diff --git a/tempest/stress/run_stress.py b/tempest/stress/run_stress.py
index 067b994..889e29a 100755
--- a/tempest/stress/run_stress.py
+++ b/tempest/stress/run_stress.py
@@ -21,7 +21,11 @@
 import json
 import sys
 from testtools.testsuite import iterate_tests
-from unittest import loader
+try:
+    from unittest import loader
+except ImportError:
+    # unittest in python 2.6 does not contain loader, so uses unittest2
+    from unittest2 import loader
 
 from tempest.openstack.common import log as logging
 from tempest.stress import driver