diff --git a/pandas/io/parsers.py b/pandas/io/parsers.py
index 2034d4fa899ce..8f8e3151d56e6 100644
--- a/pandas/io/parsers.py
+++ b/pandas/io/parsers.py
@@ -526,6 +526,8 @@ def __init__(self, f, engine=None, **kwds):
 
         if kwds.get('dialect') is not None:
             dialect = kwds['dialect']
+            if dialect in csv.list_dialects():
+                dialect = csv.get_dialect(dialect)
             kwds['delimiter'] = dialect.delimiter
             kwds['doublequote'] = dialect.doublequote
             kwds['escapechar'] = dialect.escapechar
diff --git a/pandas/tests/test_frame.py b/pandas/tests/test_frame.py
index 1aa734c4834de..6cb80bf03172e 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/test_frame.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/test_frame.py
@@ -5982,6 +5982,15 @@ def _check_df(df,cols=None):
         cols = ['b','a']
         _check_df(df,cols)
 
+    def test_read_csv_dialect(self):
+        df = pd.DataFrame({'fruit':['apple'], 'vegetable':['broccoli']})
+        csv.register_dialect("mydialect", delimiter="\t")
+        with ensure_clean() as path:
+            df.to_csv(path, sep='\t')
+            rc = pd.read_csv(path, dialect='mydialect', index_col=0)
+            assert_frame_equal(df, rc)
+        csv.unregister_dialect("mydialect")
+
     @slow
     def test_to_csv_moar(self):
         path = '__tmp_to_csv_moar__'