diff --git a/tests/make_playbooks.py b/tests/make_playbooks.py
index 12d9e71..33d45ca 100755
--- a/tests/make_playbooks.py
+++ b/tests/make_playbooks.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
         if os.path.exists(os.path.join(path, fn)):
             config_path = os.path.join(path, fn)
             break
-    config = yaml.load(open(config_path))
+    config = yaml.safe_load(open(config_path))
     for block in config:
         if 'job' not in block:
             continue
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_layoutvalidator.py b/tests/unit/test_layoutvalidator.py
index 38c8e29..319bfaa 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_layoutvalidator.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_layoutvalidator.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
             connections = zuul.lib.connections.configure_connections(config)
 
             layout = os.path.join(FIXTURE_DIR, 'layouts', fn)
-            data = yaml.load(open(layout))
+            data = yaml.safe_load(open(layout))
             validator = zuul.layoutvalidator.LayoutValidator()
             if m.group(1) == 'good':
                 try:
diff --git a/zuul/configloader.py b/zuul/configloader.py
index 50d6143..918997c 100644
--- a/zuul/configloader.py
+++ b/zuul/configloader.py
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@
     def _parseConfigRepoLayout(data, source_context):
         # This is the top-level configuration for a tenant.
         config = model.UnparsedTenantConfig()
-        config.extend(yaml.load(data), source_context)
+        config.extend(yaml.safe_load(data), source_context)
         return config
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@
         # TODOv3(jeblair): this should implement some rules to protect
         # aspects of the config that should not be changed in-repo
         config = model.UnparsedTenantConfig()
-        config.extend(yaml.load(data), source_context)
+        config.extend(yaml.safe_load(data), source_context)
 
         return config
 
@@ -814,7 +814,7 @@
         config_path = self.expandConfigPath(config_path)
         with open(config_path) as config_file:
             self.log.info("Loading configuration from %s" % (config_path,))
-            data = yaml.load(config_file)
+            data = yaml.safe_load(config_file)
         config = model.UnparsedAbideConfig()
         config.extend(data)
         base = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(config_path))
diff --git a/zuul/lib/cloner.py b/zuul/lib/cloner.py
index 197c426..fb5ed42 100644
--- a/zuul/lib/cloner.py
+++ b/zuul/lib/cloner.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
             raise Exception("Unable to read clone map file at %s." %
                             clone_map_file)
         clone_map_file = open(clone_map_file)
-        self.clone_map = yaml.load(clone_map_file).get('clonemap')
+        self.clone_map = yaml.safe_load(clone_map_file).get('clonemap')
         self.log.info("Loaded map containing %s rules", len(self.clone_map))
         return self.clone_map