diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/ec2.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/ec2.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3bd1217337
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/ec2.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+def get_ec2_creds(module):
+
+    # Check module args for credentials, then check environment vars
+
+    ec2_url = module.params.get('ec2_url')
+    ec2_secret_key = module.params.get('ec2_secret_key')
+    ec2_access_key = module.params.get('ec2_access_key')
+    region = module.params.get('region')
+
+    if not ec2_url:
+        if 'EC2_URL' in os.environ:
+            ec2_url = os.environ['EC2_URL']
+        elif 'AWS_URL' in os.environ:
+            ec2_url = os.environ['AWS_URL']
+
+    if not ec2_access_key:
+        if 'EC2_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
+            ec2_access_key = os.environ['EC2_ACCESS_KEY']
+        elif 'AWS_ACESS_KEY' in os.environ:
+            ec2_access_key = os.environ['AWS_ACESS_KEY']
+        else:
+            module.fail_json(msg="Please specify an ec2_access_key")
+
+    if not ec2_secret_key:
+        if 'EC2_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
+            ec2_secret_key = os.environ['EC2_SECRET_KEY']
+        elif 'AWS_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
+            ec2_secret_key = os.environ['AWS_SECRET_KEY']
+        else:
+            module.fail_json(msg="Please specify an ec2_secret_key")
+
+    if not region:
+        if 'EC2_REGION' in os.environ:
+            region = os.environ['EC2_REGION']
+        elif 'AWS_REGION' in os.environ:
+            region = os.environ['AWS_REGION']
+
+    return ec2_url, ec2_access_key, ec2_secret_key, region
diff --git a/library/cloud/ec2 b/library/cloud/ec2
index 75b3da960c..e97bcea8e2 100644
--- a/library/cloud/ec2
+++ b/library/cloud/ec2
@@ -573,8 +573,8 @@ def main():
             wait = dict(type='bool', default=False),
             wait_timeout = dict(default=300),
             ec2_url = dict(),
-            aws_secret_key = dict(aliases=['ec2_secret_key', 'secret_key'], no_log=True),
-            aws_access_key = dict(aliases=['ec2_access_key', 'access_key']),
+            ec2_secret_key = dict(aliases=['aws_secret_key', 'secret_key'], no_log=True),
+            ec2_access_key = dict(aliases=['aws_access_key', 'access_key']),
             placement_group = dict(),
             user_data = dict(),
             instance_tags = dict(type='dict'),
@@ -586,33 +586,9 @@ def main():
         )
     )
 
-    ec2_url = module.params.get('ec2_url')
-    aws_secret_key = module.params.get('aws_secret_key')
-    aws_access_key = module.params.get('aws_access_key')
-    region = module.params.get('region')
-
-
-    # allow eucarc environment variables to be used if ansible vars aren't set
-    if not ec2_url and 'EC2_URL' in os.environ:
-        ec2_url = os.environ['EC2_URL']
-
-    if not aws_secret_key:
-        if  'AWS_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_secret_key = os.environ['AWS_SECRET_KEY']
-        elif 'EC2_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_secret_key = os.environ['EC2_SECRET_KEY']
-
-    if not aws_access_key:
-        if 'AWS_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_access_key = os.environ['AWS_ACCESS_KEY']
-        elif 'EC2_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_access_key = os.environ['EC2_ACCESS_KEY']
-
-    if not region:
-        if 'AWS_REGION' in os.environ:
-            region = os.environ['AWS_REGION']
-        elif 'EC2_REGION' in os.environ:
-            region = os.environ['EC2_REGION']
+    # def get_ec2_creds(module):
+    #   return ec2_url, ec2_access_key, ec2_secret_key, region
+    ec2_url, aws_access_key, aws_secret_key, region = get_ec2_creds(module)
 
     # If we have a region specified, connect to its endpoint.
     if region:
@@ -646,8 +622,8 @@ def main():
 
     module.exit_json(changed=changed, instance_ids=new_instance_ids, instances=instance_dict_array)
 
