diff --git a/oslo_db/sqlalchemy/compat/utils.py b/oslo_db/sqlalchemy/compat/utils.py
index e8177189..8ebffcc8 100644
--- a/oslo_db/sqlalchemy/compat/utils.py
+++ b/oslo_db/sqlalchemy/compat/utils.py
@@ -14,16 +14,16 @@ import re
 import sqlalchemy
 
 
-_SQLA_VERSION = tuple(
+SQLA_VERSION = tuple(
     int(num) if re.match(r'^\d+$', num) else num
     for num in sqlalchemy.__version__.split(".")
 )
 
-sqla_100 = _SQLA_VERSION >= (1, 0, 0)
-sqla_097 = _SQLA_VERSION >= (0, 9, 7)
-sqla_094 = _SQLA_VERSION >= (0, 9, 4)
-sqla_090 = _SQLA_VERSION >= (0, 9, 0)
-sqla_08 = _SQLA_VERSION >= (0, 8)
+sqla_100 = SQLA_VERSION >= (1, 0, 0)
+sqla_097 = SQLA_VERSION >= (0, 9, 7)
+sqla_094 = SQLA_VERSION >= (0, 9, 4)
+sqla_090 = SQLA_VERSION >= (0, 9, 0)
+sqla_08 = SQLA_VERSION >= (0, 8)
 
 
 def get_postgresql_enums(conn):
diff --git a/oslo_db/tests/old_import_api/sqlalchemy/test_utils.py b/oslo_db/tests/old_import_api/sqlalchemy/test_utils.py
index fea7fbdd..9c488a2e 100644
--- a/oslo_db/tests/old_import_api/sqlalchemy/test_utils.py
+++ b/oslo_db/tests/old_import_api/sqlalchemy/test_utils.py
@@ -38,11 +38,12 @@ from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import provision
 from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import session
 from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import test_base as db_test_base
 from oslo.db.sqlalchemy import utils
+from oslo_db.sqlalchemy.compat import utils as compat_utils
 from oslo_db.sqlalchemy import utils as private_utils
 from oslo_db.tests.old_import_api import utils as test_utils
 
 
-SA_VERSION = tuple(map(int, sqlalchemy.__version__.split('.')))
+SA_VERSION = compat_utils.SQLA_VERSION
 Base = declarative_base()
 
 
diff --git a/oslo_db/tests/sqlalchemy/test_utils.py b/oslo_db/tests/sqlalchemy/test_utils.py
index 06a14456..3b511bae 100644
--- a/oslo_db/tests/sqlalchemy/test_utils.py
+++ b/oslo_db/tests/sqlalchemy/test_utils.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from sqlalchemy.sql import select
 from sqlalchemy.types import UserDefinedType, NullType
 
 from oslo_db import exception
+from oslo_db.sqlalchemy.compat import utils as compat_utils
 from oslo_db.sqlalchemy import models
 from oslo_db.sqlalchemy import provision
 from oslo_db.sqlalchemy import session
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ from oslo_db.tests import utils as test_utils
 
 
 Base = declarative_base()
-SA_VERSION = tuple(map(int, sqlalchemy.__version__.split('.')))
+SA_VERSION = compat_utils.SQLA_VERSION
 
 
 class TestSanitizeDbUrl(test_base.BaseTestCase):