diff --git a/PIL/Image.py b/PIL/Image.py
index afc16e0f8..5d7331823 100644
--- a/PIL/Image.py
+++ b/PIL/Image.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ try:
     # the "open" function to identify files, but you cannot load
     # them.  Note that other modules should not refer to _imaging
     # directly; import Image and use the Image.core variable instead.
-    from PIL import _imaging as core
+    import _imaging as core
 except ImportError as v:
     core = _imaging_not_installed()
     if str(v)[:20] == "Module use of python" and warnings: