diff --git a/netconf/nc_common/utils.py b/netconf/nc_common/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3af31bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/netconf/nc_common/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+#
+# Copyright 2017 the original author or authors.
+#
+# Code adapted from https://github.com/choppsv1/netconf
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+from netconf.constants import Constants as C
+from lxml import etree
+
+ns_map = C.NS_MAP
+
+def qmap(key):
+    if ns_map.has_key(key):
+        return ''.join(['{', ns_map[key], '}'])
+
+def ns(key):
+    if ns_map.has_key(key):
+        return ns_map[key]
+
+def qname(tag):
+    try:
+        return etree.QName(tag)
+    except ValueError:
+        prefix, base = tag.split(":")
+        return etree.QName(ns(prefix), base)
+
+def elm(tag, attrib=None, **extra):
+    if attrib is None:
+        attrib = dict()
+    return etree.Element(qname(tag), attrib, **extra)
+