diff --git a/rest_framework/compat.py b/rest_framework/compat.py
index ce821402e..456c8b20d 100644
--- a/rest_framework/compat.py
+++ b/rest_framework/compat.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import inspect
 import django
 from django.apps import apps
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.contrib.auth import views
 from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured, ValidationError
 from django.core.validators import \
     MaxLengthValidator as DjangoMaxLengthValidator
@@ -334,11 +333,3 @@ def authenticate(request=None, **credentials):
     else:
         return authenticate(request=request, **credentials)
 
-if django.VERSION < (1, 11):
-    login = views.login
-    login_kwargs = {'template_name': 'rest_framework/login.html'}
-    logout = views.logout
-else:
-    login = views.LoginView.as_view(template_name='rest_framework/login.html')
-    login_kwargs = {}
-    logout = views.LogoutView.as_view()
diff --git a/rest_framework/urls.py b/rest_framework/urls.py
index 60107d4d2..10cc5def0 100644
--- a/rest_framework/urls.py
+++ b/rest_framework/urls.py
@@ -14,9 +14,19 @@ and you should make sure your authentication settings include `SessionAuthentica
 """
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+import django
 from django.conf.urls import url
+from django.contrib.auth import views
+
+if django.VERSION < (1, 11):
+    login = views.login
+    login_kwargs = {'template_name': 'rest_framework/login.html'}
+    logout = views.logout
+else:
+    login = views.LoginView.as_view(template_name='rest_framework/login.html')
+    login_kwargs = {}
+    logout = views.LogoutView.as_view()
 
-from rest_framework.compat import login, login_kwargs, logout
 
 app_name = 'rest_framework'
 urlpatterns = [
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 0e5c55ffe..9906935d7 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ def pytest_configure():
             'django.contrib.staticfiles',
             'rest_framework',
             'rest_framework.authtoken',
+            'tests.importable',
             'tests',
         ),
         PASSWORD_HASHERS=(
diff --git a/tests/importable/__init__.py b/tests/importable/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..19aaf6f90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/importable/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+
+from rest_framework import compat  # noqa
diff --git a/tests/importable/test_installed.py b/tests/importable/test_installed.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5998c9cbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/importable/test_installed.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+
+from django.conf import settings
+from tests import importable
+
+
+def test_installed():
+    # ensure that apps can freely import rest_framework.compat
+    assert 'tests.importable' in settings.INSTALLED_APPS
+
+
+def test_imported():
+    # ensure that the __init__ hasn't been mucked with
+    assert hasattr(importable, 'compat')