diff --git a/engine/compiler.c b/engine/compiler.c
index f8c1b88..95644b7 100644
--- a/engine/compiler.c
+++ b/engine/compiler.c
@@ -2640,6 +2640,32 @@ static sxi32 PH7_CompileUsing(ph7_gen_state *pGen) {
 					   );
 	return SXRET_OK;
 }
+/*
+ * Compile the 'import' statement
+ */
+static sxi32 PH7_CompileImport(ph7_gen_state *pGen) {
+	char *zModule;
+	sxu32 nLine = pGen->pIn->nLine;
+	/* Jump the 'import' keyword */
+	pGen->pIn++;
+	if(pGen->pIn >= pGen->pEnd || (pGen->pIn->nType & (PH7_TK_SSTR | PH7_TK_DSTR)) == 0) {
+		if(pGen->pIn >= pGen->pEnd) {
+			pGen->pIn--;
+		}
+		/* Unexpected token */
+		PH7_GenCompileError(&(*pGen), E_ERROR, nLine, "Include: Unexpected token '%z'", &pGen->pIn->sData);
+	}
+	zModule = SyMemBackendStrDup(&pGen->pVm->sAllocator, pGen->pIn->sData.zString, pGen->pIn->sData.nByte);
+	pGen->pIn++;
+	if(pGen->pIn < pGen->pEnd && (pGen->pIn->nType & PH7_TK_SEMI/*';'*/) == 0) {
+		/* Unexpected token */
+		PH7_GenCompileError(&(*pGen), E_ERROR, nLine, "Include: Unexpected token '%z', expecting ';'",
+								&pGen->pIn->sData);
+	}
+	PH7_VmEmitInstr(pGen->pVm, nLine, PH7_OP_IMPORT, 0, 0, zModule, 0);
+	return SXRET_OK;
+}
+
 /*
  * Compile the 'include' and 'require' statements
  */
@@ -2648,7 +2674,7 @@ static sxi32 PH7_CompileInclude(ph7_gen_state *pGen) {
 	sxu32 nKey = (sxu32)(SX_PTR_TO_INT(pGen->pIn->pUserData));
 	sxu32 nLine = pGen->pIn->nLine;
 	sxi32 iP1 = (nKey == PH7_KEYWORD_REQUIRE) ? 1 : 0;
-	/* Jump the 'require' keyword */
+	/* Jump the 'include' or 'require' keyword */
 	pGen->pIn++;
 	if(pGen->pIn >= pGen->pEnd || (pGen->pIn->nType & (PH7_TK_SSTR | PH7_TK_DSTR)) == 0) {
 		if(pGen->pIn >= pGen->pEnd) {
@@ -4940,6 +4966,8 @@ static ProcLangConstruct PH7_GenStateGetGlobalScopeHandler(
 			return PH7_CompileNamespace;
 		case PH7_KEYWORD_USING:
 			return PH7_CompileUsing;
+		case PH7_KEYWORD_IMPORT:
+			return PH7_CompileImport;
 		case PH7_KEYWORD_REQUIRE:
 			return PH7_CompileInclude;
 		default:
@@ -4985,7 +5013,7 @@ static ProcLangConstruct PH7_GenStateGetStatementHandler(
  * Return TRUE if the given ID represent a language construct. FALSE otherwise.
  */
 static int PH7_IsLangConstruct(sxu32 nKeywordID) {
-	if(nKeywordID == PH7_KEYWORD_IMPORT || nKeywordID == PH7_KEYWORD_EVAL || nKeywordID == PH7_KEYWORD_STATIC
+	if(nKeywordID == PH7_KEYWORD_EVAL || nKeywordID == PH7_KEYWORD_STATIC
 				|| nKeywordID == PH7_KEYWORD_NEW || nKeywordID == PH7_KEYWORD_CLONE) {
 			return TRUE;
 	}
diff --git a/engine/vm.c b/engine/vm.c
index f3118b1..ee3da82 100644
--- a/engine/vm.c
+++ b/engine/vm.c
@@ -3899,6 +3899,55 @@ static sxi32 VmByteCodeExec(
 					pc = nJump - 1;
 					break;
 				}
+			case PH7_OP_IMPORT:
+				{
+					VmModule pModule, *pSearch;
+					char *zModule = (char *) pInstr->p3;
+					int nLen = SyStrlen(zModule);
+					if(nLen < 1) {
+						break;
+					}
+					while(SySetGetNextEntry(&pVm->aModules, (void **)&pSearch) == SXRET_OK) {
+						if(SyStrncmp(pSearch->sName.zString, zModule, (sxu32)(SXMAX((int) pSearch->sName.nByte, nLen))) == 0) {
+							SySetResetCursor(&pVm->aModules);
+							break;
+						}
+					}
+					SySetResetCursor(&pVm->aModules);
+
+					/* Zero the module entry */
+					SyZero(&pModule, sizeof(VmModule));
+					SyStringInitFromBuf(&pModule.sName, zModule, nLen);
+					char bfile[255] = {0};
+					char *file;
+					snprintf(bfile, sizeof(bfile) - 1, "./binary/%s%s", zModule, PH7_LIBRARY_SUFFIX);
+					file = bfile;
+					SyStringInitFromBuf(&pModule.sFile, file, nLen);
+#ifdef __WINNT__
+					pModule.pHandle = LoadLibrary(file);
+#else
+					pModule.pHandle = dlopen(pModule.sFile.zString, RTLD_LAZY);
+#endif
+					if(!pModule.pHandle) {
+						/* Could not load the module library file */
+						PH7_VmThrowError(pVm, PH7_CTX_ERR, "ImportError: No module named '%z' found", &pModule.sName);
+					}
+					void (*init)(ph7_vm *, ph7_real *, SyString *);
+#ifdef __WINNT__
+					*(void**)(&init) = GetProcAddress(pModule.pHandle, "initializeModule");
+#else
+					*(void**)(&init) = dlsym(pModule.pHandle, "initializeModule");
+#endif
+					if(!init) {
+						PH7_VmThrowError(pVm, PH7_CTX_ERR, "ImportError: Method '%z::initializeModule()' not found", &pModule.sName);
+						/* Could not find the module entry point */
+					}
+					/* Initialize the module */
+					init(pVm, &pModule.fVer, &pModule.sDesc);
+					/* Put information about module on top of the modules stack */
+					SySetPut(&pVm->aModules, (const void *)&pModule);
+					break;
+				}
 			/*
 			 * OP_INCLUDE P1 * P3
 			 * Include another source file. If P1 is zero, 'include' statement was used, otherwise it was 'require'.
@@ -5208,6 +5257,9 @@ static const char *VmInstrToString(sxi32 nOp) {
 		case PH7_OP_HALT:
 			zOp = "HALT";
 			break;
+		case PH7_OP_IMPORT:
+			zOp = "IMPORT";
+			break;
 		case PH7_OP_INCLUDE:
 			zOp = "INCLUDE";
 			break;
@@ -9108,75 +9160,6 @@ static sxi32 VmExecIncludedFile(
 	SyBlobRelease(&sContents);
 	return rc;
 }
-/*
- * bool import(string $library)
- *  Loads an AerScript module library at runtime
- * Parameters
- *  $library
- *    This parameter is only the module library name that should be loaded.
- * Return
- *  Returns TRUE on success or FALSE on failure
- */
-static int vm_builtin_import(ph7_context *pCtx, int nArg, ph7_value **apArg) {
-	const char *zStr;
-	VmModule pModule, *pSearch;
-	int nLen;
-	if(nArg != 1 || !ph7_value_is_string(apArg[0])) {
-		/* Missing/Invalid arguments, return FALSE */
-		ph7_result_bool(pCtx, 0);
-		return PH7_OK;
-	}
-	/* Extract the given module name */
-	zStr = ph7_value_to_string(apArg[0], &nLen);
-	if(nLen < 1) {
-		/* Nothing to process, return FALSE */
-		ph7_result_bool(pCtx, 0);
-		return PH7_OK;
-	}
-	while(SySetGetNextEntry(&pCtx->pVm->aModules, (void **)&pSearch) == SXRET_OK) {
-		if(SyStrncmp(pSearch->sName.zString, zStr, (sxu32)(SXMAX((int) pSearch->sName.nByte, nLen))) == 0) {
-			SySetResetCursor(&pCtx->pVm->aModules);
-			ph7_result_bool(pCtx, 1);
-			return PH7_OK;
-		}
-	}
-	SySetResetCursor(&pCtx->pVm->aModules);
-	/* Zero the module entry */
-	SyZero(&pModule, sizeof(VmModule));
-	SyStringInitFromBuf(&pModule.sName, zStr, nLen);
-	char bfile[255] = {0};
-	char *file;
-	snprintf(bfile, sizeof(bfile) - 1, "./binary/%s%s", zStr, PH7_LIBRARY_SUFFIX);
-	file = bfile;
-	SyStringInitFromBuf(&pModule.sFile, file, nLen);
-#ifdef __WINNT__
-	pModule.pHandle = LoadLibrary(file);
-#else
-	pModule.pHandle = dlopen(pModule.sFile.zString, RTLD_LAZY);
-#endif
-	if(!pModule.pHandle) {
-		/* Could not load the module library file */
-		ph7_result_bool(pCtx, 0);
-		return PH7_OK;
-	}
-	void (*init)(ph7_vm *, ph7_real *, SyString *);
-#ifdef __WINNT__
-	*(void**)(&init) = GetProcAddress(pModule.pHandle, "initializeModule");
-#else
-	*(void**)(&init) = dlsym(pModule.pHandle, "initializeModule");
-#endif
-	if(!init) {
-		/* Could not find the module entry point */
-		ph7_result_bool(pCtx, 0);
-		return PH7_OK;
-	}
-	/* Initialize the module */
-	init(pCtx->pVm, &pModule.fVer, &pModule.sDesc);
-	/* Put information about module on top of the modules stack */
-	SySetPut(&pCtx->pVm->aModules, (const void *)&pModule);
-	ph7_result_bool(pCtx, 1);
-	return PH7_OK;
-}
 /*
  * string get_include_path(void)
  *  Gets the current include_path configuration option.
