diff --git a/Modules/gcmodule.c b/Modules/gcmodule.c
index 0edf523..522cc89 100644
--- a/Modules/gcmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/gcmodule.c
@@ -1236,7 +1236,7 @@
 	 * the import and triggers an assertion.
 	 */
 	if (tmod == NULL) {
-		tmod = PyImport_ImportModule("time");
+		tmod = PyImport_ImportModuleNoBlock("time");
 		if (tmod == NULL)
 			PyErr_Clear();
 	}