diff --git a/direct/src/dist/FreezeTool.py b/direct/src/dist/FreezeTool.py
index 846faa00f7..4390197036 100644
--- a/direct/src/dist/FreezeTool.py
+++ b/direct/src/dist/FreezeTool.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ except ImportError:
     def pytest_imports():
         return []
 
-hiddenImports = {
+defaultHiddenImports = {
     'pytest': pytest_imports(),
     'pkg_resources': [
         'pkg_resources.*.*',
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ class Freezer:
             return 'ModuleDef(%s)' % (', '.join(args))
 
     def __init__(self, previous = None, debugLevel = 0,
-                 platform = None, path=None):
+                 platform = None, path=None, hiddenImports=None):
         # Normally, we are freezing for our own platform.  Change this
         # if untrue.
         self.platform = platform or PandaSystem.getPlatform()
@@ -825,6 +825,11 @@ class Freezer:
                 if path:
                     modulefinder.AddPackagePath(moduleName, path[0])
 
+        # Module with non-obvious dependencies
+        self.hiddenImports = defaultHiddenImports.copy()
+        if hiddenImports is not None:
+            self.hiddenImports.update(hiddenImports)
+
         # Suffix/extension for Python C extension modules
         if self.platform == PandaSystem.getPlatform():
             self.moduleSuffixes = imp.get_suffixes()
@@ -1166,7 +1171,7 @@ class Freezer:
 
         # Check if any new modules we found have "hidden" imports
         for origName in list(self.mf.modules.keys()):
-            hidden = hiddenImports.get(origName, [])
+            hidden = self.hiddenImports.get(origName, [])
             for modname in hidden:
                 if modname.endswith('.*'):
                     mdefs = self._gatherSubmodules(modname, implicit = True)
diff --git a/direct/src/dist/commands.py b/direct/src/dist/commands.py
index 6a8b0c5708..90ee0d299f 100644
--- a/direct/src/dist/commands.py
+++ b/direct/src/dist/commands.py
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ class build_apps(setuptools.Command):
             self.exclude_dependencies += ['bcrypt.dll']
 
         self.package_data_dirs = {}
+        self.hidden_imports = {}
 
         # We keep track of the zip files we've opened.
         self._zip_files = {}
@@ -271,6 +272,10 @@ class build_apps(setuptools.Command):
         self.platforms = _parse_list(self.platforms)
         self.plugins = _parse_list(self.plugins)
         self.extra_prc_files = _parse_list(self.extra_prc_files)
+        self.hidden_imports = {
+            key: _parse_list(value)
+            for key, value in _parse_dict(self.hidden_imports).items()
+        }
 
         if self.default_prc_dir is None:
             self.default_prc_dir = '<auto>etc' if not self.embed_prc_data else ''
@@ -639,7 +644,11 @@ class build_apps(setuptools.Command):
             return search_path
 
         def create_runtime(appname, mainscript, use_console):
-            freezer = FreezeTool.Freezer(platform=platform, path=path)
+            freezer = FreezeTool.Freezer(
+                platform=platform,
+                path=path,
+                hiddenImports=self.hidden_imports
+            )
             freezer.addModule('__main__', filename=mainscript)
             freezer.addModule('site', filename='site.py', text=SITE_PY)
             for incmod in self.include_modules.get(appname, []) + self.include_modules.get('*', []):