diff --git a/Lib/encodings/__init__.py b/Lib/encodings/__init__.py
index 6cf6089..190b3c4 100644
--- a/Lib/encodings/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/encodings/__init__.py
@@ -93,8 +93,10 @@
         if not modname or '.' in modname:
             continue
         try:
-            mod = __import__('encodings.' + modname,
-                             globals(), locals(), _import_tail)
+            # Import equivalent to `` from .modname import *``.
+            # '*' is used so that __import__ returns the desired module and not
+            # 'encodings' itself.
+            mod = __import__(modname, globals(), locals(), ['*'], 1)
         except ImportError:
             pass
         else:
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 1426799..dffd5b7 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Have the encoding package's search function dynamically import using absolute
+  import semantics.
+
 - Patch #1647484: Renamed GzipFile's filename attribute to name.
 
 - Patch #1517891: Mode 'a' for ZipFile now creates the file if it