diff --git a/Lib/importlib/__init__.py b/Lib/importlib/__init__.py
--- a/Lib/importlib/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/importlib/__init__.py
@@ -1,18 +1,27 @@
 """A pure Python implementation of import."""
 __all__ = ['__import__', 'import_module', 'invalidate_caches']
 
-from . import _bootstrap
+# Bootstrap help #####################################################
+import imp
+import sys
 
+try:
+    _bootstrap = sys.modules['_frozen_importlib']
+except ImportError:
+    from . import _bootstrap
+else:
+    # importlib._bootstrap is the built-in import, ensure we don't create
+    # a second copy of the module.
+    _bootstrap.__name__ = 'importlib._bootstrap'
+    _bootstrap.__package__ = 'importlib'
+    _bootstrap.__file__ = __file__.replace('__init__.py', '_bootstrap.py')
+    sys.modules['importlib._bootstrap'] = _bootstrap
 
 # To simplify imports in test code
 _w_long = _bootstrap._w_long
 _r_long = _bootstrap._r_long
 
 
-# Bootstrap help #####################################################
-import imp
-import sys
-
 _bootstrap._setup(sys, imp)
 
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_import.py b/Lib/test/test_import.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_import.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_import.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import errno
 from test.support import (
     EnvironmentVarGuard, TESTFN, check_warnings, forget, is_jython,
     make_legacy_pyc, rmtree, run_unittest, swap_attr, swap_item, temp_umask,
-    unlink, unload, create_empty_file)
+    unlink, unload, create_empty_file, cpython_only)
 from test import script_helper
 
 
@@ -696,6 +696,23 @@ class PycacheTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(m.x, 5)
 
 
+@cpython_only
+class ImportlibBootstrapTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    # These tests check that importlib is bootstrapped.
+
+    def test_frozen_importlib(self):
+        mod = sys.modules['_frozen_importlib']
+        self.assertTrue(mod)
+
+    def test_frozen_importlib_is_bootstrap(self):
+        from importlib import _bootstrap
+        mod = sys.modules['_frozen_importlib']
+        self.assertIs(mod, _bootstrap)
+        self.assertEqual(mod.__name__, 'importlib._bootstrap')
+        self.assertEqual(mod.__package__, 'importlib')
+        self.assertTrue(mod.__file__.endswith('_bootstrap.py'), mod.__file__)
+
+
 def test_main(verbose=None):
     flag = importlib_util.using___import__
     try:
@@ -703,6 +720,7 @@ def test_main(verbose=None):
         run_unittest(ImportTests, PycacheTests,
                      PycRewritingTests, PathsTests, RelativeImportTests,
                      OverridingImportBuiltinTests,
+                     ImportlibBootstrapTests,
                      importlib_import_test_suite())
     finally:
         importlib_util.using___import__ = flag