diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/context.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/context.go
index b63b84dc7db..e64facc5c4b 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/context.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/context.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/apis/audit"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authentication/user"
@@ -66,8 +67,6 @@ const (
 
 	// auditKey is the context key for the audit event.
 	auditKey
-
-	namespaceDefault = "default" // TODO(sttts): solve import cycle when using metav1.NamespaceDefault
 )
 
 // NewContext instantiates a base context object for request flows.
@@ -77,7 +76,7 @@ func NewContext() Context {
 
 // NewDefaultContext instantiates a base context object for request flows in the default namespace
 func NewDefaultContext() Context {
-	return WithNamespace(NewContext(), namespaceDefault)
+	return WithNamespace(NewContext(), metav1.NamespaceDefault)
 }
 
 // WithValue returns a copy of parent in which the value associated with key is val.
@@ -110,7 +109,7 @@ func NamespaceValue(ctx Context) string {
 func WithNamespaceDefaultIfNone(parent Context) Context {
 	namespace, ok := NamespaceFrom(parent)
 	if !ok || len(namespace) == 0 {
-		return WithNamespace(parent, namespaceDefault)
+		return WithNamespace(parent, metav1.NamespaceDefault)
 	}
 	return parent
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/requestinfo.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/requestinfo.go
index bb0f0604d21..ddbbde3991d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/requestinfo.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/requestinfo.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
 
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 )
 
@@ -178,7 +179,7 @@ func (r *RequestInfoFactory) NewRequestInfo(req *http.Request) (*RequestInfo, er
 			}
 		}
 	} else {
-		requestInfo.Namespace = "" // TODO(sttts): solve import cycle when using metav1.NamespaceNone
+		requestInfo.Namespace = metav1.NamespaceNone
 	}
 
 	// parsing successful, so we now know the proper value for .Parts
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/requestinfo_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/requestinfo_test.go
index 8354cca06d7..9d5a4dbf9fa 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/requestinfo_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/endpoints/request/requestinfo_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 )
 
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ func (f fakeRL) TryAccept() bool { return bool(f) }
 func (f fakeRL) Accept()         {}
 
 func TestGetAPIRequestInfo(t *testing.T) {
-	namespaceAll := "" // TODO(sttts): solve import cycle when using metav1.NamespaceAll
+	namespaceAll := metav1.NamespaceAll
 	successCases := []struct {
 		method              string
 		url                 string