diff --git a/src/python/grpcio/commands.py b/src/python/grpcio/commands.py
index ff35c458617b9b18b80e6f27ddf94bed98c857c4..29b506abe0aadf127b5250f155e31a6166dfbe73 100644
--- a/src/python/grpcio/commands.py
+++ b/src/python/grpcio/commands.py
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ from setuptools.command import build_ext
 from setuptools.command import build_py
 from setuptools.command import test
 
+import support
+
 PYTHON_STEM = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 
 CONF_PY_ADDENDUM = """