diff --git a/client/wdb/_compat.py b/client/wdb/_compat.py
index 5f0879ec..284bae0d 100644
--- a/client/wdb/_compat.py
+++ b/client/wdb/_compat.py
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@
 python_version = sys.version_info[0]
 
 try:
-    from json import loads, dumps, JSONEncoder, JSONDecodeError
+    from json import loads, dumps, JSONEncoder
+    try:
+        from json import JSONDecodeError
+    except ImportError:
+        JSONDecodeError = ValueError  # python < 3.5
 except ImportError:
     from simplejson import loads, dumps, JSONEncoder, JSONDecodeError