diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/nodeattrib b/confluent_client/bin/nodeattrib
index 8c6f078d..f4b0331f 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/nodeattrib
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/nodeattrib
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import optparse
 import os
 import signal
 import sys
+import shlex
 
 try:
     signal.signal(signal.SIGPIPE, signal.SIG_DFL)