diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/__init__.py b/django/contrib/admin/__init__.py
index 56b64faacb..17639f0e7c 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/__init__.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/__init__.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ def autodiscover():
     from django.conf import settings
     for app in settings.INSTALLED_APPS:
         try:
-            __import__("%s.admin" % app)
+            imp.find_module("admin", __import__(app, fromlist=[app.split(".")[-1]]).__path__)
         except ImportError:
-            pass
+            # there is no app admin.py, skip it
+            continue
+        __import__("%s.admin" % app)