diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/readwriter.py b/python/pyspark/sql/readwriter.py
index 3f28d7ad5051..73cdffaf411b 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/readwriter.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/readwriter.py
@@ -143,7 +143,9 @@ def load(self, path=None, format=None, schema=None, **options):
         if schema is not None:
             self.schema(schema)
         self.options(**options)
-        if path is not None:
+        if isinstance(path, basestring):
+            return self._df(self._jreader.load(path))
+        elif path is not None:
             if type(path) != list:
                 path = [path]
             return self._df(self._jreader.load(self._spark._sc._jvm.PythonUtils.toSeq(path)))