diff --git a/pym/portage/getbinpkg.py b/pym/portage/getbinpkg.py
index c8a0edc..b225eab 100644
--- a/pym/portage/getbinpkg.py
+++ b/pym/portage/getbinpkg.py
@@ -43,13 +43,11 @@
 try:
 	try:
 		from http.client import HTTPConnection as http_client_HTTPConnection
-		from http.client import HTTPSConnection as http_client_HTTPSConnection
 		from http.client import BadStatusLine as http_client_BadStatusLine
 		from http.client import ResponseNotReady as http_client_ResponseNotReady
 		from http.client import error as http_client_error
 	except ImportError:
 		from httplib import HTTPConnection as http_client_HTTPConnection
-		from httplib import HTTPSConnection as http_client_HTTPSConnection
 		from httplib import BadStatusLine as http_client_BadStatusLine
 		from httplib import ResponseNotReady as http_client_ResponseNotReady
 		from httplib import error as http_client_error
@@ -161,6 +159,18 @@
 
 	if not conn:
 		if protocol == "https":
+			# Use local import since https typically isn't needed, and
+			# this way we can usually avoid triggering the global scope
+			# http.client ImportError handler (like during stage1 -> stage2
+			# builds where USE=ssl is disabled for python).
+			try:
+				try:
+					from http.client import HTTPSConnection as http_client_HTTPSConnection
+				except ImportError:
+					from httplib import HTTPSConnection as http_client_HTTPSConnection
+			except ImportError:
+				raise NotImplementedError(
+					_("python must have ssl enabled for https support"))
 			conn = http_client_HTTPSConnection(host)
 		elif protocol == "http":
 			conn = http_client_HTTPConnection(host)