diff --git a/autopush/db.py b/autopush/db.py
index 19a66bee..3f010c13 100644
--- a/autopush/db.py
+++ b/autopush/db.py
@@ -46,12 +46,8 @@
     Factory,
     Attribute)
 
-from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import (
-    ItemNotFound,
-)
 import boto3
 import botocore
-from boto.dynamodb2.table import Table  # noqa
 from boto3.resources.base import ServiceResource  # noqa
 from boto3.dynamodb.conditions import Key
 from boto3.exceptions import Boto3Error
@@ -77,9 +73,8 @@
 
 import autopush.metrics
 from autopush import constants
-from autopush.exceptions import AutopushException
+from autopush.exceptions import AutopushException, ItemNotFound
 from autopush.metrics import IMetrics  # noqa
-from autopush.types import ItemLike  # noqa
 from autopush.utils import (
     generate_hash,
     normalize_id,
@@ -95,7 +90,7 @@
 
 # Typing
 T = TypeVar('T')  # noqa
-TableFunc = Callable[[str, int, int, ServiceResource], Table]
+TableFunc = Callable[[str, int, int, ServiceResource], Any]
 
 key_hash = ""
 TRACK_DB_CALLS = False
@@ -149,7 +144,7 @@ def create_rotating_message_table(
         write_throughput=5,   # type: int
         boto_resource=None    # type: DynamoDBResource
         ):
-    # type: (...) -> Table  # noqa
+    # type: (...) -> Any  # noqa
     """Create a new message table for webpush style message storage"""
     tablename = make_rotating_tablename(prefix, delta, date)
 
@@ -227,7 +222,7 @@ def get_rotating_message_tablename(
 def create_router_table(tablename="router", read_throughput=5,
                         write_throughput=5,
                         boto_resource=None):
-    # type: (str, int, int, DynamoDBResource) -> Table
+    # type: (str, int, int, DynamoDBResource) -> Any
     """Create a new router table
 
     The last_connect index is a value used to determine the last month a user
@@ -332,7 +327,7 @@ def _expiry(ttl):
 
 def get_router_table(tablename="router", read_throughput=5,
                      write_throughput=5, boto_resource=None):
-    # type: (str, int, int, DynamoDBResource) -> Table
+    # type: (str, int, int, DynamoDBResource) -> Any
     """Get the main router table object
 
     Creates the table if it doesn't already exist, otherwise returns the
@@ -401,7 +396,7 @@ def wrapper(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
 
 def has_connected_this_month(item):
-    # type: (ItemLike) -> bool
+    # type: (Dict[str, Any]) -> bool
     """Whether or not a router item has connected this month"""
     last_connect = item.get("last_connect")
     if not last_connect:
@@ -790,7 +785,7 @@ def get_uaid(self, uaid):
 
     @track_provisioned
     def register_user(self, data):
-        # type: (ItemLike) -> Tuple[bool, Dict[str, Any]]
+        # type: (Dict[str, Any]) -> Tuple[bool, Dict[str, Any]]
         """Register this user
 
         If a record exists with a newer ``connected_at``, then the user will
diff --git a/autopush/exceptions.py b/autopush/exceptions.py
index 53c9094e..e02ba462 100644
--- a/autopush/exceptions.py
+++ b/autopush/exceptions.py
@@ -64,3 +64,7 @@ class LogCheckError(Exception):
 
 class InvalidConfig(Exception):
     """Error in initialization of AutopushConfig"""
+
+
+class ItemNotFound(Exception):
+    """Signals missing DynamoDB Item data"""
diff --git a/autopush/router/webpush.py b/autopush/router/webpush.py
index 93602140..b196c25b 100644
--- a/autopush/router/webpush.py
+++ b/autopush/router/webpush.py
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@
 from StringIO import StringIO
 from typing import Any  # noqa
 
-from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import ItemNotFound
-from boto.exception import JSONResponseError
+from botocore.exceptions import ClientError
 from twisted.internet.threads import deferToThread
 from twisted.web.client import FileBodyProducer
 from twisted.internet.defer import (
@@ -27,7 +26,7 @@
 from twisted.logger import Logger
 from twisted.web._newclient import ResponseFailed
 
