diff --git a/qubes/backup.py b/qubes/backup.py
index 57ab6a19..770ba8b6 100644
--- a/qubes/backup.py
+++ b/qubes/backup.py
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ class Backup(object):
             fmt = "{{0:>{0}}} |".format(fields_to_display[1]["width"] + 1)
             if qid == 0:
                 s += fmt.format("User home")
-            elif vm_info['vm'].is_template():
+            elif isinstance(vm_info['vm'], qubes.vm.templatevm.TemplateVM):
                 s += fmt.format("Template VM")
             else:
                 s += fmt.format("VM" + (" + Sys" if vm_info['vm'].updateable
@@ -1798,11 +1798,14 @@ class BackupRestore(object):
                     host_template = self.app.domains[template_name]
                 except KeyError:
                     host_template = None
-                if not host_template or not host_template.is_template():
+                if not host_template \
+                        or not isinstance(host_template,
+                        qubes.vm.templatevm.TemplateVM):
                     # Maybe the (custom) template is in the backup?
                     if not (template_name in restore_info.keys() and
                             restore_info[template_name].good_to_go and
-                            restore_info[template_name].vm.is_template()):
+                            isinstance(restore_info[template_name].vm,
+                                qubes.vm.templatevm.TemplateVM)):
                         if self.options.use_default_template and \
                                 self.app.default_template:
                             if vm_info.orig_template is None:
@@ -1940,13 +1943,13 @@ class BackupRestore(object):
         fields = {
             "qid": {"func": "vm.qid"},
 
-            "name": {"func": "('[' if vm.is_template() else '')\
+            "name": {"func": "('[' if isinstance(vm, qubes.vm.templatevm.TemplateVM) else '')\
                      + ('{' if vm.is_netvm() else '')\
                      + vm.name \
-                     + (']' if vm.is_template() else '')\
+                     + (']' if isinstance(vm, qubes.vm.templatevm.TemplateVM) else '')\
                      + ('}' if vm.is_netvm() else '')"},
 
-            "type": {"func": "'Tpl' if vm.is_template() else \
+            "type": {"func": "'Tpl' if isinstance(vm, qubes.vm.templatevm.TemplateVM) else \
                      'App' if isinstance(vm, qubes.vm.appvm.AppVM) else \
                      vm.__class__.__name__.replace('VM','')"},
 
@@ -2113,7 +2116,8 @@ class BackupRestore(object):
             return
 
         # First load templates, then other VMs
-        for vm in sorted(vms.values(), key=lambda x: x.is_template(),
+        for vm in sorted(vms.values(),
+                key=lambda x: isinstance(x, qubes.vm.templatevm.TemplateVM),
                 reverse=True):
             if self.canceled:
                 # only break the loop to save qubes.xml
diff --git a/qubes/storage/file.py b/qubes/storage/file.py
index 5b5e04db..78a63771 100644
--- a/qubes/storage/file.py
+++ b/qubes/storage/file.py
@@ -211,7 +211,9 @@ class FilePool(Pool):
                 string (str) absolute path to the directory where the vm files
                              are stored
         """
-        if vm.is_template():
+        # FIX Remove this if we drop the file backend
+        import qubes.vm.templatevm  # nopep8
+        if isinstance(vm, qubes.vm.templatevm.TemplateVM):
             subdir = 'vm-templates'
         elif vm.is_disposablevm():
             subdir = 'appvms'
diff --git a/qubes/tests/int/basic.py b/qubes/tests/int/basic.py
index cd265fc6..4cfe154f 100644
--- a/qubes/tests/int/basic.py
+++ b/qubes/tests/int/basic.py
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ class TC_02_QvmPrefs(qubes.tests.SystemTestsMixin, qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
     @unittest.skip('test not converted to core3 API')
     def test_006_template(self):
         templates = [tpl for tpl in self.app.domains.values() if
-            tpl.is_template()]
+            isinstance(tpl, qubes.vm.templatevm.TemplateVM)]
         if not templates:
             self.skipTest("No templates installed")
         some_template = templates[0].name
diff --git a/qubes/vm/qubesvm.py b/qubes/vm/qubesvm.py
index b39f2306..d75988e4 100644
--- a/qubes/vm/qubesvm.py
+++ b/qubes/vm/qubesvm.py
@@ -386,12 +386,6 @@ class QubesVM(qubes.vm.mix.net.NetVMMixin, qubes.vm.BaseVM):
         return os.path.join(self.dir_path, 'libvirt.xml')
 
     # XXX I don't know what to do with these; probably should be isinstance(...)
-    def is_template(self):
-        warnings.warn('vm.is_template() is deprecated, use isinstance()',
-            DeprecationWarning)
-        import qubes.vm.templatevm  # pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
-        return isinstance(self, qubes.vm.templatevm.TemplateVM)
-
     def is_appvm(self):
         warnings.warn('vm.is_appvm() is deprecated, use isinstance()',
             DeprecationWarning)
@@ -1495,7 +1489,6 @@ class QubesVM(qubes.vm.mix.net.NetVMMixin, qubes.vm.BaseVM):
 
         return used_dmdev != current_dmdev
 
-
     #
     # helper methods
     #