diff --git a/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py b/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py
index e56e22a9b920e..822ae46e45111 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/cloudpickle.py
@@ -169,7 +169,12 @@ def save_function(self, obj, name=None):
 
         if name is None:
             name = obj.__name__
-        modname = pickle.whichmodule(obj, name)
+        try:
+            # whichmodule() could fail, see
+            # https://bitbucket.org/gutworth/six/issues/63/importing-six-breaks-pickling
+            modname = pickle.whichmodule(obj, name)
+        except Exception:
+            modname = None
         # print('which gives %s %s %s' % (modname, obj, name))
         try:
             themodule = sys.modules[modname]
@@ -326,7 +331,12 @@ def save_global(self, obj, name=None, pack=struct.pack):
 
         modname = getattr(obj, "__module__", None)
         if modname is None:
-            modname = pickle.whichmodule(obj, name)
+            try:
+                # whichmodule() could fail, see
+                # https://bitbucket.org/gutworth/six/issues/63/importing-six-breaks-pickling
+                modname = pickle.whichmodule(obj, name)
+            except Exception:
+                modname = '__main__'
 
         if modname == '__main__':
             themodule = None