diff --git a/pytools/__init__.py b/pytools/__init__.py
index 4741419933484f97ad3615b5c16491797e123ff8..3516d6fe1a6dfe55ec2f7c0d7b70d5f1539489c9 100644
--- a/pytools/__init__.py
+++ b/pytools/__init__.py
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ try:
 except TypeError:
     # this must be Python 2.4
     my_decorator = decorator
+except ImportError:
+    my_decorator = decorator
 else:
     my_decorator = decorator_module.decorator