diff --git a/skimage/_shared/testing.py b/skimage/_shared/testing.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a5270125
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skimage/_shared/testing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+"""Testing utilities."""
+
+# Copyright (c) 2011 Pietro Berkes
+# License: Simplified BSD
+
+def _assert_less(a, b, msg=None):
+    message = "%r is not lower than %r" % (a, b)
+    if msg is not None:
+        message += ": " + msg
+    assert a < b, message
+
+
+def _assert_greater(a, b, msg=None):
+    message = "%r is not greater than %r" % (a, b)
+    if msg is not None:
+        message += ": " + msg
+    assert a > b, message
+
+
+try:
+    from nose.tools import assert_less
+except ImportError:
+    assert_less = _assert_less
+
+try:
+    from nose.tools import assert_greater
+except ImportError:
+    assert_greater = _assert_greater
diff --git a/skimage/segmentation/tests/test_felzenszwalb.py b/skimage/segmentation/tests/test_felzenszwalb.py
index 8a7abfc4..9fd0b018 100644
--- a/skimage/segmentation/tests/test_felzenszwalb.py
+++ b/skimage/segmentation/tests/test_felzenszwalb.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import numpy as np
 from numpy.testing import assert_equal, assert_array_equal
-from nose.tools import assert_greater
+from skimage._shared.testing import assert_greater
 from skimage.segmentation import felzenszwalb
 
 
diff --git a/skimage/segmentation/tests/test_quickshift.py b/skimage/segmentation/tests/test_quickshift.py
index eebcaf0d..d43d7559 100644
--- a/skimage/segmentation/tests/test_quickshift.py
+++ b/skimage/segmentation/tests/test_quickshift.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 from numpy.testing import assert_equal, assert_array_equal
-from nose.tools import assert_true, assert_greater
+from nose.tools import assert_true
+from skimage._shared.testing import assert_greater
 from skimage.segmentation import quickshift