-
-# this is magic, see lib/ansible/module_common.py
-#<<INCLUDE_ANSIBLE_MODULE_COMMON>>
+# import module snippets
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
+from ansible.module_utils.ec2 import *
 
 main()
diff --git a/library/cloud/ec2_ami b/library/cloud/ec2_ami
index 37ccc834bd..a4d8dbf681 100644
--- a/library/cloud/ec2_ami
+++ b/library/cloud/ec2_ami
@@ -278,32 +278,9 @@ def main():
         )
     )
 
-    ec2_url = module.params.get('ec2_url')
-    aws_secret_key = module.params.get('aws_secret_key')
-    aws_access_key = module.params.get('aws_access_key')
-    region = module.params.get('region')
-
-    # allow eucarc environment variables to be used if ansible vars aren't set
-    if not ec2_url and 'EC2_URL' in os.environ:
-        ec2_url = os.environ['EC2_URL']
-
-    if not aws_secret_key:
-        if  'AWS_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_secret_key = os.environ['AWS_SECRET_KEY']
-        elif 'EC2_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_secret_key = os.environ['EC2_SECRET_KEY']
-
-    if not aws_access_key:
-        if 'AWS_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_access_key = os.environ['AWS_ACCESS_KEY']
-        elif 'EC2_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_access_key = os.environ['EC2_ACCESS_KEY']
-
-    if not region:
-        if 'AWS_REGION' in os.environ:
-            region = os.environ['AWS_REGION']
-        elif 'EC2_REGION' in os.environ:
-            region = os.environ['EC2_REGION']
+    # def get_ec2_creds(module):
+    #   return ec2_url, ec2_access_key, ec2_secret_key, region
+    ec2_url, aws_access_key, aws_secret_key, region = get_ec2_creds(module)
 
     # If we have a region specified, connect to its endpoint.
     if region:
@@ -335,8 +312,9 @@ def main():
         create_image(module, ec2)
 
 
-# this is magic, see lib/ansible/module_common.py
-#<<INCLUDE_ANSIBLE_MODULE_COMMON>>
+# import module snippets
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
+from ansible.module_utils.ec2 import *
 
 main()
 
diff --git a/library/cloud/ec2_eip b/library/cloud/ec2_eip
index 8e45d326b4..4bd3c1b8ad 100644
--- a/library/cloud/ec2_eip
+++ b/library/cloud/ec2_eip
@@ -258,10 +258,14 @@ def main():
     if not boto_found:
         module.fail_json(msg="boto is required")
 
-    ec2 = connect(ec2_url=module.params.get('ec2_url'),
-                  ec2_secret_key=module.params.get('ec2_secret_key'),
-                  ec2_access_key=module.params.get('ec2_access_key'),
-                  region=module.params.get('region'))
+    # def get_ec2_creds(module):
+    #   return ec2_url, ec2_access_key, ec2_secret_key, region
+    ec2_url, ec2_access_key, ec2_secret_key, region = get_ec2_creds(module)
+
+    ec2 = connect(ec2_url=ec2_url,
+                  ec2_access_key=ec2_access_key,
+                  ec2_secret_key=ec2_secret_key,
+                  region=region)
 
     instance_id = module.params.get('instance_id')
     public_ip = module.params.get('public_ip')
@@ -292,8 +296,9 @@ def main():
 
 
 
-# this is magic, see lib/ansible/module_common.py
-#<<INCLUDE_ANSIBLE_MODULE_COMMON>>
+# import module snippets
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
+from ansible.module_utils.ec2 import *
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()
diff --git a/library/cloud/ec2_elb b/library/cloud/ec2_elb
index 107eaf807a..df032e5c61 100644
--- a/library/cloud/ec2_elb
+++ b/library/cloud/ec2_elb
@@ -265,8 +265,10 @@ def main():
         )
     )
 
-    aws_secret_key = module.params['aws_secret_key']
-    aws_access_key = module.params['aws_access_key']
+    # def get_ec2_creds(module):
+    #   return ec2_url, ec2_access_key, ec2_secret_key, region
+    ec2_url, aws_access_key, aws_secret_key, region = get_ec2_creds(module)
+
     ec2_elbs = module.params['ec2_elbs']
     region = module.params['region']
     wait = module.params['wait']
@@ -275,27 +277,6 @@ def main():
     if module.params['state'] == 'present' and 'ec2_elbs' not in module.params:
         module.fail_json(msg="ELBs are required for registration")
 
