diff --git a/django/db/backends/ado_mssql/base.py b/django/db/backends/ado_mssql/base.py
index fe363035652..c5a3b2cc33c 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/ado_mssql/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/ado_mssql/base.py
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ Requires adodbapi 2.0.1: http://adodbapi.sourceforge.net/
 """
 
 from django.db.backends import util
-import adodbapi as Database
+try:
+    import adodbapi as Database
+except ImportError, e:
+    from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+    raise ImproperlyConfigured, "Error loading adodbapi module: %s" % e
 import datetime
 try:
     import mx
diff --git a/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py b/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py
index e2d6cbfc5e9..6a53956cadd 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/mysql/base.py
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ Requires MySQLdb: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python
 """
 
 from django.db.backends import util
-import MySQLdb as Database
+try:
+    import MySQLdb as Database
+except ImportError, e:
+    from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+    raise ImproperlyConfigured, "Error loading MySQLdb module: %s" % e
 from MySQLdb.converters import conversions
 from MySQLdb.constants import FIELD_TYPE
 import types
diff --git a/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py b/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py
index 6a2c48e0705..a7c866484e0 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/oracle/base.py
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ Requires cx_Oracle: http://www.python.net/crew/atuining/cx_Oracle/
 """
 
 from django.db.backends import util
-import cx_Oracle as Database
+try:
+    import cx_Oracle as Database
+except ImportError, e:
+    from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+    raise ImproperlyConfigured, "Error loading cx_Oracle module: %s" % e
 import types
 
 DatabaseError = Database.Error
diff --git a/django/db/backends/postgresql/base.py b/django/db/backends/postgresql/base.py
index 3c807f21203..a365434318a 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/postgresql/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/postgresql/base.py
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ Requires psycopg 1: http://initd.org/projects/psycopg1
 """
 
 from django.db.backends import util
-import psycopg as Database
+try:
+    import psycopg as Database
+except ImportError, e:
+    from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+    raise ImproperlyConfigured, "Error loading psycopg module: %s" % e
 
 DatabaseError = Database.DatabaseError
 
diff --git a/django/db/backends/postgresql_psycopg2/base.py b/django/db/backends/postgresql_psycopg2/base.py
index 9376c36772c..13e7be7a982 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/postgresql_psycopg2/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/postgresql_psycopg2/base.py
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ Requires psycopg 2: http://initd.org/projects/psycopg2
 """
 
 from django.db.backends import util
-import psycopg2 as Database
+try:
+    import psycopg2 as Database
+except ImportError, e:
+    from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+    raise ImproperlyConfigured, "Error loading psycopg2 module: %s" % e
 
 DatabaseError = Database.DatabaseError
 
diff --git a/django/db/backends/sqlite3/base.py b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/base.py
index b884e9d27bc..7c3018aed9b 100644
--- a/django/db/backends/sqlite3/base.py
+++ b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/base.py
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@ SQLite3 backend for django.  Requires pysqlite2 (http://pysqlite.org/).
 """
 
 from django.db.backends import util
-from pysqlite2 import dbapi2 as Database
+try:
+    from pysqlite2 import dbapi2 as Database
+except ImportError, e:
+    from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+    raise ImproperlyConfigured, "Error loading pysqlite2 module: %s" % e
 
 DatabaseError = Database.DatabaseError