diff --git a/Pilot/pilotTools.py b/Pilot/pilotTools.py
index 6c3fc88e..8bf48043 100644
--- a/Pilot/pilotTools.py
+++ b/Pilot/pilotTools.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 import fcntl
 import getopt
-import imp
 import json
 import os
 import re
@@ -31,6 +30,33 @@
 
     from urllib2 import HTTPError, URLError, urlopen
 
+try:
+    import importlib.util
+    from importlib import import_module
+except ImportError:
+    def import_module(module):
+        import imp
+
+        impData = imp.find_module(module)
+        return imp.load_module(module, *impData)
+
+    
+    def load_module_from_path(module_name, path_to_module):
+        import imp
+        fp, pathname, description = imp.find_module(module_name, [path_to_module])
+        try:
+            return imp.load_module(module_name, fp, pathname, description)
+        finally:
+            if fp:
+                fp.close()
+
+else:
+    def load_module_from_path(module_name, path_to_module):
+        spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, path_to_module)
+        module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+        spec.loader.exec_module(module)
+        return module
+
 try:
     from cStringIO import StringIO
 except ImportError:
@@ -370,12 +396,9 @@ def __recurseImport(self, modName, parentModule=None, hideExceptions=False):
             modName = modName.split(".")
         try:
             if parentModule:
-                impData = imp.find_module(modName[0], parentModule.__path__)
+                impModule = load_module_from_path(modName[0], parentModule.__path__)
             else:
-                impData = imp.find_module(modName[0])
-            impModule = imp.load_module(modName[0], *impData)
-            if impData[0]:
-                impData[0].close()
+                impModule = import_module(modName[0])
         except ImportError as excp:
             if str(excp).find("No module named %s" % modName[0]) == 0:
                 return None, None
@@ -415,8 +438,7 @@ def getCommand(params, commandName):
     # Look for commands in the modules in the current directory first
     for module in modules:
         try:
-            impData = imp.find_module(module)
-            commandModule = imp.load_module(module, *impData)
+            commandModule = import_module(module)
             commandObject = getattr(commandModule, commandName)
         except Exception:
             pass