diff --git a/django/db/backends/__init__.py b/django/db/backends/__init__.py
index c7682a546bc..023a4faba0f 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/__init__.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from django.db.utils import DatabaseError
 
 try:
-    import thread
+    from django.utils.six.moves import _thread as thread
 except ImportError:
     from django.utils.six.moves import _dummy_thread as thread
 from contextlib import contextmanager
diff --git a/django/utils/autoreload.py b/django/utils/autoreload.py
index 9032cd024df..2daafedd856 100644
--- a/django/utils/autoreload.py
+++ b/django/utils/autoreload.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 import os, sys, time, signal
 
 try:
-    import thread
+    from django.utils.six.moves import _thread as thread
 except ImportError:
     from django.utils.six.moves import _dummy_thread as thread
 
diff --git a/django/utils/six.py b/django/utils/six.py
index ceb5d70e58f..767fe0bbe9b 100644
--- a/django/utils/six.py
+++ b/django/utils/six.py
@@ -365,4 +365,6 @@ def iterlists(d):
     """Return an iterator over the values of a MultiValueDict."""
     return getattr(d, _iterlists)()
 
+
 add_move(MovedModule("_dummy_thread", "dummy_thread"))
+add_move(MovedModule("_thread", "thread"))
diff --git a/docs/topics/python3.txt b/docs/topics/python3.txt
index 742731e1a70..32463f2e512 100644
--- a/docs/topics/python3.txt
+++ b/docs/topics/python3.txt
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ Moved modules
 Some modules were renamed in Python 3. The :mod:`django.utils.six.moves
 <six.moves>` module provides a compatible location to import them.
 
-In addition to six' defaults, Django's version provides ``dummy_thread`` as
-``_dummy_thread``.
+In addition to six' defaults, Django's version provides ``thread`` as
+``_thread`` and ``dummy_thread`` as ``_dummy_thread``.
 
 PY3
 ---