diff --git a/wp-includes/js/media-models.js b/wp-includes/js/media-models.js
index 2f620d3a31..602f850cd3 100644
--- a/wp-includes/js/media-models.js
+++ b/wp-includes/js/media-models.js
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 		 * media.template( id )
 		 *
 		 * Fetches a template by id.
-		 * See wp.template() in `wp-includes/js/wp-backbone.js`.
+		 * See wp.template() in `wp-includes/js/wp-util.js`.
 		 */
 		template: wp.template,
 
@@ -101,66 +101,17 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 		 * media.post( [action], [data] )
 		 *
 		 * Sends a POST request to WordPress.
-		 *
-		 * @param  {string} action The slug of the action to fire in WordPress.
-		 * @param  {object} data   The data to populate $_POST with.
-		 * @return {$.promise}     A jQuery promise that represents the request.
+		 * See wp.xhr.post() in `wp-includes/js/wp-util.js`.
 		 */
-		post: function( action, data ) {
-			return media.ajax({
-				data: _.isObject( action ) ? action : _.extend( data || {}, { action: action })
-			});
-		},
+		post: wp.xhr.post,
 
 		/**
 		 * media.ajax( [action], [options] )
 		 *
-		 * Sends a POST request to WordPress.
-		 *
-		 * @param  {string} action  The slug of the action to fire in WordPress.
-		 * @param  {object} options The options passed to jQuery.ajax.
-		 * @return {$.promise}      A jQuery promise that represents the request.
+		 * Sends an XHR request to WordPress.
+		 * See wp.xhr.send() in `wp-includes/js/wp-util.js`.
 		 */
-		ajax: function( action, options ) {
-			if ( _.isObject( action ) ) {
-				options = action;
-			} else {
-				options = options || {};
-				options.data = _.extend( options.data || {}, { action: action });
-			}
-
-			options = _.defaults( options || {}, {
-				type:    'POST',
-				url:     media.model.settings.ajaxurl,
-				context: this
-			});
-
-			return $.Deferred( function( deferred ) {
-				// Transfer success/error callbacks.
-				if ( options.success )
-					deferred.done( options.success );
-				if ( options.error )
-					deferred.fail( options.error );
-
-				delete options.success;
-				delete options.error;
-
-				// Use with PHP's wp_send_json_success() and wp_send_json_error()
-				$.ajax( options ).done( function( response ) {
-					// Treat a response of `1` as successful for backwards
-					// compatibility with existing handlers.
-					if ( response === '1' || response === 1 )
-						response = { success: true };
-
-					if ( _.isObject( response ) && ! _.isUndefined( response.success ) )
-						deferred[ response.success ? 'resolveWith' : 'rejectWith' ]( this, [response.data] );
-					else
-						deferred.rejectWith( this, [response] );
-				}).fail( function() {
-					deferred.rejectWith( this, arguments );
-				});
-			}).promise();
-		},
+		ajax: wp.xhr.send,
 
 		// Scales a set of dimensions to fit within bounding dimensions.
 		fit: function( dimensions ) {
diff --git a/wp-includes/js/wp-util.js b/wp-includes/js/wp-util.js
index 9177e54ace..b809d6169b 100644
--- a/wp-includes/js/wp-util.js
+++ b/wp-includes/js/wp-util.js
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 window.wp = window.wp || {};
 
 (function ($) {
+	// Check for the utility settings.
+	var settings = typeof _wpUtilSettings === 'undefined' ? {} : _wpUtilSettings;
+
 	/**
 	 * wp.template( id )
 	 *
@@ -24,4 +27,79 @@ window.wp = window.wp || {};
 			return compiled( data );
 		};
 	});
+
+	// wp.xhr
+	// ------
+	//
+	// Tools for sending ajax requests with JSON responses and built in error handling.
+	// Mirrors and wraps jQuery's ajax APIs.
+	wp.xhr = {
+		settings: settings.xhr || {},
+
+		/**
+		 * wp.xhr.post( [action], [data] )
+		 *
+		 * Sends a POST request to WordPress.
+		 *
+		 * @param  {string} action The slug of the action to fire in WordPress.
+		 * @param  {object} data   The data to populate $_POST with.
+		 * @return {$.promise}     A jQuery promise that represents the request.
+		 */
+		post: function( action, data ) {
+			return wp.xhr.send({
+				data: _.isObject( action ) ? action : _.extend( data || {}, { action: action })
+			});
+		},
+
+		/**
+		 * wp.xhr.send( [action], [options] )
+		 *
+		 * Sends a POST request to WordPress.
+		 *
+		 * @param  {string} action  The slug of the action to fire in WordPress.
+		 * @param  {object} options The options passed to jQuery.ajax.
+		 * @return {$.promise}      A jQuery promise that represents the request.
+		 */
+		send: function( action, options ) {
+			if ( _.isObject( action ) ) {
+				options = action;
+			} else {
+				options = options || {};
+				options.data = _.extend( options.data || {}, { action: action });
+			}
+
+			options = _.defaults( options || {}, {
+				type:    'POST',
+				url:     wp.xhr.settings.url,
+				context: this
+			});
+
+			return $.Deferred( function( deferred ) {
+				// Transfer success/error callbacks.
+				if ( options.success )
+					deferred.done( options.success );
+				if ( options.error )
+					deferred.fail( options.error );
+
+				delete options.success;
+				delete options.error;
+
+				// Use with PHP's wp_send_json_success() and wp_send_json_error()
+				$.ajax( options ).done( function( response ) {
+					// Treat a response of `1` as successful for backwards
+					// compatibility with existing handlers.
+					if ( response === '1' || response === 1 )
+						response = { success: true };
+
+					if ( _.isObject( response ) && ! _.isUndefined( response.success ) )
+						deferred[ response.success ? 'resolveWith' : 'rejectWith' ]( this, [response.data] );
+					else
+						deferred.rejectWith( this, [response] );
+				}).fail( function() {
+					deferred.rejectWith( this, arguments );
+				});
+			}).promise();
+		}
+	};
+
 }(jQuery));
diff --git a/wp-includes/script-loader.php b/wp-includes/script-loader.php
index 1ecb16df33..e1752f0666 100644
--- a/wp-includes/script-loader.php
+++ b/wp-includes/script-loader.php
@@ -275,6 +275,12 @@ function wp_default_scripts( &$scripts ) {
 	$scripts->add( 'backbone', '/wp-includes/js/backbone.min.js', array('underscore','jquery'), '1.0.0', 1 );
 
 	$scripts->add( 'wp-util', "/wp-includes/js/wp-util$suffix.js", array('underscore', 'jquery'), false, 1 );
+	did_action( 'init' ) && $scripts->localize( 'wp-util', '_wpUtilSettings', array(
+		'xhr' => array(
+			'url' => admin_url( 'admin-ajax.php', 'relative' ),
+		),
+	) );
+
 	$scripts->add( 'wp-backbone', "/wp-includes/js/wp-backbone$suffix.js", array('backbone', 'wp-util'), false, 1 );
 
 	$scripts->add( 'revisions', "/wp-admin/js/revisions$suffix.js", array( 'wp-backbone', 'jquery-ui-slider', 'jquery-ui-tooltip' ), false, 1 );