diff --git a/framework/YiiBase.php b/framework/YiiBase.php
index aeed6f5..a37c913 100644
--- a/framework/YiiBase.php
+++ b/framework/YiiBase.php
@@ -332,6 +332,11 @@ class YiiBase
 	 */
 	public static function autoload($className)
 	{
+		static $hasTraitFunctionality;
+		if($hasTraitFunctionality === null) {
+			$hasTraitFunctionality = function_exists('trait_exists');
+		}
+		
 		$className = ltrim($className, '\\');
 
 		if (isset(self::$classMap[$className])) {
@@ -370,7 +375,8 @@ class YiiBase
 
 		include($classFile);
 
-		if (class_exists($className, false) || interface_exists($className, false)) {
+		if (class_exists($className, false) || interface_exists($className, false) ||
+			($hasTraitFunctionality === true && trait_exists($className, false))) {
 			return true;
 		} else {
 			throw new UnknownClassException("Unable to find '$className' in file: $classFile");