diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_compile.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_compile.py
index 50c7d82af..efd198fa9 100755
--- a/artiq/frontend/artiq_compile.py
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_compile.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3.5
 
-import sys, logging, argparse
+import os, sys, logging, argparse
 
 from artiq.master.databases import DeviceDB, DatasetDB
 from artiq.master.worker_db import DeviceManager, DatasetManager