diff --git a/packages/python/pypreds.c b/packages/python/pypreds.c
index 5cf7a872b..d73e45547 100644
--- a/packages/python/pypreds.c
+++ b/packages/python/pypreds.c
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ static int python_import(term_t mname, term_t mod) {
       s = stpcpy(s, sa);
       *s++ = '.';
     } else if (!PL_get_nchars(mname, &len, &s,
-                              CVT_ALL | CVT_EXCEPTION | ENC_ISO_UTF8)) {
+                              CVT_ALL | CVT_EXCEPTION | REP_UTF8)) {
       return false;
     } else {
       break;
diff --git a/packages/python/python.pl b/packages/python/python.pl
index a2603195c..ef032a7dc 100644
--- a/packages/python/python.pl
+++ b/packages/python/python.pl
@@ -110,7 +110,10 @@ Data types are
 :- use_module(library(charsio)).
 :- dynamic python_mref_cache/2, python_obj_cache/2.
 
-:= import( F ) :- python_import(F).
+:= (P1,P2) :- !,
+	:= P1,
+	:= P2.
+:= import( F ) :- !, python_import(F).
 := F :- python(F,_).
 
 V := F :- var(V), !, python(F,V0),