-    if not aws_secret_key:
-        if  'AWS_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_secret_key = os.environ['AWS_SECRET_KEY']
-        elif 'EC2_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_secret_key = os.environ['EC2_SECRET_KEY']
-
-    if not aws_access_key:
-        if 'AWS_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_access_key = os.environ['AWS_ACCESS_KEY']
-        elif 'EC2_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_access_key = os.environ['EC2_ACCESS_KEY']
-
-    if not region:
-        if 'AWS_REGION' in os.environ:
-            region = os.environ['AWS_REGION']
-        elif 'EC2_REGION' in os.environ:
-            region = os.environ['EC2_REGION']
-
-    if not region:
-        module.fail_json(msg=str("Either region or EC2_REGION environment variable must be set."))
-
     instance_id = module.params['instance_id']
     elb_man = ElbManager(module, instance_id, ec2_elbs, aws_access_key,
                          aws_secret_key, region=region)
@@ -316,7 +297,8 @@ def main():
 
     module.exit_json(**ec2_facts_result)
 
-# this is magic, see lib/ansible/module_common.py
-#<<INCLUDE_ANSIBLE_MODULE_COMMON>>
+# import module snippets
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
+from ansible.module_utils.ec2 import *
 
 main()
diff --git a/library/cloud/ec2_facts b/library/cloud/ec2_facts
index 31d31307c8..1c17fa5b71 100644
--- a/library/cloud/ec2_facts
+++ b/library/cloud/ec2_facts
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ def main():
     )
     module.exit_json(**ec2_facts_result)
 
-# this is magic, see lib/ansible/module_common.py
-#<<INCLUDE_ANSIBLE_MODULE_COMMON>>
+# import module snippets
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
 
 main()
diff --git a/library/cloud/ec2_group b/library/cloud/ec2_group
index 648f8f6cdf..0ece964752 100644
--- a/library/cloud/ec2_group
+++ b/library/cloud/ec2_group
@@ -117,26 +117,19 @@ def main():
         ),
         supports_check_mode=True,
     )
+
+    # def get_ec2_creds(module):
+    #   return ec2_url, ec2_access_key, ec2_secret_key, region
+    ec2_url, ec2_access_key, ec2_secret_key, region = get_ec2_creds(module)
+
     name = module.params['name']
     description = module.params['description']
     vpc_id = module.params['vpc_id']
     rules = module.params['rules']
-    ec2_url = module.params.get('ec2_url')
-    ec2_secret_key = module.params.get('ec2_secret_key')
-    ec2_access_key = module.params.get('ec2_access_key')
-    region = module.params.get('region')
     state = module.params.get('state')
 
     changed = False
 
-    # allow eucarc environment variables to be used if ansible vars aren't set
-    if not ec2_url and 'EC2_URL' in os.environ:
-        ec2_url = os.environ['EC2_URL']
-    if not ec2_secret_key and 'EC2_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-        ec2_secret_key = os.environ['EC2_SECRET_KEY']
-    if not ec2_access_key and 'EC2_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-        ec2_access_key = os.environ['EC2_ACCESS_KEY']
-
     # If we have a region specified, connect to its endpoint.
     if region:
         try:
@@ -251,6 +244,8 @@ def main():
     else:
         module.exit_json(changed=changed, group_id=None)
 
-# this is magic, see lib/ansible/module_common.py
-#<<INCLUDE_ANSIBLE_MODULE_COMMON>>
+# import module snippets
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
+from ansible.module_utils.ec2 import *
+
 main()
diff --git a/library/cloud/ec2_tag b/library/cloud/ec2_tag
index 5e8d925055..8f5a5d37c5 100644
--- a/library/cloud/ec2_tag
+++ b/library/cloud/ec2_tag
@@ -123,36 +123,14 @@ def main():
         )
     )
 
