diff --git a/DataSourceVMwareGuestInfo.py b/DataSourceVMwareGuestInfo.py
index 0e6e143..242c72f 100644
--- a/DataSourceVMwareGuestInfo.py
+++ b/DataSourceVMwareGuestInfo.py
@@ -35,11 +35,22 @@
 from cloudinit import sources
 from cloudinit import util
 from cloudinit import safeyaml
-from cloudinit import version as cl_ver
 
 from deepmerge import always_merger
 import netifaces
 
+# in cloud init >= 20.3 subp is in its own module
+try:
+    import subp
+except ImportError:
+    subp_module = util
+else:
+    # early versions of the subp module don't have the subp function
+    if hasattr(subp, 'subp'):
+        subp_module = subp
+    else:
+        subp_module = util
+
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 NOVAL = "No value found"
 VMWARE_RPCTOOL = find_executable("vmware-rpctool")
@@ -51,7 +62,6 @@
 WAIT_ON_NETWORK = 'wait-on-network'
 WAIT_ON_NETWORK_IPV4 = 'ipv4'
 WAIT_ON_NETWORK_IPV6 = 'ipv6'
-CLOUD_INIT_VERSION = cl_ver.version_string()
 
 class NetworkConfigError(Exception):
     '''
@@ -302,20 +312,6 @@
     LOG.debug("No value found for key %s", key)
     return None
 
-def get_subp_obj():
-    '''
-    cloud-init 20.3 onwards, subp is a separate module
-    So, to keep things backward compatible this is needed
-    '''
-    subp_obj = None
-    if CLOUD_INIT_VERSION <= '20.2':
-        subp_obj = util
-    else:
-        subp_obj = util.subp
-
-    return subp_obj
-
-
 def get_guestinfo_value(key):
     '''
     Returns a guestinfo value for the specified key.
@@ -329,9 +325,8 @@
         return handle_returned_guestinfo_val(key, os.environ.get(env_key, ""))
 
     if data_access_method == VMWARE_RPCTOOL:
-        subp_obj = get_subp_obj()
         try:
-            (stdout, stderr) = subp_obj.subp(
+            (stdout, stderr) = subp_module.subp(
                 [VMWARE_RPCTOOL, "info-get guestinfo." + key])
             if stderr == NOVAL:
                 LOG.debug("No value found for key %s", key)
@@ -339,7 +334,7 @@
                 LOG.error("Failed to get guestinfo value for key %s", key)
             else:
                 return handle_returned_guestinfo_val(key, stdout)
-        except subp_obj.ProcessExecutionError as error:
+        except subp_module.ProcessExecutionError as error:
             if error.stderr == NOVAL:
                 LOG.debug("No value found for key %s", key)
             else:
@@ -373,12 +368,11 @@
         return True
 
     if data_access_method == VMWARE_RPCTOOL:
-        subp_obj = get_subp_obj()
         try:
-            subp_obj.subp(
+            subp_module.subp(
                 [VMWARE_RPCTOOL, ("info-set guestinfo.%s %s" % (key, value))])
             return True
-        except subp_obj.ProcessExecutionError as error:
+        except subp_module.ProcessExecutionError as error:
             util.logexc(
                 LOG, "Failed to set guestinfo key=%s to value=%s: %s", key, value, error)
         except Exception: