diff --git a/torchx/util/modules.py b/torchx/util/modules.py
index 5ac418ee7..f8f40847b 100644
--- a/torchx/util/modules.py
+++ b/torchx/util/modules.py
@@ -8,16 +8,13 @@
 
 import importlib
 from types import ModuleType
-from typing import Callable, Optional, Union
+from typing import Callable, Optional, TypeVar, Union
 
 
 def load_module(path: str) -> Union[ModuleType, Optional[Callable[..., object]]]:
     """
     Loads and returns the module/module attr represented by the ``path``: ``full.module.path:optional_attr``
 
-    ::
-
-
     1. ``load_module("this.is.a_module:fn")`` -> equivalent to ``this.is.a_module.fn``
     1. ``load_module("this.is.a_module")`` -> equivalent to ``this.is.a_module``
     """
@@ -33,3 +30,36 @@ def load_module(path: str) -> Union[ModuleType, Optional[Callable[..., object]]]
         return getattr(module, method) if method else module
     except Exception:
         return None
+
+
+T = TypeVar("T")
+
+
+def import_attr(name: str, attr: str, default: T) -> T:
+    """
+    Imports ``name.attr`` and returns it if the module is found.
+    Otherwise, returns the specified ``default``.
+    Useful when getting an attribute from an optional dependency.
+
+    Note that the ``default`` parameter is intentionally not an optional
+    since this function is intended to be used with modules that may not be
+    installed as a dependency. Therefore the caller must ALWAYS provide a
+    sensible default.
+
+    Usage:
+
+    .. code-block:: python
+
+        aws_resources = import_attr("torchx.specs.named_resources_aws", "NAMED_RESOURCES", default={})
+        all_resources.update(aws_resources)
+
+    Raises:
+        AttributeError: If the module exists (e.g. can be imported)
+            but does not have an attribute with name ``attr``.
+    """
+    try:
+        mod = importlib.import_module(name)
+    except ModuleNotFoundError:
+        return default
+    else:
+        return getattr(mod, attr)
diff --git a/torchx/util/test/modules_test.py b/torchx/util/test/modules_test.py
index 7b490fc70..4ea62ed6c 100644
--- a/torchx/util/test/modules_test.py
+++ b/torchx/util/test/modules_test.py
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@
 # This source code is licensed under the BSD-style license found in the
 # LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
 
+# pyre-strict
+
 import unittest
 
-from torchx.util.modules import load_module
+from torchx.util.modules import import_attr, load_module
 
 
 class ModulesTest(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -21,3 +23,23 @@ def test_load_module_method(self) -> None:
         import os
 
         self.assertEqual(result, os.path.join)
+
+    def test_try_import(self) -> None:
+        def _join(_0: str, *_1: str) -> str:
+            return ""  # should never be called
+
+        os_path_join = import_attr("os.path", "join", default=_join)
+        import os
+
+        self.assertEqual(os.path.join, os_path_join)
+
+    def test_try_import_non_existent_module(self) -> None:
+        should_default = import_attr("non.existent", "foo", default="bar")
+        self.assertEqual("bar", should_default)
+
+    def test_try_import_non_existent_attr(self) -> None:
+        def _join(_0: str, *_1: str) -> str:
+            return ""  # should never be called
+
+        with self.assertRaises(AttributeError):
+            import_attr("os.path", "joyin", default=_join)