diff --git a/salt/utils/thin.py b/salt/utils/thin.py
index f7103fe0996..9ff7548be65 100644
--- a/salt/utils/thin.py
+++ b/salt/utils/thin.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import tempfile
 import types
 import zipfile
 
-import distro  # pylint: disable=unused-import
+import distro
 import idna
 import jinja2
 import looseversion
@@ -432,6 +432,7 @@ def get_tops(extra_mods="", so_mods=""):
     tops = []
     mods = [
         salt,
+        distro,
         jinja2,
         yaml,
         tornado,
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/utils/test_thin.py b/tests/pytests/unit/utils/test_thin.py
index 3272647fcf3..dcb75322860 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/utils/test_thin.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/utils/test_thin.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def test_get_tops_python(version):
     patch_which = patch("salt.utils.path.which", return_value=True)
 
     with patch_proc, patch_which:
-        salt.utils.thin.get_tops_python("python3", ext_py_ver=version)
+        salt.utils.thin.get_tops_python("python2", ext_py_ver=version)
         cmds = [x[0][0] for x in mock_popen.call_args_list]
         assert [x for x in cmds if "jinja2" in x[2]]
         if python3:
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/test_thin.py b/tests/unit/utils/test_thin.py
index 53b2148ee29..f4767f45d7d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/utils/test_thin.py
+++ b/tests/unit/utils/test_thin.py
@@ -479,6 +479,7 @@ class SSHThinTestCase(TestCase):
         """
         base_tops = [
             "salt",
+            "distro",
             "jinja2",
             "yaml",
             "tornado",
@@ -591,6 +592,7 @@ class SSHThinTestCase(TestCase):
         """
         base_tops = [
             "salt",
+            "distro",
             "jinja2",
             "yaml",
             "tornado",
@@ -713,6 +715,7 @@ class SSHThinTestCase(TestCase):
         """
         base_tops = [
             "salt",
+            "distro",
             "jinja2",
             "yaml",
             "tornado",