diff --git a/bloom/commands/export_upstream.py b/bloom/commands/export_upstream.py
index c6448968..dab7beb0 100644
--- a/bloom/commands/export_upstream.py
+++ b/bloom/commands/export_upstream.py
@@ -58,12 +58,7 @@
 from bloom.util import handle_global_arguments
 from bloom.util import temporary_directory
 
-try:
-    from vcstools.vcs_abstraction import get_vcs_client
-except ImportError:
-    debug(traceback.format_exc())
-    error("vcstools was not detected, please install it.", file=sys.stderr,
-          exit=True)
+from bloom.vcs import get_vcs_client
 
 
 def get_argument_parser():
diff --git a/bloom/commands/git/release.py b/bloom/commands/git/release.py
index cad745c8..0b362c46 100644
--- a/bloom/commands/git/release.py
+++ b/bloom/commands/git/release.py
@@ -73,12 +73,7 @@
 from bloom.util import quiet_git_clone_warning
 from bloom.util import safe_input
 
-try:
-    from vcstools.vcs_abstraction import get_vcs_client
-except ImportError:
-    debug(traceback.format_exc())
-    error("vcstools was not detected, please install it.", file=sys.stderr,
-          exit=True)
+from bloom.vcs import get_vcs_client
 
 upstream_repos = {}
 
diff --git a/bloom/commands/release.py b/bloom/commands/release.py
index 35837e00..aa6dab42 100644
--- a/bloom/commands/release.py
+++ b/bloom/commands/release.py
@@ -109,14 +109,9 @@
 from bloom.util import temporary_directory
 from bloom.util import to_unicode
 
-try:
-    import vcstools
-except ImportError:
-    debug(traceback.format_exc())
-    error("vcstools was not detected, please install it.", file=sys.stderr,
-          exit=True)
-import vcstools.__version__
-from vcstools.vcs_abstraction import get_vcs_client
+from bloom.vcs import get_vcs_client
+from bloom.vcs import vcs_name
+from bloom.vcs import vcs_version
 
 from rosdistro import DistributionFile
 from rosdistro import get_distribution_files
@@ -854,7 +849,7 @@ def update_summary(track, repository, distro):
 - catkin_pkg version: `{catkin_pkg_v}`
 - rosdep version: `{rosdep_v}`
 - rosdistro version: `{rosdistro_v}`
-- vcstools version: `{vcstools_v}`
+- {vcs_n} version: `{vcs_v}`
 """.format(
         repo=repository,
         upstream_repo_url=track_dict['vcs_uri'],
@@ -867,7 +862,8 @@ def update_summary(track, repository, distro):
         # Until https://github.com/ros-infrastructure/rosdistro/issues/16
         rosdistro_v=pkg_resources.require("rosdistro")[0].version,
         rosdep_v=rosdep2.__version__,
-        vcstools_v=vcstools.__version__.version
+        vcs_n=vcs_name,
+        vcs_v=vcs_version
     )
     summary_file.write(msg)
 
diff --git a/bloom/vcs.py b/bloom/vcs.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..114406fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bloom/vcs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# Software License Agreement (BSD License)
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2022, Open Source Robotics Foundation, Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+# are met:
+#
+#  * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#  * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+#    copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+#    disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
+#    with the distribution.
+#  * Neither the name of Open Source Robotics Foundation, Inc. nor
+#    the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote
+#    products derived from this software without specific prior
+#    written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+# COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+# INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+# BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
+# LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+# CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
+# LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
+# ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+# POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+from bloom.logging import debug
+from bloom.logging import error
+
+try:
+    from vcstool import __version__ as vcs_version
+    from vcstool.clients import vcstool_clients
+    from vcstool.commands.import_ import ImportCommand
+except ImportError:
+    try:
+        from vcstools import __version__ as vcs_version
+        from vcstools.vcs_abstraction import get_vcs_client
+    except ImportError:
+        debug(traceback.format_exc())
+        error("vcstool nor vcstools were detected, please install one.",
+              file=sys.stderr, exit=True)
+    else:
+        vcs_name = 'vcstools'
+else:
+    vcs_name = 'vcstool'
+
+    from argparse import Namespace
+
+    def _checkout_adapter(self, url, version=None,
+                          verbose=False, shallow=False, timeout=None):
+        args = Namespace(force=False, retry=2, skip_existing=False, path=self.path)
+        command = ImportCommand(args, url, version, True, shallow)
+        return self.import_(command)['returncode'] == 0
+
+    def get_vcs_client(vcs_type, path):
+        vcs_class = [c for c in vcstool_clients if c.type == vcs_type]
+        if not vcs_class:
+            raise ValueError(
+                'No Client type registered for vcs type "%s"' % vcs_type)
+
+        client = vcs_class[0](path)
+        client.checkout = lambda *args, **kwargs: _checkout_adapter(client, *args, **kwargs)
+        client.get_path = lambda: client.path
+        return client
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 32607e9b..44aa3f73 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
         'PyYAML',
         'rosdep >= 0.15.0',
         'rosdistro >= 0.8.0',
-        'vcstools >= 0.1.22',
+        'vcstool >= 0.3.0',
     ],
     extras_require={
         'test': [
diff --git a/test/system_tests/test_catkin_release.py b/test/system_tests/test_catkin_release.py
index ca5e6b8c..3372eee3 100644
--- a/test/system_tests/test_catkin_release.py
+++ b/test/system_tests/test_catkin_release.py
@@ -8,12 +8,6 @@
 import re
 import sys
 
-try:
-    from vcstools.vcs_abstraction import get_vcs_client
-except ImportError:
-    print("vcstools was not detected, please install it.", file=sys.stderr)
-    sys.exit(1)
-
 from .common import create_release_repo
 
 from ..utils.common import bloom_answer
@@ -34,6 +28,8 @@
 
 from bloom.generators.debian.generator import sanitize_package_name
 
+from bloom.vcs import get_vcs_client
+
 
 def create_upstream_repository(packages, directory=None, format_versions=None):
     upstream_dir = 'upstream_repo_melodic'