-from autopush.exceptions import RouterException
+from autopush.exceptions import ItemNotFound, RouterException
 from autopush.metrics import make_tags
 from autopush.protocol import IgnoreBody
 from autopush.router.interface import RouterResponse
@@ -101,7 +100,7 @@ def route_notification(self, notification, uaid_data):
         #   - Error (db error): Done, return 503
         try:
             yield self._save_notification(uaid_data, notification)
-        except JSONResponseError:
+        except ClientError:
             raise RouterException("Error saving to database",
                                   status_code=503,
                                   response_body="Retry Request",
@@ -118,7 +117,7 @@ def route_notification(self, notification, uaid_data):
         #   - Error (no client) : Done, return 404
         try:
             uaid_data = yield deferToThread(router.get_uaid, uaid)
-        except JSONResponseError:
+        except ClientError:
             returnValue(self.stored_response(notification))
         except ItemNotFound:
             self.metrics.increment("updates.client.deleted")
@@ -240,4 +239,4 @@ def _save_notification(self, uaid_data, notification):
     #############################################################
     def _eat_db_err(self, fail):
         """errBack for ignoring provisioned throughput errors"""
-        fail.trap(JSONResponseError)
+        fail.trap(ClientError)
diff --git a/autopush/tests/__init__.py b/autopush/tests/__init__.py
index b090f187..df072c2d 100644
--- a/autopush/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/autopush/tests/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 import signal
 import subprocess
 
-import boto
 import psutil
 from twisted.internet import reactor
 
@@ -19,7 +18,7 @@
 
 
 def setUp():
-    for name in ('boto', 'boto3', 'botocore'):
+    for name in ('boto3', 'botocore'):
         logging.getLogger(name).setLevel(logging.CRITICAL)
     global ddb_process, boto_resource
     cmd = " ".join([
@@ -54,11 +53,6 @@ def tearDown():
         os.kill(p.pid, signal.SIGTERM)
     ddb_process.wait()
 
-    # Clear out the boto config that was loaded so the rest of the tests run
-    # fine
-    for section in boto.config.sections():      # pragma: nocover
-        boto.config.remove_section(section)
-
 
 _multiprocess_shared_ = True
 
diff --git a/autopush/tests/test_db.py b/autopush/tests/test_db.py
index bd472515..6dc65cc6 100644
--- a/autopush/tests/test_db.py
+++ b/autopush/tests/test_db.py
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 
 from autopush.websocket import ms_time
-from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import (
-    ItemNotFound,
-)
 from botocore.exceptions import ClientError
 from mock import Mock, patch
 import pytest
@@ -27,7 +24,7 @@
     DatabaseManager,
     DynamoDBResource
     )
-from autopush.exceptions import AutopushException
+from autopush.exceptions import AutopushException, ItemNotFound
 from autopush.metrics import SinkMetrics
 from autopush.utils import WebPushNotification
 
diff --git a/autopush/tests/test_integration.py b/autopush/tests/test_integration.py
index 32c17bd3..374bbf78 100644
--- a/autopush/tests/test_integration.py
+++ b/autopush/tests/test_integration.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
     has_connected_this_month,
     Message,
 )
+from autopush.exceptions import ItemNotFound
 from autopush.logging import begin_or_register
 from autopush.main import ConnectionApplication, EndpointApplication
 from autopush.utils import base64url_encode, normalize_id
@@ -454,7 +455,6 @@ def test_webpush_data_delivery_to_connected_client(self):
 
     @inlineCallbacks
     def test_webpush_data_delivery_to_connected_client_uaid_fail(self):
-        from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import ItemNotFound
         client = yield self.quick_register()
         self.conn.db.router.get_uaid = Mock(side_effect=ItemNotFound)
         assert client.channels
diff --git a/autopush/tests/test_router.py b/autopush/tests/test_router.py
index 33b54ee1..dc90a991 100644
--- a/autopush/tests/test_router.py
+++ b/autopush/tests/test_router.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import ssl
 
 import pytest
+from botocore.exceptions import ClientError
 from mock import Mock, PropertyMock, patch
 from twisted.trial import unittest
 from twisted.internet.error import ConnectionRefusedError
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@
 from autopush.db import (
     Message
 )
-from autopush.exceptions import RouterException
+from autopush.exceptions import ItemNotFound, RouterException
 from autopush.metrics import SinkMetrics
 from autopush.router import (
     APNSRouter,
@@ -1116,10 +1117,12 @@ def test_amend(self):
         assert resp == expected
 
     def test_route_to_busy_node_save_throws_db_error(self):
-        from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import JSONResponseError
 
         def throw():
-            raise JSONResponseError(500, "Whoops")
+            raise ClientError(
+                {'Error': {'Code': 'InternalServerError'}},
+                'mock_store_message'
+            )
 
