,5 +143,5 @@ def run(self):
             self.log.info("no update needed")
             self._set(None, None)
         else:
-            self.log.warn("UPGRADE AVAILABLE:" + result.decode('utf-8'))
-            self._set(result.decode('utf-8'), None)
+            self.log.warn("UPGRADE AVAILABLE:" + result)
+            self._set(result, None)