diff --git a/Lib/encodings/__init__.py b/Lib/encodings/__init__.py
index 827db352142..ca597212225 100644
--- a/Lib/encodings/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/encodings/__init__.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def search_function(encoding):
         import aliases
         modname = aliases.aliases.get(modname, modname)
         try:
-            mod = __import__(modname, globals(), locals(), _import_tail)
+            mod = __import__('encodings.' + modname, globals(), locals(), _import_tail)
         except ImportError,why:
             mod = None
     if mod is None: