diff --git a/examples/parser_tests.nom b/examples/parser_tests.nom
index 47cb893..5cf64d3 100644
--- a/examples/parser_tests.nom
+++ b/examples/parser_tests.nom
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-run file "lib/core.nom"
+require "lib/core.nom"
 
 test: say "foo" ..yields ".."
     |Call [say %]:
diff --git a/examples/sample_code.nom b/examples/sample_code.nom
index 4aa8cde..561a3c8 100644
--- a/examples/sample_code.nom
+++ b/examples/sample_code.nom
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     start with a #.. and
     continue until dedent
 
-run file "lib/core.nom"
+require "lib/core.nom"
 
 say "foo"
 
diff --git a/examples/sample_game.nom b/examples/sample_game.nom
index e393747..0e4210a 100644
--- a/examples/sample_game.nom
+++ b/examples/sample_game.nom
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-run file "lib/core.nom"
-run file "lib/secrets.nom"
-run file "lib/plurals.nom"
+require "lib/core.nom"
+require "lib/secrets.nom"
+require "lib/plurals.nom"
 
 
 # Users:
diff --git a/examples/tutorial.nom b/examples/tutorial.nom
index 5f0acb3..424148c 100644
--- a/examples/tutorial.nom
+++ b/examples/tutorial.nom
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     continue until dedent
 
 # Import files like so:
-run file "core.nom"
+require "core.nom"
 
 # Numbers:
 23
diff --git a/lib/plurals.nom b/lib/plurals.nom
index f25536b..cf77f05 100644
--- a/lib/plurals.nom
+++ b/lib/plurals.nom
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-run file "lib/secrets.nom"
+require "lib/core.nom"
+require "lib/secrets.nom"
 
 # Plurals
 with secrets:
diff --git a/lib/secrets.nom b/lib/secrets.nom
index da6942e..8a689bd 100644
--- a/lib/secrets.nom
+++ b/lib/secrets.nom
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+require "lib/core.nom"
+
 macro block: with secrets %block
 ..=: ".."
     |local secrets = {}
diff --git a/nomsu.lua b/nomsu.lua
index 3267fc9..7ddfd97 100644
--- a/nomsu.lua
+++ b/nomsu.lua
@@ -816,6 +816,13 @@ do
         })
         return self:tree_to_value(vars.lua_code, inner_vars)
       end)
+      self:def("require %filename", function(self, vars)
+        if not self.loaded_files[vars.filename] then
+          local file = io.open(vars.filename)
+          self.loaded_files[vars.filename] = self:run(file:read('*a'))
+        end
+        return self.loaded_files[vars.filename]
+      end)
       return self:def("run file %filename", function(self, vars)
         local file = io.open(vars.filename)
         return self:run(file:read('*a'))
@@ -835,6 +842,7 @@ do
         return io.write(...)
       end
       self.utils = utils
+      self.loaded_files = { }
     end,
     __base = _base_0,
     __name = "NomsuCompiler"
diff --git a/nomsu.moon b/nomsu.moon
index 43d21f1..03309b1 100755
--- a/nomsu.moon
+++ b/nomsu.moon
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ class NomsuCompiler
         @initialize_core!
         @write = (...)=> io.write(...)
         @utils = utils
+        @loaded_files = {}
     
     writeln:(...)=>
         @write(...)
@@ -593,6 +594,12 @@ class NomsuCompiler
             inner_vars = setmetatable({}, {__index:(_,key)-> "vars[#{utils.repr(key,true)}]"})
             return @tree_to_value(vars.lua_code, inner_vars)
 
+        @def "require %filename", (vars)=>
+            if not @loaded_files[vars.filename]
+                file = io.open(vars.filename)
+                @loaded_files[vars.filename] = @run(file\read('*a'))
+            return @loaded_files[vars.filename]
+
         @def "run file %filename", (vars)=>
             file = io.open(vars.filename)
             return @run(file\read('*a'))