diff --git a/Lib/imp.py b/Lib/imp.py
index 6d156d3115c..40869f5ac06 100644
--- a/Lib/imp.py
+++ b/Lib/imp.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ def load_module(name, file, filename, details):
         warnings.simplefilter('ignore')
         if mode and (not mode.startswith(('r', 'U')) or '+' in mode):
             raise ValueError('invalid file open mode {!r}'.format(mode))
-        elif file is None and type_ in {PY_SOURCE, PY_COMPILED, C_EXTENSION}:
+        elif file is None and type_ in {PY_SOURCE, PY_COMPILED}:
             msg = 'file object required for import (type code {})'.format(type_)
             raise ValueError(msg)
         elif type_ == PY_SOURCE:
@@ -176,7 +176,11 @@ def load_module(name, file, filename, details):
         elif type_ == PY_COMPILED:
             return load_compiled(name, filename, file)
         elif type_ == C_EXTENSION and load_dynamic is not None:
-            return load_dynamic(name, filename, file)
+            if file is None:
+                with open(filename, 'rb') as opened_file:
+                    return load_dynamic(name, filename, opened_file)
+            else:
+                return load_dynamic(name, filename, file)
         elif type_ == PKG_DIRECTORY:
             return load_package(name, filename)
         elif type_ == C_BUILTIN:
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_imp.py b/Lib/test/test_imp.py
index 2d757247718..74a7b593f98 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_imp.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_imp.py
@@ -208,6 +208,8 @@ class ImportTests(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertIsNot(orig_getenv, new_os.getenv)
 
     @support.cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(not hasattr(imp, 'load_dynamic'),
+                     'imp.load_dynamic() required')
     def test_issue15828_load_extensions(self):
         # Issue 15828 picked up that the adapter between the old imp API
         # and importlib couldn't handle C extensions
@@ -244,6 +246,19 @@ class ImportTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn(path, err.exception.path)
         self.assertEqual(name, err.exception.name)
 
+    @support.cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(not hasattr(imp, 'load_dynamic'),
+                     'imp.load_dynamic() required')
+    def test_load_module_extension_file_is_None(self):
+        # When loading an extension module and the file is None, open one
+        # on the behalf of imp.load_dynamic().
+        # Issue #15902
+        name = '_heapq'
+        found = imp.find_module(name)
+        assert found[2][2] == imp.C_EXTENSION
+        found[0].close()
+        imp.load_module(name, None, *found[1:])
+
 
 class ReloadTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index bc98c0d85bc..5682eceacf9 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ Core and Builtins
 Library
 -------
 
+ - Issue #15902: Fix imp.load_module() accepting None as a file when loading an
+   extension module.
+
 - Issue #13721: SSLSocket.getpeercert() and SSLSocket.do_handshake() now
   raise an OSError with ENOTCONN, instead of an AttributeError, when the
   SSLSocket is not connected.