diff --git a/core/google/cloud/_helpers.py b/core/google/cloud/_helpers.py
index 449961126a69..b9dc5a83b1be 100644
--- a/core/google/cloud/_helpers.py
+++ b/core/google/cloud/_helpers.py
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 This module is not part of the public API surface.
 """
 
+# Avoid the grpc and google.cloud.grpc collision.
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import calendar
 import datetime
 import json
diff --git a/core/google/cloud/_testing.py b/core/google/cloud/_testing.py
index 3c01825fa6f8..f03f36ed813b 100644
--- a/core/google/cloud/_testing.py
+++ b/core/google/cloud/_testing.py
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
 """Shared testing utilities."""
 
 
+# Avoid the grpc and google.cloud.grpc collision.
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+
 class _Monkey(object):
     # context-manager for replacing module names in the scope of a test.
 
diff --git a/core/google/cloud/exceptions.py b/core/google/cloud/exceptions.py
index 1f5ae818aad5..01bec56d5b27 100644
--- a/core/google/cloud/exceptions.py
+++ b/core/google/cloud/exceptions.py
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 See: https://cloud.google.com/storage/docs/json_api/v1/status-codes
 """
 
+# Avoid the grpc and google.cloud.grpc collision.
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import copy
 import json
 import six