diff --git a/Lib/sre.py b/Lib/sre.py
index 390094a..c04576b 100644
--- a/Lib/sre.py
+++ b/Lib/sre.py
@@ -8,3 +8,6 @@
 
 from re import *
 from re import __all__
+
+# old pickles expect the _compile() reconstructor in this module
+from re import _compile