diff --git a/tensorflow/python/training/saver.py b/tensorflow/python/training/saver.py
index 11510d9928e..60885e92926 100644
--- a/tensorflow/python/training/saver.py
+++ b/tensorflow/python/training/saver.py
@@ -126,13 +126,10 @@ class BaseSaverBuilder(object):
           def f():
             with ops.device(v.device):
               x = v.read_value()
-            # To allow variables placed on non-CPU devices to be checkpointed,
-            # we copy them to CPU on the same machine first.
-            device_spec = pydev.DeviceSpec().parse_from_string(v.device)
-            device_spec.merge_from(
-                pydev.DeviceSpec().parse_from_string("/device:CPU:0"))
-            with ops.device(device_spec.to_string()):
-              return array_ops.identity(x)
+              # To allow variables placed on non-CPU devices to be checkpointed,
+              # we copy them to CPU on the same machine first.
+              with ops.device("/device:CPU:0"):
+                return array_ops.identity(x)
           return f
 
         self.handle_op = var.handle