         self.agent_mock.request.return_value = response_mock = Mock()
         response_mock.code = 202
@@ -1139,10 +1142,12 @@ def verify_deliver(fail):
         return d
 
     def test_route_lookup_uaid_fails(self):
-        from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import JSONResponseError
 
         def throw():
-            raise JSONResponseError(500, "Whoops")
+            raise ClientError(
+                {'Error': {'Code': 'InternalServerError'}},
+                'mock_get_uaid'
+            )
 
         self.message_mock.store_message.return_value = True
         self.db.message_table = Mock(return_value=self.message_mock)
@@ -1161,7 +1166,6 @@ def verify_deliver(status):
         return d
 
     def test_route_lookup_uaid_not_found(self):
-        from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import ItemNotFound
 
         def throw():
             raise ItemNotFound()
@@ -1198,7 +1202,6 @@ def verify_deliver(status):
         return d
 
     def test_route_and_clear_failure(self):
-        from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import JSONResponseError
         self.agent_mock.request = Mock(side_effect=ConnectionRefusedError)
         self.message_mock.store_message.return_value = True
         self.message_mock.all_channels.return_value = (True, [dummy_chid])
@@ -1208,7 +1211,10 @@ def test_route_and_clear_failure(self):
         self.router_mock.get_uaid.return_value = router_data
 
         def throw():
-            raise JSONResponseError(500, "Whoops")
+            raise ClientError(
+                {'Error': {'Code': 'InternalServerError'}},
+                'mock_clear_node'
+            )
 
         self.router_mock.clear_node.side_effect = MockAssist([throw])
         self.router.message_id = uuid.uuid4().hex
diff --git a/autopush/tests/test_web_validation.py b/autopush/tests/test_web_validation.py
index 6122eed4..82a9e00b 100644
--- a/autopush/tests/test_web_validation.py
+++ b/autopush/tests/test_web_validation.py
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@
 from hashlib import sha256
 
 import ecdsa
-from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import (
-    ItemNotFound,
-)
 from cryptography.fernet import InvalidToken
 from cryptography.exceptions import InvalidSignature
 from jose import jws
@@ -17,7 +14,11 @@
 from twisted.trial import unittest
 
 from autopush.metrics import SinkMetrics
-from autopush.exceptions import InvalidRequest, InvalidTokenException
+from autopush.exceptions import (
+    InvalidRequest,
+    InvalidTokenException,
+    ItemNotFound
+)
 from autopush.tests.support import test_db
 import autopush.utils as utils
 
diff --git a/autopush/tests/test_webpush_server.py b/autopush/tests/test_webpush_server.py
index 367b7dfe..543022ea 100644
--- a/autopush/tests/test_webpush_server.py
+++ b/autopush/tests/test_webpush_server.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 
 import attr
 import factory
-from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import ItemNotFound
 from mock import Mock
 from twisted.logger import globalLogPublisher
 import pytest
@@ -19,6 +18,7 @@
 )
 from autopush.metrics import SinkMetrics
 from autopush.config import AutopushConfig
+from autopush.exceptions import ItemNotFound
 from autopush.logging import begin_or_register
 from autopush.tests.support import TestingLogObserver
 from autopush.utils import WebPushNotification, ns_time
diff --git a/autopush/types.py b/autopush/types.py
index b6bfc01b..e0d63854 100644
--- a/autopush/types.py
+++ b/autopush/types.py
@@ -1,14 +1,7 @@
 """Common types"""
-from boto.dynamodb2.items import Item
-from typing import (
-    Any,
-    Dict,
-    Union
-)
+from typing import Any, Dict
 
 
 # no mypy reucrsive types yet:
 # https://github.com/python/mypy/issues/731
 JSONDict = Dict[str, Any]
-
-ItemLike = Union[Item, Dict[str, Any]]
diff --git a/autopush/utils.py b/autopush/utils.py
index 4e5ca936..21f13a12 100644
--- a/autopush/utils.py
+++ b/autopush/utils.py
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 
 from autopush.exceptions import (InvalidTokenException, VapidAuthException)
 from autopush.jwt import repad, VerifyJWT
-from autopush.types import ItemLike  # noqa
 from autopush.web.base import AUTH_SCHEMES
 
 
@@ -469,7 +468,7 @@ def expired(self, at_time=None):
 
