diff --git a/bin/service/http_server.py b/bin/service/http_server.py
index 788497926bd..5caca912dbe 100644
--- a/bin/service/http_server.py
+++ b/bin/service/http_server.py
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ try:
     import fcntl
 except ImportError:
     fcntl = None
+    
+try:
+	from ssl import SSLError
+except ImportError:
+	class SSLError(Exception): pass
 
 class ThreadedHTTPServer(ConnThreadingMixIn, SimpleXMLRPCDispatcher, HTTPServer):
     """ A threaded httpd server, with all the necessary functionality for us.
@@ -145,8 +150,6 @@ class HttpSDaemon(threading.Thread, netsvc.Server):
         self.__port = port
         self.__interface = interface
 
-	from ssl import SSLError
-
         try:
 	    self.server = ThreadedHTTPServer((interface, port), SecureMultiHandler2)
 	    self.server.vdirs = []