diff --git a/rclpy/package.xml b/rclpy/package.xml
index 19e731d18..7b98159e7 100644
--- a/rclpy/package.xml
+++ b/rclpy/package.xml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
   <exec_depend>builtin_interfaces</exec_depend>
   <exec_depend>rcl_interfaces</exec_depend>
   <exec_depend>rosgraph_msgs</exec_depend>
+  <exec_depend>rpyutils</exec_depend>
 
   <test_depend>ament_cmake_gtest</test_depend>
   <test_depend>ament_cmake_pytest</test_depend>
diff --git a/rclpy/rclpy/impl/__init__.py b/rclpy/rclpy/impl/__init__.py
index 92926f7e6..8fa489133 100644
--- a/rclpy/rclpy/impl/__init__.py
+++ b/rclpy/rclpy/impl/__init__.py
@@ -15,10 +15,16 @@
 import importlib
 import os
 
+from rpyutils import add_dll_directories_from_env
+
 
 def _import(name):
     try:
-        return importlib.import_module(name, package='rclpy')
+        # Since Python 3.8, on Windows we should ensure DLL directories are explicitly added
+        # to the search path.
+        # See https://docs.python.org/3/whatsnew/3.8.html#bpo-36085-whatsnew
+        with add_dll_directories_from_env('PATH'):
+            return importlib.import_module(name, package='rclpy')
     except ImportError as e:
         if e.path is not None and os.path.isfile(e.path):
             e.msg += \
diff --git a/rclpy/test/__init__.py b/rclpy/test/__init__.py
index 8f1a3098a..d1a5be1e2 100644
--- a/rclpy/test/__init__.py
+++ b/rclpy/test/__init__.py
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 import importlib
 import sys
 
+from rpyutils import add_dll_directories_from_env
+
 assert 'rclpy' not in sys.modules, 'rclpy should not have been imported before running tests'
 
 # this will make the extensions load from the build folder
@@ -23,7 +25,11 @@
 
 
 def _custom_import(name):
-    return importlib.import_module(name, package='test_rclpy')
+    # Since Python 3.8, on Windows we should ensure DLL directories are explicitly added
+    # to the search path.
+    # See https://docs.python.org/3/whatsnew/3.8.html#bpo-36085-whatsnew
+    with add_dll_directories_from_env('PATH'):
+        return importlib.import_module(name, package='test_rclpy')
 
 
 rclpy.impl._import = _custom_import