diff --git a/bindings/python/pyiree/BUILD b/bindings/python/pyiree/BUILD
index 836dd4b..30f6b21 100644
--- a/bindings/python/pyiree/BUILD
+++ b/bindings/python/pyiree/BUILD
@@ -36,11 +36,22 @@
     main = "dummy.py",
     python_version = "PY3",
     deps = [
-        ":binding",  # build_cleaner: keep
+        ":pyiree",  # build_cleaner: keep
         "//bindings/python:pathsetup",  # build_cleaner: keep
     ],
 )
 
+py_library(
+    name = "pyiree",
+    srcs = [
+        "__init__.py",
+    ],
+    srcs_version = "PY3",
+    deps = [
+        ":binding",
+    ],
+)
+
 iree_py_extension(
     name = "binding",
     srcs = [
diff --git a/bindings/python/pyiree/__init__.py b/bindings/python/pyiree/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..88528cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bindings/python/pyiree/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+"""Module init for the python bindings."""
+
+# Copyright 2019 Google LLC
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#      https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+# pylint: disable=invalid-name
+# pylint: disable=g-import-not-at-top
+
+
+def __import_submodules():
+  """Force a relative sub-module import.
+
+  Python makes this hard when the package is at the top and this works
+  around it, ensuring that submodules are loaded into the pyiree namespace.
+  """
+  import importlib
+
+  def import_rel(m):
+    abs_m = __package__ + "." + m
+    importlib.import_module(abs_m)
+
+  import_rel("binding")
+
+
+__import_submodules()