diff --git a/lib/common/connection.js b/lib/common/connection.js
index 4838d3233a0..e91df93892b 100644
--- a/lib/common/connection.js
+++ b/lib/common/connection.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ var events = require('events');
 var fs = require('fs');
 var GAPIToken = require('gapitoken');
 var nodeutil = require('util');
-var req = require('request');
+var request = require('request');
 
 /** @type {module:common/util} */
 var util = require('./util');
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ Connection.prototype.fetchToken = function(callback) {
   var that = this;
   if (!this.opts.keyFilename && !this.credentials) {
     // We should be on GCE, try to retrieve token from the metadata server.
-    req({
+    this.requester({
       method: 'get',
       uri: METADATA_TOKEN_URL,
       headers: {
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ Connection.prototype.createAuthorizedReq = function(reqOpts, callback) {
 /**
  * The default requester.
  */
-Connection.prototype.requester = req;
+Connection.prototype.requester = request;
 
 /**
  * Get the status of the connection.