diff --git a/tests/test_base.py b/tests/test_base.py
index 42d0cdb..183b20d 100644
--- a/tests/test_base.py
+++ b/tests/test_base.py
@@ -621,7 +621,10 @@ class TestEngines(object):
         assert error_msg is not None
     
     def test_json(self):
-        from json import loads
+        try:
+            from simplejson import loads
+        except:
+            from json import loads
         
         expected_result = dict(name='Jonathan', age=30, nested=dict(works=True))
         
diff --git a/tests/test_generic.py b/tests/test_generic.py
index a1ef387..bbe9d0e 100644
--- a/tests/test_generic.py
+++ b/tests/test_generic.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 from pecan import Pecan, expose, request, response, redirect
 from webtest import TestApp
-from json import dumps
+try:
+    from simplejson import dumps
+except:
+    from json import dumps
 
 
 class TestGeneric(object):
@@ -29,4 +32,4 @@ class TestGeneric(object):
         assert r.body == dumps(dict(result='POST'))
         
         r = app.get('/do_get', status=404)
-        assert r.status_int == 404
\ No newline at end of file
+        assert r.status_int == 404
diff --git a/tests/test_jsonify.py b/tests/test_jsonify.py
index 7173cf9..8ede881 100644
--- a/tests/test_jsonify.py
+++ b/tests/test_jsonify.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 from datetime           import datetime, date
 from decimal            import Decimal
-from json               import loads
+try:
+    from simplejson     import loads
+except:
+    from json           import loads
 from unittest           import TestCase
 
 from pecan.jsonify      import jsonify, encode
diff --git a/tests/test_rest.py b/tests/test_rest.py
index bdfe0d7..400b4ba 100644
--- a/tests/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/test_rest.py
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 from pecan import abort, expose, make_app, request, response
 from pecan.rest import RestController
 from webtest import TestApp
-from json import dumps, loads
+try:
+    from simplejson import dumps, loads
+except:
+    from json import dumps, loads
 
 
 class TestRestController(object):