diff --git a/skimage/rank/rank.py b/skimage/rank/rank.py
index cefb06ac..52b3d570 100644
--- a/skimage/rank/rank.py
+++ b/skimage/rank/rank.py
@@ -1022,5 +1022,8 @@ def tophat(image, selem, out=None, mask=None, shift_x=False, shift_y=False):
         raise TypeError("only uint8 and uint16 image supported!")
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
+    import sys
+    sys.path.append('.')
+
     import doctest
     doctest.testmod(verbose=True)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/skimage/rank/setup.py b/skimage/rank/setup.py
index 20a59979..207ff18f 100644
--- a/skimage/rank/setup.py
+++ b/skimage/rank/setup.py
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ from skimage._build import cython
 
 base_path = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
 
-import sys
-sys.path.append('.')
-
 def configuration(parent_package='', top_path=None):
     from numpy.distutils.misc_util import Configuration, get_numpy_include_dirs