diff --git a/timm/data/parsers/class_map.py b/timm/data/parsers/class_map.py
index 6b6fe453..6cf3f57e 100644
--- a/timm/data/parsers/class_map.py
+++ b/timm/data/parsers/class_map.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import os
-
+import pickle
 
 def load_class_map(map_or_filename, root=''):
     if isinstance(map_or_filename, dict):
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ def load_class_map(map_or_filename, root=''):
     if class_map_ext == '.txt':
         with open(class_map_path) as f:
             class_to_idx = {v.strip(): k for k, v in enumerate(f)}
+    elif class_map_ext == '.pkl':
+        with open(class_map_path,'rb') as f:
+            class_to_idx = pickle.load(f)
     else:
         assert False, f'Unsupported class map file extension ({class_map_ext}).'
     return class_to_idx