diff --git a/changelog/63904.fixed.md b/changelog/63904.fixed.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8aff8d12b509
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/63904.fixed.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+add linux_distribution to util to stop dep warning
diff --git a/salt/grains/core.py b/salt/grains/core.py
index f4361a693612..710c57f28fbf 100644
--- a/salt/grains/core.py
+++ b/salt/grains/core.py
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@
 import uuid
 from errno import EACCES, EPERM
 
-import distro
-
 import salt.exceptions
 
 # Solve the Chicken and egg problem where grains need to run before any
@@ -41,6 +39,7 @@
 import salt.utils.platform
 import salt.utils.stringutils
 from salt.utils.network import _clear_interfaces, _get_interfaces
+from salt.utils.platform import linux_distribution as _linux_distribution
 
 try:
     # pylint: disable=no-name-in-module
@@ -90,15 +89,6 @@ def _freedesktop_os_release():
         return _parse_os_release("/etc/os-release", "/usr/lib/os-release")
 
 
-# rewrite distro.linux_distribution to allow best=True kwarg in version(), needed to get the minor version numbers in CentOS
-def _linux_distribution():
-    return (
-        distro.id(),
-        distro.version(best=True),
-        distro.codename(),
-    )
-
-
 def __init__(opts):
     _clear_interfaces()
 
diff --git a/salt/utils/platform.py b/salt/utils/platform.py
index 6b66da629207..c580882f15cf 100644
--- a/salt/utils/platform.py
+++ b/salt/utils/platform.py
@@ -8,11 +8,20 @@
 import subprocess
 import sys
 
-from distro import linux_distribution
+import distro
 
 from salt.utils.decorators import memoize as real_memoize
 
 
+def linux_distribution(full_distribution_name=True):
+    """
+    Simple function to return information about the OS distribution (id_name, version, codename).
+    """
+    if full_distribution_name:
+        return distro.name(), distro.version(best=True), distro.codename()
+    return distro.id(), distro.version(best=True), distro.codename()
+
+
 @real_memoize
 def is_windows():
     """
diff --git a/salt/version.py b/salt/version.py
index 88f95febe0f3..67719bd0201f 100644
--- a/salt/version.py
+++ b/salt/version.py
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ def system_information():
     Report system versions.
     """
     # Late import so that when getting called from setup.py does not break
-    from distro import linux_distribution
+    from salt.utils.platform import linux_distribution
 
     def system_version():
         """
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/test_version.py b/tests/pytests/unit/test_version.py
index b5f2b105a70e..73befea4cf4e 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/test_version.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/test_version.py
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ def test_system_version_linux():
     """
 
     with patch(
-        "distro.linux_distribution",
+        "salt.utils.platform.linux_distribution",
         MagicMock(return_value=("Manjaro Linux", "20.0.2", "Lysia")),
     ):
         versions = [item for item in system_information()]
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ def test_system_version_linux():
         assert version in versions
 
     with patch(
-        "distro.linux_distribution",
+        "salt.utils.platform.linux_distribution",
         MagicMock(return_value=("Debian GNU/Linux", "9", "stretch")),
     ):
         versions = [item for item in system_information()]
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ def test_system_version_linux():
         assert version in versions
 
     with patch(
-        "distro.linux_distribution",
+        "salt.utils.platform.linux_distribution",
         MagicMock(return_value=("Debian GNU/Linux", "10", "buster")),
     ):
         versions = [item for item in system_information()]
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ def test_system_version_linux():
         assert version in versions
 
     with patch(
-        "distro.linux_distribution",
+        "salt.utils.platform.linux_distribution",
         MagicMock(return_value=("CentOS Linux", "7", "Core")),
     ):
         versions = [item for item in system_information()]
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ def test_system_version_linux():
         assert version in versions
 
     with patch(
-        "distro.linux_distribution",
+        "salt.utils.platform.linux_distribution",
         MagicMock(return_value=("CentOS Linux", "8", "Core")),
     ):
         versions = [item for item in system_information()]
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ def test_system_version_linux():
         assert version in versions
 
     with patch(
-        "distro.linux_distribution",
+        "salt.utils.platform.linux_distribution",
         MagicMock(return_value=("OpenSUSE Leap", "15.1", "")),
     ):
         versions = [item for item in system_information()]