@@ -9828,8 +9811,6 @@ static const ph7_builtin_func aVmFunc[] = {
 	{"utf8_decode",    vm_builtin_utf8_decode},
 	/* Command line processing */
 	{"getopt",         vm_builtin_getopt     },
-	/* Module loading facility */
-	{ "import", vm_builtin_import },
 	/* Files/URI inclusion facility */
 	{ "get_include_path",  vm_builtin_get_include_path },
 	{ "get_included_files", vm_builtin_get_included_files},
diff --git a/include/compiler.h b/include/compiler.h
index 6988814..6054101 100644
--- a/include/compiler.h
+++ b/include/compiler.h
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ static sxi32 PH7_CompileHalt(ph7_gen_state *pGen);
 static sxi32 PH7_CompileVar(ph7_gen_state *pGen);
 static sxi32 PH7_CompileNamespace(ph7_gen_state *pGen);
 static sxi32 PH7_CompileUsing(ph7_gen_state *pGen);
+static sxi32 PH7_CompileImport(ph7_gen_state *pGen);
 static sxi32 PH7_CompileInclude(ph7_gen_state *pGen);
 static sxi32 PH7_GenStateProcessArgValue(ph7_gen_state *pGen, ph7_vm_func_arg *pArg, SyToken *pIn, SyToken *pEnd);
 static sxi32 PH7_GenStateCollectFuncArgs(ph7_vm_func *pFunc, ph7_gen_state *pGen, SyToken *pEnd);
diff --git a/include/ph7int.h b/include/ph7int.h
index d8ca4af..9571052 100644
--- a/include/ph7int.h
+++ b/include/ph7int.h
@@ -1376,6 +1376,7 @@ enum iErrCode {
 enum ph7_vm_op {
 	PH7_OP_DONE =   1,   /* Done */
 	PH7_OP_HALT,         /* Halt */
+	PH7_OP_IMPORT,       /* Import AerScript module */
 	PH7_OP_INCLUDE,      /* Include another source file */
 	PH7_OP_DECLARE,      /* Declare a variable */
 	PH7_OP_LOADV,        /* Load variable */
diff --git a/tests/int2alpha_test.aer b/tests/int2alpha_test.aer
index 38e6bbe..d85ba11 100644
--- a/tests/int2alpha_test.aer
+++ b/tests/int2alpha_test.aer
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import 'math';
+
 class Program {
 
 	private string num2alpha(int $n) {
@@ -19,7 +21,6 @@ class Program {
 	}
 
 	public void main() {
-		import('math');
 		var_dump($this->alpha2num("Salut"), $this->num2alpha(1723), $this->num2alpha(9854), $this->alpha2num("Base64"));
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/load_module.aer b/tests/load_module.aer
index ecdb99a..0f88997 100644
--- a/tests/load_module.aer
+++ b/tests/load_module.aer
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
+import 'dummy';
+
 final class Program {
 	public void main() {
 		var_dump(function_exists('dummy_function'));
-		var_dump(import('dummy'));
-		var_dump(function_exists('dummy_function'));
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tests/load_module.exp b/tests/load_module.exp
index b551b69..64cb09b 100644
--- a/tests/load_module.exp
+++ b/tests/load_module.exp
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-bool(FALSE)
-bool(TRUE)
 bool(TRUE)