diff --git a/raven/utils/imports.py b/raven/utils/imports.py
index 0b1a009b..56ef18a7 100644
--- a/raven/utils/imports.py
+++ b/raven/utils/imports.py
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+from . import six
+
 
 def import_string(key):
+    # HACK(dcramer): Ensure a unicode key is still importable
+    if not six.PY3:
+        key = str(key)
+
     if '.' not in key:
         return __import__(key)
 
     module_name, class_name = key.rsplit('.', 1)
-    module = __import__(module_name, {}, {}, [class_name])
+    module = __import__(module_name, {}, {}, [class_name], 0)
     return getattr(module, class_name)
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_imports.py b/tests/utils/test_imports.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e131abc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/utils/test_imports.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import raven
+
+from raven.utils import six
+from raven.utils.imports import import_string
+
+
+def test_import_string():
+    new_raven = import_string('raven')
+    assert new_raven is raven
+
+    # this will test unicode on python2
+    new_raven = import_string(six.text_type('raven'))
+    assert new_raven is raven
+
+    new_client = import_string('raven.Client')
+    assert new_client is raven.Client
+
+    # this will test unicode on python2
+    new_client = import_string(six.text_type('raven.Client'))
+    assert new_client is raven.Client