diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 6df305e6..14553468 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+# a bug workaround.  http://bugs.python.org/issue15881
+try:
+    import multiprocessing
+except ImportError:
+    pass
+
 import setuptools
 import os