diff --git a/scikits/image/io/pil_imread.py b/scikits/image/io/pil_imread.py
index e81b818e..10d273ca 100644
--- a/scikits/image/io/pil_imread.py
+++ b/scikits/image/io/pil_imread.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-__all__ = ['imread', 'palette_is_grayscale']
+__all__ = ['imread']
 
 import numpy as np
 
@@ -45,13 +45,13 @@ def imread(fname, flatten=False, dtype=None):
 
 
 def palette_is_grayscale(pil_image):
-    """Return True if PIL image is grayscale.
-    
+    """Return True if PIL image in palette mode is grayscale.
+
     Parameters
     ----------
     pil_image : PIL image
         PIL Image that is in Palette mode.
-    
+
     Returns
     -------
     is_grayscale : bool
diff --git a/scikits/image/io/tests/test_imread.py b/scikits/image/io/tests/test_imread.py
index 6ab506b4..2e9a2f7a 100644
--- a/scikits/image/io/tests/test_imread.py
+++ b/scikits/image/io/tests/test_imread.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import os.path
 import numpy as np
 
 from scikits.image import data_dir
-from scikits.image.io import imread, palette_is_grayscale
+from scikits.image.io import imread
+from scikits.image.io.pil_imread import palette_is_grayscale
 
 def test_imread_flatten():
     # a color image is flattened and returned as float32
@@ -23,10 +24,7 @@ def test_imread_palette():
     assert img.ndim == 3
 
 def test_palette_is_gray():
-    try:
-        from PIL import Image
-    except ImportError:
-        return
+    from PIL import Image
     gray = Image.open(os.path.join(data_dir, 'palette_gray.png'))
     assert palette_is_grayscale(gray)
     color = Image.open(os.path.join(data_dir, 'palette_color.png'))