diff --git a/buffer/__init__.py b/buffer/__init__.py
index 12fa2da..ab5a918 100644
--- a/buffer/__init__.py
+++ b/buffer/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from collections import defaultdict
+from util import defaultdict
 import codecs, datetime, grp, os, pwd, re, shutil, stat, string
 import fcntl, select, pty, threading
 import aes, dirutil, regex, highlight, lex, term
diff --git a/mode/__init__.py b/mode/__init__.py
index 44d90d3..964da8e 100644
--- a/mode/__init__.py
+++ b/mode/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from collections import defaultdict
+from util import defaultdict
 import math, os, string
 import color, method
 from lex import Lexer
diff --git a/util.py b/util.py
index c6036fe..01aa21a 100644
--- a/util.py
+++ b/util.py
@@ -66,3 +66,42 @@ def get_margin_color(w, def_color='blue'):
         return w.application.config[lname]
     else:
         return w.application.config.get('margin_color', def_color)
+
+# emulate defaultdict for 2.4
+try:
+    from collections import defaultdict
+except:
+    class defaultdict(dict):
+        def __init__(self, default_factory=None, *a, **kw):
+            if (default_factory is not None and
+                not hasattr(default_factory, '__call__')):
+                raise TypeError('first argument must be callable')
+            dict.__init__(self, *a, **kw)
+            self.default_factory = default_factory
+        def __getitem__(self, key):
+            try:
+                return dict.__getitem__(self, key)
+            except KeyError:
+                return self.__missing__(key)
+        def __missing__(self, key):
+            if self.default_factory is None:
+                raise KeyError(key)
+            self[key] = value = self.default_factory()
+            return value
+        def __reduce__(self):
+            if self.default_factory is None:
+                args = tuple()
+            else:
+                args = self.default_factory,
+            return type(self), args, None, None, self.items()
+        def copy(self):
+            return self.__copy__()
+        def __copy__(self):
+            return type(self)(self.default_factory, self)
+        def __deepcopy__(self, memo):
+            import copy
+            return type(self)(self.default_factory,
+                              copy.deepcopy(self.items()))
+        def __repr__(self):
+            return 'defaultdict(%s, %s)' % (self.default_factory,
+                                            dict.__repr__(self))