diff --git a/rq/scripts/__init__.py b/rq/scripts/__init__.py
index ec188ee5..bfbb3a13 100644
--- a/rq/scripts/__init__.py
+++ b/rq/scripts/__init__.py
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ from functools import partial
 from warnings import warn
 
 import redis
-from first import first
 
 from rq import use_connection
+from rq.utils import first
 
 
 def add_standard_arguments(parser):
diff --git a/rq/utils.py b/rq/utils.py
index f182210e..7fd1b1e2 100644
--- a/rq/utils.py
+++ b/rq/utils.py
@@ -181,3 +181,42 @@ def utcformat(dt):
 
 def utcparse(string):
     return datetime.datetime.strptime(string, "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
+
+
+def first(iterable, default=None, key=None):
+    """
+    Return first element of `iterable` that evaluates true, else return None
+    (or an optional default value).
+
+    >>> first([0, False, None, [], (), 42])
+    42
+
+    >>> first([0, False, None, [], ()]) is None
+    True
+
+    >>> first([0, False, None, [], ()], default='ohai')
+    'ohai'
+
+    >>> import re
+    >>> m = first(re.match(regex, 'abc') for regex in ['b.*', 'a(.*)'])
+    >>> m.group(1)
+    'bc'
+
+    The optional `key` argument specifies a one-argument predicate function
+    like that used for `filter()`.  The `key` argument, if supplied, must be
+    in keyword form.  For example:
+
+    >>> first([1, 1, 3, 4, 5], key=lambda x: x % 2 == 0)
+    4
+
+    """
+    if key is None:
+        for el in iterable:
+            if el:
+                return el
+    else:
+        for el in iterable:
+            if key(el):
+                return el
+
+    return default
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 91ab9111..500093ac 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ def get_version():
 
 
 def get_dependencies():
-    deps = ['redis >= 2.4.13', 'first >= 2.0']
+    deps = ['redis >= 2.4.13']
     if sys.version_info < (2, 7) or \
             (sys.version_info >= (3, 0) and sys.version_info < (3, 1)):
         deps += ['importlib']