diff --git a/docker/utils/utils.py b/docker/utils/utils.py
index efe9f9a3c..e1e064385 100644
--- a/docker/utils/utils.py
+++ b/docker/utils/utils.py
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
 import shlex
 import string
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
-from packaging.version import Version
+from functools import lru_cache
+from itertools import zip_longest
 
 from .. import errors
 from ..constants import DEFAULT_HTTP_HOST
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ def decode_json_header(header):
     return json.loads(data)
 
 
+@lru_cache(maxsize=None)
 def compare_version(v1, v2):
     """Compare docker versions
 
@@ -55,14 +57,20 @@ def compare_version(v1, v2):
     >>> compare_version(v2, v2)
     0
     """
-    s1 = Version(v1)
-    s2 = Version(v2)
-    if s1 == s2:
+    if v1 == v2:
         return 0
-    elif s1 > s2:
-        return -1
-    else:
-        return 1
+    # Split into `sys.version_info` like tuples.
+    s1 = tuple(int(p) for p in v1.split('.'))
+    s2 = tuple(int(p) for p in v2.split('.'))
+    # Compare each component, padding with 0 if necessary.
+    for c1, c2 in zip_longest(s1, s2, fillvalue=0):
+        if c1 == c2:
+            continue
+        elif c1 > c2:
+            return -1
+        else:
+            return 1
+    return 0
 
 
 def version_lt(v1, v2):
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b6a024f81..3d3313924 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 SOURCE_DIR = os.path.join(ROOT_DIR)
 
 requirements = [
-    'packaging >= 14.0',
     'requests >= 2.26.0',
     'urllib3 >= 1.26.0',
 ]
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils_test.py b/tests/unit/utils_test.py
index de79e3037..c9434e11b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/utils_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit/utils_test.py
@@ -10,12 +10,13 @@
 from docker.api.client import APIClient
 from docker.constants import IS_WINDOWS_PLATFORM, DEFAULT_DOCKER_API_VERSION
 from docker.errors import DockerException
-from docker.utils import (convert_filters, convert_volume_binds,
-                          decode_json_header, kwargs_from_env, parse_bytes,
-                          parse_devices, parse_env_file, parse_host,
-                          parse_repository_tag, split_command, update_headers)
+from docker.utils import (
+    compare_version, convert_filters, convert_volume_binds, decode_json_header,
+    format_environment, kwargs_from_env, parse_bytes, parse_devices,
+    parse_env_file, parse_host, parse_repository_tag, split_command,
+    update_headers, version_gte, version_lt
+)
 from docker.utils.ports import build_port_bindings, split_port
-from docker.utils.utils import format_environment
 
 TEST_CERT_DIR = os.path.join(
     os.path.dirname(__file__),
@@ -629,3 +630,19 @@ def test_format_env_no_value(self):
             'BAR': '',
         }
         assert sorted(format_environment(env_dict)) == ['BAR=', 'FOO']
+
+
+def test_compare_versions():
+    assert compare_version('1.0', '1.1') == 1
+    assert compare_version('1.10', '1.1') == -1
+    assert compare_version('1.10', '1.10') == 0
+    assert compare_version('1.10.0', '1.10.1') == 1
+    assert compare_version('1.9', '1.10') == 1
+    assert compare_version('1.9.1', '1.10') == 1
+    # Test comparison helpers
+    assert version_lt('1.0', '1.27')
+    assert version_gte('1.27', '1.20')
+    # Test zero-padding
+    assert compare_version('1', '1.0') == 0
+    assert compare_version('1.10', '1.10.1') == 1
+    assert compare_version('1.10.0', '1.10') == 0