diff --git a/mopidy/audio/__init__.py b/mopidy/audio/__init__.py
index 7cf1dcee..5adb333c 100644
--- a/mopidy/audio/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/audio/__init__.py
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from .actor import Audio
 from .listener import AudioListener
 from .constants import PlaybackState
+from .utils import (calculate_duration, create_buffer, millisecond_to_clocktime,
+                    supported_uri_schemes)
diff --git a/mopidy/audio/utils.py b/mopidy/audio/utils.py
index e9eac9f8..af80b3ab 100644
--- a/mopidy/audio/utils.py
+++ b/mopidy/audio/utils.py
@@ -5,6 +5,33 @@ pygst.require('0.10')
 import gst
 
 
+def calculate_duration(num_samples, sample_rate):
+    """Determine duration of samples using a gst helper for preciese math."""
+    return gst.util_uint64_scale(num_samples, gst.SECOND, sample_rate)
+
+
+def create_buffer(data, capabilites=None, timestamp=None, duration=None):
+    """Create a new gstreamer buffer based on provided data.
+
+    Mainly intended to keep gst imports out of non audio modules.
+    """
+    buffer_ = gst.Buffer(data)
+    if capabilites:
+        if isinstance(capabilites, basestring):
+            capabilites = gst.caps_from_string(capabilites)
+        buffer_.set_caps(capabilites)
+    if timestamp:
+        buffer_.timestamp = timestamp
+    if duration:
+        buffer_.duration = duration
+    return buffer_
+
+
+def millisecond_to_clocktime(value):
+    """Convert a millisecond time to internal gstreamer time."""
+    return value * gst.MSECOND
+
+
 def supported_uri_schemes(uri_schemes):
     """Determine which URIs we can actually support from provided whitelist.
 
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/spotify/playback.py b/mopidy/backends/spotify/playback.py
index cead01bf..36d90cac 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/spotify/playback.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/spotify/playback.py
@@ -1,14 +1,11 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
-import pygst
-pygst.require('0.10')
-import gst
-
 import logging
 import functools
 
 from spotify import Link, SpotifyError
 
+from mopidy import audio
 from mopidy.backends import base
 
 
@@ -71,5 +68,6 @@ class SpotifyPlaybackProvider(base.BasePlaybackProvider):
             logger.debug('Skipping seek due to issue #300')
             return
 
-        self.backend.spotify.buffer_timestamp = time_position * gst.MSECOND
+        self.backend.spotify.buffer_timestamp = audio.millisecond_to_clocktime(
+            time_position)
         self.backend.spotify.session.seek(time_position)
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/spotify/session_manager.py b/mopidy/backends/spotify/session_manager.py
index d372bfa4..7f71dc76 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/spotify/session_manager.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/spotify/session_manager.py
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
-import pygst
-pygst.require('0.10')
-import gst
-
 import logging
 import os
 import threading
@@ -122,12 +118,13 @@ class SpotifySessionManager(process.BaseThread, PyspotifySessionManager):
             'channels': channels,
         }
 
-        buffer_ = gst.Buffer(bytes(frames))
-        buffer_.set_caps(gst.caps_from_string(capabilites))
-        buffer_.timestamp = self.buffer_timestamp
-        buffer_.duration = num_frames * gst.SECOND / sample_rate
+        duration = audio.calculate_duration(num_frames, sample_rate)
+        buffer_ = audio.create_buffer(bytes(frames),
+                                      capabilites=capabilites,
+                                      timestamp=self.buffer_timestamp,
+                                      duration=duration)
 
-        self.buffer_timestamp += buffer_.duration
+        self.buffer_timestamp += duration
 
         if self.audio.emit_data(buffer_).get():
             return num_frames
diff --git a/mopidy/backends/stream/actor.py b/mopidy/backends/stream/actor.py
index b7070454..99b32195 100644
--- a/mopidy/backends/stream/actor.py
+++ b/mopidy/backends/stream/actor.py
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ import urlparse
 
 import pykka
 
-from mopidy import settings
-from mopidy.audio import utils
+from mopidy import audio as audio_lib, settings
 from mopidy.backends import base
 from mopidy.models import Track
 
@@ -18,10 +17,11 @@ class StreamBackend(pykka.ThreadingActor, base.Backend):
         super(StreamBackend, self).__init__()
 
         self.library = StreamLibraryProvider(backend=self)
-        self.playback = base.BasePlaybackProvider(audio=audio, backend=self)
+        self.playback = base.BasePlaybackProvider(audio=audio,
+                                                  backend=self)
         self.playlists = None
 
-        self.uri_schemes = utils.supported_uri_schemes(
+        self.uri_schemes = audio_lib.supported_uri_schemes(
             settings.STREAM_PROTOCOLS)