     @classmethod
     def from_message_table(cls, uaid, item):
-        # type: (uuid.UUID, ItemLike) -> WebPushNotification
+        # type: (uuid.UUID, Dict[str, Any]) -> WebPushNotification
         """Create a WebPushNotification from a message table item"""
         key_info = cls.parse_sort_key(item["chidmessageid"])
         if key_info["api_ver"] in ["01", "02"]:
diff --git a/autopush/web/health.py b/autopush/web/health.py
index f0142904..0accff96 100644
--- a/autopush/web/health.py
+++ b/autopush/web/health.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """Health Check HTTP Handler"""
 
 import cyclone.web
-from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import InternalServerError
+from botocore.exceptions import ClientError
 from twisted.internet.defer import DeferredList
 from twisted.internet.threads import deferToThread
 
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@ def _check_error(self, failure, name):
         cause = self._health_checks[name] = {"status": "NOT OK"}
         if failure.check(MissingTableException):
             cause["error"] = failure.value.message
-        elif failure.check(InternalServerError):  # pragma nocover
+        elif (failure.check(ClientError) and
+              failure.value.response["Error"]["Code"] ==
+              "InternalServerError"):  # pragma nocover
             cause["error"] = "Server error"
         else:
             cause["error"] = "Internal error"     # pragma nocover
diff --git a/autopush/web/registration.py b/autopush/web/registration.py
index 235a6469..18145c1e 100644
--- a/autopush/web/registration.py
+++ b/autopush/web/registration.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 )
 
 import simplejson as json
-from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import ItemNotFound
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import constant_time
 from marshmallow import (
     Schema,
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@
 from twisted.internet.threads import deferToThread
 
 from autopush.db import generate_last_connect, hasher
-from autopush.exceptions import InvalidRequest, RouterException
+from autopush.exceptions import InvalidRequest, ItemNotFound, RouterException
 from autopush.types import JSONDict  # noqa
 from autopush.utils import generate_hash, ms_time
 from autopush.web.base import (
diff --git a/autopush/web/webpush.py b/autopush/web/webpush.py
index 954198b8..f211aef0 100644
--- a/autopush/web/webpush.py
+++ b/autopush/web/webpush.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import re
 import time
 
-from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import ItemNotFound
 from cryptography.fernet import InvalidToken
 from cryptography.exceptions import InvalidSignature
 from marshmallow import (
@@ -32,6 +31,7 @@
 from autopush.exceptions import (
     InvalidRequest,
     InvalidTokenException,
+    ItemNotFound,
     VapidAuthException,
 )
 from autopush.types import JSONDict  # noqa
diff --git a/autopush/webpush_server.py b/autopush/webpush_server.py
index d9c8a178..dcfd8949 100644
--- a/autopush/webpush_server.py
+++ b/autopush/webpush_server.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
     attrs,
     attrib,
 )
-from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import ItemNotFound
 from botocore.exceptions import ClientError
 from typing import (  # noqa
     Dict,
@@ -29,6 +28,7 @@
 )
 
 from autopush.config import AutopushConfig  # noqa
+from autopush.exceptions import ItemNotFound
 from autopush.metrics import IMetrics  # noqa
 from autopush.web.webpush import MAX_TTL
 from autopush.types import JSONDict  # noqa
diff --git a/autopush/websocket.py b/autopush/websocket.py
index 5ab845c7..28dc2b5c 100644
--- a/autopush/websocket.py
+++ b/autopush/websocket.py
@@ -48,9 +48,6 @@
     WebSocketServerProtocol
 )
 from autobahn.websocket.protocol import ConnectionRequest  # noqa
-from boto.dynamodb2.exceptions import (
-    ItemNotFound
-)
 from botocore.exceptions import ClientError
 from botocore.vendored.requests.packages import urllib3
 from twisted.internet import reactor
@@ -91,7 +88,7 @@
     generate_last_connect,
 )
 from autopush.db import DatabaseManager, Message  # noqa
-from autopush.exceptions import MessageOverloadException
+from autopush.exceptions import MessageOverloadException, ItemNotFound
 from autopush.noseplugin import track_object
 from autopush.protocol import IgnoreBody
 from autopush.metrics import IMetrics, make_tags  # noqa
diff --git a/requirements.in b/requirements.in
index da2d8bed..8f3fd433 100644
--- a/requirements.in
+++ b/requirements.in
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 apns
 attrs
 autobahn[twisted]
-boto
 boto3
 cffi
 click
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 9776f9aa..e08c6623 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ attrs==17.4.0
 autobahn[twisted]==17.10.1
 automat==0.6.0            # via twisted
 boto3==1.5.23
-boto==2.48.0
 botocore==1.8.37          # via boto3, s3transfer
 certifi==2018.1.18        # via requests
 cffi==1.11.4