diff --git a/examples/pylab_examples/mri_demo.py b/examples/pylab_examples/mri_demo.py
index b10cc7c95fbc..6fd45cf675ec 100755
--- a/examples/pylab_examples/mri_demo.py
+++ b/examples/pylab_examples/mri_demo.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from pylab import *
 import matplotlib.cbook as cbook
 # data are 256x256 16 bit integers
-dfile = cbook.get_sample_data('s1045.ima')
+dfile = cbook.get_sample_data('s1045.ima.gz')
 im = np.fromstring(dfile.read(), np.uint16).astype(float)
 im.shape = 256, 256