diff --git a/tuf/client/updater.py b/tuf/client/updater.py
index 629f8e21..99321978 100755
--- a/tuf/client/updater.py
+++ b/tuf/client/updater.py
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@
 
 from securesystemslib import exceptions as sslib_exceptions
 from securesystemslib import formats as sslib_formats
+from securesystemslib import hash as sslib_hash
 from securesystemslib import keys as sslib_keys
 from securesystemslib import util as sslib_util
 
@@ -148,7 +149,6 @@
 import tuf.requests_fetcher
 import tuf.keydb
 
-import securesystemslib.hash
 import six
 
 # The Timestamp role does not have signed metadata about it; otherwise we
@@ -1207,7 +1207,7 @@ def _check_hashes(self, file_object, trusted_hashes):
 
     # Verify each hash, raise an exception if any hash fails to verify
     for algorithm, trusted_hash in six.iteritems(trusted_hashes):
-      digest_object = securesystemslib.hash.digest_fileobject(file_object,
+      digest_object = sslib_hash.digest_fileobject(file_object,
           algorithm)
       computed_hash = digest_object.hexdigest()
 
@@ -2933,7 +2933,7 @@ def _get_target_hash(self, target_filepath, hash_function='sha256'):
     # Calculate the hash of the filepath to determine which bin to find the
     # target.  The client currently assumes the repository (i.e., repository
     # tool) uses 'hash_function' to generate hashes and UTF-8.
-    digest_object = securesystemslib.hash.digest(hash_function)
+    digest_object = sslib_hash.digest(hash_function)
     encoded_target_filepath = target_filepath.encode('utf-8')
     digest_object.update(encoded_target_filepath)
     target_filepath_hash = digest_object.hexdigest()
@@ -3088,7 +3088,7 @@ def updated_targets(self, targets, destination_directory):
       for algorithm, digest in six.iteritems(target['fileinfo']['hashes']):
         digest_object = None
         try:
-          digest_object = securesystemslib.hash.digest_filename(target_filepath,
+          digest_object = sslib_hash.digest_filename(target_filepath,
             algorithm=algorithm)
 
         # This exception would occur if the target does not exist locally.
diff --git a/tuf/repository_lib.py b/tuf/repository_lib.py
index 4a1b8e8d..0384ad66 100644
--- a/tuf/repository_lib.py
+++ b/tuf/repository_lib.py
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@
 import json
 import tempfile
 
+import securesystemslib
 from securesystemslib import exceptions as sslib_exceptions
 from securesystemslib import formats as sslib_formats
+from securesystemslib import hash as sslib_hash
 from securesystemslib import interface as sslib_interface
 from securesystemslib import keys as sslib_keys
 from securesystemslib import util as sslib_util
@@ -55,8 +57,6 @@
 from tuf import sig
 import tuf.keydb
 
-import securesystemslib
-import securesystemslib.hash
 import six
 
 
@@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ def get_target_hash(target_filepath):
   """
   formats.RELPATH_SCHEMA.check_match(target_filepath)
 
-  digest_object = securesystemslib.hash.digest(algorithm=HASH_FUNCTION)
+  digest_object = sslib_hash.digest(algorithm=HASH_FUNCTION)
   digest_object.update(target_filepath.encode('utf-8'))
   return digest_object.hexdigest()