diff --git a/testing/test_plugin.py b/testing/test_plugin.py
index 3fbb5b3..189a1bf 100644
--- a/testing/test_plugin.py
+++ b/testing/test_plugin.py
@@ -26,8 +26,12 @@ def test_dist_options(testdir):
 
 
 def test_auto_detect_cpus(testdir, monkeypatch):
-    import multiprocessing
-    monkeypatch.setattr(multiprocessing, 'cpu_count', lambda: 99)
+    import os
+    if hasattr(os, 'cpu_count'):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(os, 'cpu_count', lambda: 99)
+    else:
+        import multiprocessing
+        monkeypatch.setattr(multiprocessing, 'cpu_count', lambda: 99)
 
     config = testdir.parseconfigure("-n2")
     assert config.getoption('numprocesses') == 2
diff --git a/xdist/plugin.py b/xdist/plugin.py
index c232a5e..7acba85 100644
--- a/xdist/plugin.py
+++ b/xdist/plugin.py
@@ -4,8 +4,15 @@ import pytest
 
 def parse_numprocesses(s):
     if s == 'auto':
-        import multiprocessing
-        return multiprocessing.cpu_count()
+        try:
+            from os import cpu_count
+        except ImportError:
+            from multiprocessing import cpu_count
+        try:
+            n = cpu_count()
+        except NotImplementedError:
+            return 1
+        return n if n else 1
     else:
         return int(s)