diff --git a/Lib/urllib/request.py b/Lib/urllib/request.py
index a192d527d8b..2b769421c56 100644
--- a/Lib/urllib/request.py
+++ b/Lib/urllib/request.py
@@ -1792,7 +1792,6 @@ def retrieve(self, url, filename=None, reporthook=None, data=None):
             if filename:
                 tfp = open(filename, 'wb')
             else:
-                import tempfile
                 garbage, path = splittype(url)
                 garbage, path = splithost(path or "")
                 path, garbage = splitquery(path or "")