+    # def get_ec2_creds(module):
+    #   return ec2_url, ec2_access_key, ec2_secret_key, region
+    ec2_url, aws_access_key, aws_secret_key, region = get_ec2_creds(module)
+
     resource = module.params.get('resource')
     tags = module.params['tags']
-    region = module.params.get('region')
     state = module.params.get('state')
-    ec2_url = module.params.get('ec2_url')
-    aws_secret_key = module.params.get('aws_secret_key')
-    aws_access_key = module.params.get('aws_access_key')
-
-    # allow eucarc environment variables to be used if ansible vars aren't set
-    if not ec2_url and 'EC2_URL' in os.environ:
-        ec2_url = os.environ['EC2_URL']
-
-    if not aws_secret_key:
-        if  'AWS_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_secret_key = os.environ['AWS_SECRET_KEY']
-        elif 'EC2_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_secret_key = os.environ['EC2_SECRET_KEY']
-
-    if not aws_access_key:
-        if 'AWS_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_access_key = os.environ['AWS_ACCESS_KEY']
-        elif 'EC2_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_access_key = os.environ['EC2_ACCESS_KEY']
-
-    if not region:
-        if 'AWS_REGION' in os.environ:
-            region = os.environ['AWS_REGION']
-        elif 'EC2_REGION' in os.environ:
-            region = os.environ['EC2_REGION']
-    
+  
     # If we have a region specified, connect to its endpoint.
     if region: 
         try:
@@ -209,7 +187,8 @@ def main():
 #    })
     sys.exit(0)
 
-# this is magic, see lib/ansible/module_common.py
-#<<INCLUDE_ANSIBLE_MODULE_COMMON>>
+# import module snippets
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
+from ansible.module_utils.ec2 import *
 
 main()
diff --git a/library/cloud/ec2_vol b/library/cloud/ec2_vol
index 784f07edd3..6109cdeb27 100644
--- a/library/cloud/ec2_vol
+++ b/library/cloud/ec2_vol
@@ -146,43 +146,21 @@ def main():
             region = dict(aliases=['aws_region', 'ec2_region'], choices=AWS_REGIONS),
             zone = dict(aliases=['availability_zone', 'aws_zone', 'ec2_zone']),
             ec2_url = dict(),
-            aws_secret_key = dict(aliases=['ec2_secret_key', 'secret_key'], no_log=True),
-            aws_access_key = dict(aliases=['ec2_access_key', 'access_key']),
+            ec2_secret_key = dict(aliases=['aws_secret_key', 'secret_key'], no_log=True),
+            ec2_access_key = dict(aliases=['aws_access_key', 'access_key']),
         )
     )
 
+    # def get_ec2_creds(module):
+    #   return ec2_url, ec2_access_key, ec2_secret_key, region
+    ec2_url, aws_access_key, aws_secret_key, region = get_ec2_creds(module)
+
     instance = module.params.get('instance')
     volume_size = module.params.get('volume_size')
     iops = module.params.get('iops')
     device_name = module.params.get('device_name')
-    region = module.params.get('region')
     zone = module.params.get('zone')
-    ec2_url = module.params.get('ec2_url')
-    aws_secret_key = module.params.get('aws_secret_key')
-    aws_access_key = module.params.get('aws_access_key')
-
-    # allow eucarc environment variables to be used if ansible vars aren't set
-    if not ec2_url and 'EC2_URL' in os.environ:
-        ec2_url = os.environ['EC2_URL']
-
-    if not aws_secret_key:
-        if  'AWS_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_secret_key = os.environ['AWS_SECRET_KEY']
-        elif 'EC2_SECRET_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_secret_key = os.environ['EC2_SECRET_KEY']
-
-    if not aws_access_key:
-        if 'AWS_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_access_key = os.environ['AWS_ACCESS_KEY']
-        elif 'EC2_ACCESS_KEY' in os.environ:
-            aws_access_key = os.environ['EC2_ACCESS_KEY']
-
-    if not region:
-        if 'AWS_REGION' in os.environ:
-            region = os.environ['AWS_REGION']
-        elif 'EC2_REGION' in os.environ:
-            region = os.environ['EC2_REGION']
-    
+   
     # If we have a region specified, connect to its endpoint.
     if region: 
         try:
@@ -274,7 +252,8 @@ def main():
     })
     sys.exit(0)
 
-# this is magic, see lib/ansible/module_common.py
-#<<INCLUDE_ANSIBLE_MODULE_COMMON>>
+# import module snippets
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
+from ansible.module_utils.ec2 import *
 
 main()