diff --git a/salt/transport/__init__.py b/salt/transport/__init__.py
index 4d897234a2..0671d5ea2e 100644
--- a/salt/transport/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/transport/__init__.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ Encapsulate the different transports available to Salt.  Currently this is only
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 # for backwards compatibility
-from salt.transport.channel import ReqChannel
+from salt.transport.client import ReqChannel
 
 class Channel(ReqChannel):
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/salt/transport/channel.py b/salt/transport/client.py
similarity index 100%
rename from salt/transport/channel.py
rename to salt/transport/client.py
diff --git a/salt/transport/local.py b/salt/transport/local.py
index b5c5c15f1b..ea2fb8de80 100644
--- a/salt/transport/local.py
+++ b/salt/transport/local.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from salt.transport.channel import ReqChannel
+from salt.transport.client import ReqChannel
 
 
 class LocalChannel(ReqChannel):
diff --git a/salt/transport/raet.py b/salt/transport/raet.py
index 26a8875dd4..eb74f17d1e 100644
--- a/salt/transport/raet.py
+++ b/salt/transport/raet.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import logging
 from collections import defaultdict
 
 from salt.utils import kinds
-from salt.transport.channel import ReqChannel
+from salt.transport.client import ReqChannel
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
diff --git a/salt/transport/zeromq.py b/salt/transport/zeromq.py
index 81c849e2d8..6b53181c9d 100644
--- a/salt/transport/zeromq.py
+++ b/salt/transport/zeromq.py
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ import salt.payload
 import logging
 from collections import defaultdict
 
-import salt.transport.channel
+import salt.transport.client
 
 import zmq
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-class ZeroMQReqChannel(salt.transport.channel.ReqChannel):
+class ZeroMQReqChannel(salt.transport.client.ReqChannel):
     '''
     Encapsulate sending routines to ZeroMQ.
 
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ class ZeroMQReqChannel(salt.transport.channel.ReqChannel):
             return self._crypted_transfer(load, tries, timeout)
 
 
-class ZeroMQPubChannel(salt.transport.channel.PubChannel):
+class ZeroMQPubChannel(salt.transport.client.PubChannel):
     def __init__(self,
                  opts,
                  **kwargs):