diff --git a/gcloud/logging/_gax.py b/gcloud/logging/_gax.py
index b4be46e68879..b0f87153b2e4 100644
--- a/gcloud/logging/_gax.py
+++ b/gcloud/logging/_gax.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import json
 
-# pylint: disable=import-error
 from google.gax import CallOptions
 from google.gax import INITIAL_PAGE
 from google.gax.errors import GaxError
@@ -27,7 +26,6 @@
 from google.logging.v2.log_entry_pb2 import LogEntry
 from google.protobuf.json_format import Parse
 from grpc.beta.interfaces import StatusCode
-# pylint: enable=import-error
 
 from gcloud.exceptions import Conflict
 from gcloud.exceptions import NotFound
diff --git a/gcloud/pubsub/_gax.py b/gcloud/pubsub/_gax.py
index 9f9e8ef7eee6..b56e6bf9a602 100644
--- a/gcloud/pubsub/_gax.py
+++ b/gcloud/pubsub/_gax.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 
 """GAX wrapper for Pubsub API requests."""
 
-# pylint: disable=import-error
 from google.gax import CallOptions
 from google.gax import INITIAL_PAGE
 from google.gax.errors import GaxError
@@ -22,7 +21,6 @@
 from google.pubsub.v1.pubsub_pb2 import PubsubMessage
 from google.pubsub.v1.pubsub_pb2 import PushConfig
 from grpc.beta.interfaces import StatusCode
-# pylint: enable=import-error
 
 from gcloud.exceptions import Conflict
 from gcloud.exceptions import NotFound
diff --git a/scripts/pylintrc_default b/scripts/pylintrc_default
index df64b2784a50..b42b776992b4 100644
--- a/scripts/pylintrc_default
+++ b/scripts/pylintrc_default
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ load-plugins=pylint.extensions.check_docs
 #                          return int(value)
 #                      else:
 #                          return float(value)
+# - import-error: imports are checked via tests.
 # - wrong-import-position: This error is overzealous. It assumes imports are
 #                          completed whenever something non-trivial is
 #                          defined, e.g.
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ disable =
     similarities,
     star-args,
     redefined-variable-type,
+    import-error,
     wrong-import-position,
     no-name-in-module,
     missing-raises-doc,
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 203d9309ba1b..ce63ba19116d 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -121,11 +121,9 @@ commands =
     python {toxinidir}/scripts/pycodestyle_on_repo.py
     python {toxinidir}/scripts/run_pylint.py
 deps =
-    {[testing]deps}
+    {[testenv]deps}
     pycodestyle
     pylint >= 1.6.4
-setenv =
-    PYTHONPATH = {toxinidir}/_testing
 passenv = {[testenv:system-tests]passenv}
 
 [testenv:system-tests]