diff --git a/rest_framework/settings.py b/rest_framework/settings.py
index 7331f2655..8ccfd3ed0 100644
--- a/rest_framework/settings.py
+++ b/rest_framework/settings.py
@@ -20,7 +20,11 @@ back to the defaults.
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from django.test.signals import setting_changed
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.utils import importlib, six
+try:
+    import importlib
+except ImportError:
+    from django.utils import importlib
+from django.utils import six
 from rest_framework import ISO_8601