diff --git a/mistralclient/commands/v2/action_executions.py b/mistralclient/commands/v2/action_executions.py
index 8dc72b9e..cdef79d5 100644
--- a/mistralclient/commands/v2/action_executions.py
+++ b/mistralclient/commands/v2/action_executions.py
@@ -151,10 +151,7 @@ class Create(command.ShowOne):
         action_input = None
 
         if parsed_args.input:
-            try:
-                action_input = json.loads(parsed_args.input)
-            except Exception:
-                action_input = json.load(open(parsed_args.input))
+            action_input = utils.load_json(parsed_args.input)
 
         mistral_client = self.app.client_manager.workflow_engine
         action_ex = mistral_client.action_executions.create(
@@ -240,10 +237,7 @@ class Update(command.ShowOne):
     def take_action(self, parsed_args):
         output = None
         if parsed_args.output:
-            try:
-                output = json.loads(parsed_args.output)
-            except Exception:
-                output = json.load(open(parsed_args.output))
+            output = utils.load_json(parsed_args.output)
 
         mistral_client = self.app.client_manager.workflow_engine
         execution = mistral_client.action_executions.update(
diff --git a/mistralclient/commands/v2/cron_triggers.py b/mistralclient/commands/v2/cron_triggers.py
index 10379eb7..a48c7d68 100644
--- a/mistralclient/commands/v2/cron_triggers.py
+++ b/mistralclient/commands/v2/cron_triggers.py
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
 #    under the License.
 #
 
-import json
-
 from osc_lib.command import command
 
 from mistralclient.commands.v2 import base
@@ -140,10 +138,7 @@ class Create(command.ShowOne):
     @staticmethod
     def _get_file_content_or_dict(string):
         if string:
-            try:
-                return json.loads(string)
-            except Exception:
-                return json.load(open(string))
+            return utils.load_json(string)
         else:
             return {}
 
diff --git a/mistralclient/commands/v2/executions.py b/mistralclient/commands/v2/executions.py
index c49bd925..93068de8 100644
--- a/mistralclient/commands/v2/executions.py
+++ b/mistralclient/commands/v2/executions.py
@@ -170,18 +170,12 @@ class Create(command.ShowOne):
 
     def take_action(self, parsed_args):
         if parsed_args.workflow_input:
-            try:
-                wf_input = json.loads(parsed_args.workflow_input)
-            except Exception:
-                wf_input = json.load(open(parsed_args.workflow_input))
+            wf_input = utils.load_json(parsed_args.workflow_input)
         else:
             wf_input = {}
 
         if parsed_args.params:
-            try:
-                params = json.loads(parsed_args.params)
-            except Exception:
-                params = json.load(open(parsed_args.params))
+            params = utils.load_json(parsed_args.params)
         else:
             params = {}
 
diff --git a/mistralclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py b/mistralclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py
index e52ad5eb..51343d6d 100644
--- a/mistralclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py
+++ b/mistralclient/tests/unit/test_utils.py
@@ -55,3 +55,11 @@ class UtilityTest(base.BaseTestCase):
             file_path = os.path.abspath(f.name)
 
             self.assertDictEqual(ENV_DICT, utils.load_file(file_path))
+
+    def test_load_json(self):
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as f:
+            f.write(ENV_STR.encode('utf-8'))
+            f.flush()
+            self.assertDictEqual(ENV_DICT, utils.load_json(f.name))
+
+        self.assertDictEqual(ENV_DICT, utils.load_json(ENV_STR))
diff --git a/mistralclient/utils.py b/mistralclient/utils.py
index cdc73e2b..4459765e 100644
--- a/mistralclient/utils.py
+++ b/mistralclient/utils.py
@@ -79,3 +79,11 @@ def get_contents_if_file(contents_or_file_name):
         return request.urlopen(definition_url).read().decode('utf8')
     except Exception:
         return contents_or_file_name
+
+
+def load_json(input_string):
+    try:
+        with open(input_string) as fh:
+            return json.load(fh)
+    except IOError:
+        return json.loads(input_string)