diff --git a/api/search.go b/api/search.go
index a6d2a4ce2..4da0068c0 100644
--- a/api/search.go
+++ b/api/search.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (s *SearchAPI) Get() {
 		}
 	}
 
-	projectSorter := &utils.ProjectSorter{Projects: projects}
+	projectSorter := &models.ProjectSorter{Projects: projects}
 	sort.Sort(projectSorter)
 	projectResult := []map[string]interface{}{}
 	for _, p := range projects {
diff --git a/models/project.go b/models/project.go
index e16f0ce5f..0105f6a79 100644
--- a/models/project.go
+++ b/models/project.go
@@ -37,3 +37,23 @@ type Project struct {
 	Role       int       `json:"current_user_role_id"`
 	RepoCount  int       `json:"repo_count"`
 }
+
+// ProjectSorter holds an array of projects
+type ProjectSorter struct {
+	Projects []Project
+}
+
+// Len returns the length of array in ProjectSorter
+func (ps *ProjectSorter) Len() int {
+	return len(ps.Projects)
+}
+
+// Less defines the comparison rules of project
+func (ps *ProjectSorter) Less(i, j int) bool {
+	return ps.Projects[i].Name < ps.Projects[j].Name
+}
+
+// Swap swaps the position of i and j
+func (ps *ProjectSorter) Swap(i, j int) {
+	ps.Projects[i], ps.Projects[j] = ps.Projects[j], ps.Projects[i]
+}
diff --git a/utils/utils.go b/utils/utils.go
index 3a7d693e3..653e5409c 100644
--- a/utils/utils.go
+++ b/utils/utils.go
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ package utils
 import (
 	"net/url"
 	"strings"
-
-	"github.com/vmware/harbor/models"
 )
 
 // Repository holds information about repository
@@ -35,26 +33,6 @@ func (r *Repository) GetProject() string {
 	return r.Name[0:strings.LastIndex(r.Name, "/")]
 }
 
-// ProjectSorter holds an array of projects
-type ProjectSorter struct {
-	Projects []models.Project
-}
-
-// Len returns the length of array in ProjectSorter
-func (ps *ProjectSorter) Len() int {
-	return len(ps.Projects)
-}
-
-// Less defines the comparison rules of project
-func (ps *ProjectSorter) Less(i, j int) bool {
-	return ps.Projects[i].Name < ps.Projects[j].Name
-}
-
-// Swap swaps the position of i and j
-func (ps *ProjectSorter) Swap(i, j int) {
-	ps.Projects[i], ps.Projects[j] = ps.Projects[j], ps.Projects[i]
-}
-
 // FormatEndpoint formats endpoint
 func FormatEndpoint(endpoint string) string {
 	endpoint = strings.TrimSpace(endpoint)