diff --git a/jedi/imports.py b/jedi/imports.py
index 1e132b30..6c5a9f19 100644
--- a/jedi/imports.py
+++ b/jedi/imports.py
@@ -271,6 +271,28 @@ class ImportPath(pr.Base):
         return []
 
     def _follow_file_system(self):
+        if self.file_path:
+            sys_path_mod = list(self._sys_path_with_modifications())
+            module = self.import_stmt.get_parent_until()
+            if not module.has_explicit_absolute_import:
+                # If the module explicitly asks for absolute imports,
+                # there's probably a bogus local one.
+                sys_path_mod.insert(0, self.file_path)
+
+            # First the sys path is searched normally and if that doesn't
+            # succeed, try to search the parent directories, because sometimes
+            # Jedi doesn't recognize sys.path modifications (like py.test
+            # stuff).
+            old_path, temp_path = self.file_path, os.path.dirname(self.file_path)
+            while old_path != temp_path:
+                sys_path_mod.append(temp_path)
+                old_path, temp_path = temp_path, os.path.dirname(temp_path)
+        else:
+            sys_path_mod = list(modules.get_sys_path())
+
+        return self._follow_sys_path(sys_path_mod)
+
+    def _follow_sys_path(self, sys_path):
         """
         Find a module with a path (of the module, like usb.backend.libusb10).
         """
@@ -290,7 +312,7 @@ class ImportPath(pr.Base):
                 debug.dbg('search_module', string, self.file_path)
                 # Override the sys.path. It works only good that way.
                 # Injecting the path directly into `find_module` did not work.
-                sys.path, temp = sys_path_mod, sys.path
+                sys.path, temp = sys_path, sys.path
                 try:
                     importing = find_module(string)
                 finally:
@@ -298,16 +320,6 @@ class ImportPath(pr.Base):
 
             return importing
 
-        if self.file_path:
-            sys_path_mod = list(self._sys_path_with_modifications())
-            module = self.import_stmt.get_parent_until()
-            if not module.has_explicit_absolute_import:
-                # If the module explicitly asks for absolute imports,
-                # there's probably a bogus local one.
-                sys_path_mod.insert(0, self.file_path)
-        else:
-            sys_path_mod = list(modules.get_sys_path())
-
         current_namespace = (None, None, None)
         # now execute those paths
         rest = []
@@ -339,7 +351,7 @@ class ImportPath(pr.Base):
                     else:
                         raise ModuleNotFound('The module you searched has not been found')
 
-        sys_path_mod.pop(0)  # TODO why is this here?
+        sys_path.pop(0)  # TODO why is this here?
         path = current_namespace[1]
         is_package_directory = current_namespace[2]
 
diff --git a/test/test_imports.py b/test/test_imports.py
index 5c4105d8..fbb1ca1c 100644
--- a/test/test_imports.py
+++ b/test/test_imports.py
@@ -17,6 +17,5 @@ def test_import_not_in_sys_path():
     """
     non-direct imports (not in sys.path)
     """
-    jedi.set_debug_function()
     a = jedi.Script(path='module.py', line=3).goto_definitions()
     assert a[0].name == 'int'