diff --git a/lib/plugin/factory.js b/lib/plugin/factory.js
index c69c2d81..1e1c3650 100644
--- a/lib/plugin/factory.js
+++ b/lib/plugin/factory.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import path from 'path';
+import { createRequire } from 'module';
 import _ from 'lodash';
-import requireCwd from 'import-cwd';
 import _debug from 'debug';
 import Version from './version/Version.js';
 import Git from './git/Git.js';
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import GitLab from './gitlab/GitLab.js';
 import GitHub from './github/GitHub.js';
 import npm from './npm/npm.js';
 
+const require = createRequire(import.meta.url);
+
 const debug = _debug('release-it:plugins');
 
 const pluginNames = ['npm', 'git', 'github', 'gitlab', 'version'];
@@ -20,12 +22,14 @@ const plugins = {
   npm: npm
 };
 
-const load = pluginName => {
+const load = async pluginName => {
   let plugin = null;
   try {
-    plugin = require(pluginName);
+    const module = await import(require.resolve(pluginName));
+    plugin = module.default;
   } catch (err) {
-    plugin = requireCwd(pluginName);
+    const module = await import(require.resolve(path.resolve(pluginName)));
+    plugin = module.default;
   }
   return [path.parse(pluginName).name, plugin];
 };
@@ -37,7 +41,7 @@ export let getPlugins = async (config, container) => {
   const enabledExternalPlugins = await _.reduce(
     context.plugins,
     async (result, pluginConfig, pluginName) => {
-      const [name, Plugin] = load(pluginName);
+      const [name, Plugin] = await load(pluginName);
       const [namespace, options] = pluginConfig.length === 2 ? pluginConfig : [name, pluginConfig];
       config.setContext({ [namespace]: options });
       if (await Plugin.isEnabled(options)) {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 11c0d63d..e71662e6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@
     "git-url-parse": "11.5.0",
     "globby": "11.0.4",
     "got": "11.8.2",
-    "import-cwd": "3.0.0",
     "inquirer": "8.1.1",
     "is-ci": "3.0.0",
     "lodash": "4.17.21",
@@ -102,7 +101,6 @@
     "nock": "13.1.1",
     "nyc": "15.1.0",
     "prettier": "2.3.2",
-    "proxyquire": "2.1.3",
     "sinon": "11.1.1",
     "strip-ansi": "6.0.0"
   },
diff --git a/test/config.js b/test/config.js
index 8a08c705..02a728c5 100644
--- a/test/config.js
+++ b/test/config.js
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ test('should set CI mode', t => {
   t.is(config.isCI, true);
 });
 
-test('should detect CI mode', t => {
-  const isCI = require('is-ci');
+test('should detect CI mode', async t => {
+  const { default: isCI } = await import('is-ci');
   const config = new Config();
   t.is(config.options.ci, isCI);
   t.is(config.isCI, isCI);
diff --git a/test/github.js b/test/github.js
index 8177f1fc..83740a25 100644
--- a/test/github.js
+++ b/test/github.js
@@ -266,8 +266,8 @@ test.serial('should skip authentication and collaborator checks when running on
 
   authStub.restore();
   collaboratorStub.restore();
-  process.env.GITHUB_ACTIONS = GITHUB_ACTIONS;
-  process.env.GITHUB_ACTOR = GITHUB_ACTOR;
+  process.env.GITHUB_ACTIONS = GITHUB_ACTIONS ?? '';
+  process.env.GITHUB_ACTOR = GITHUB_ACTOR ?? '';
 });
 
 test('should handle octokit client error (without retries)', async t => {
diff --git a/test/npm.js b/test/npm.js
index 512113b0..08d89295 100644
--- a/test/npm.js
+++ b/test/npm.js
@@ -279,7 +279,6 @@ test('should skip checks', async t => {
 });
 
 test('should publish to a different/scoped registry', async t => {
-  delete require.cache[require.resolve('../package.json')];
   mock({
     [path.resolve('package.json')]: JSON.stringify({
       name: '@my-scope/my-pkg',
@@ -317,7 +316,6 @@ test('should publish to a different/scoped registry', async t => {
 });
 
 test('should not publish when `npm version` fails', async t => {
-  delete require.cache[require.resolve('../package.json')];
   mock({
     [path.resolve('package.json')]: JSON.stringify({
       name: '@my-scope/my-pkg',
diff --git a/test/plugins.js b/test/plugins.js
index ee82784b..bac566a7 100644
--- a/test/plugins.js
+++ b/test/plugins.js
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
-import path from 'path';
 import test from 'ava';
 import sh from 'shelljs';
-import proxyquire from 'proxyquire';
 import sinon from 'sinon';
 import Log from '../lib/log.js';
 import Spinner from '../lib/spinner.js';
 import Config from '../lib/config.js';
-import Plugin from '../lib/plugin/Plugin.js';
-import { mkTmpDir, gitAdd } from './util/helpers.js';
+import { parseGitUrl } from '../lib/util.js';
+import runTasks from '../lib/tasks.js';
+import MyPlugin from './stub/plugin.js';
+import ReplacePlugin from './stub/plugin-replace.js';
+import ContextPlugin from './stub/plugin-context.js';
+import { mkTmpDir } from './util/helpers.js';
 import ShellStub from './stub/shell.js';
 
 const noop = Promise.resolve();
@@ -36,45 +38,36 @@ const getContainer = options => {
 };
 
 test.serial.beforeEach(t => {
-  const bare = mkTmpDir();
-  const target = mkTmpDir();
-  sh.pushd('-q', bare);
-  sh.exec(`git init --bare .`);
-  sh.exec(`git clone ${bare} ${target}`);
-  sh.pushd('-q', target);
-  gitAdd('line', 'file', 'Add file');
-  t.context = { bare, target };
+  const dir = mkTmpDir();
+  sh.pushd('-q', dir);
+  t.context = { dir };
 });
 
 test.serial.afterEach(() => {
   sandbox.resetHistory();
 });
 
-const myPlugin = sandbox.createStubInstance(Plugin);
-myPlugin.namespace = 'my-plugin';
-const MyPlugin = sandbox.stub().callsFake(() => myPlugin);
-const myLocalPlugin = sandbox.createStubInstance(Plugin);
-const MyLocalPlugin = sandbox.stub().callsFake(() => myLocalPlugin);
-const replacePlugin = sandbox.createStubInstance(Plugin);
-const ReplacePlugin = sandbox.stub().callsFake(() => replacePlugin);
-
-const staticMembers = { isEnabled: () => true, disablePlugin: () => null };
-const options = { '@global': true, '@noCallThru': true };
-const runTasks = proxyquire('../lib/tasks', {
-  'my-plugin': Object.assign(MyPlugin, staticMembers, options),
-  '/my/plugin': Object.assign(MyLocalPlugin, staticMembers, options),
-  'replace-plugin': Object.assign(ReplacePlugin, staticMembers, options, {
-    disablePlugin: () => ['version', 'git']
-  })
-});
-
 test.serial('should instantiate plugins and execute all release-cycle methods', async t => {
+  sh.exec('npm init -f');
+
+  sh.mkdir('my-plugin');
+  sh.pushd('-q', 'my-plugin');
+  sh.exec('npm link release-it');
+  sh.ShellString("const { Plugin } = require('release-it'); module.exports = " + MyPlugin.toString()).toEnd('index.js');
+  sh.popd();
+
+  sh.mkdir('-p', 'my/plugin');
+  sh.pushd('-q', 'my/plugin');
+  sh.exec('npm link release-it');
+  sh.ShellString("const { Plugin } = require('release-it'); module.exports = " + MyPlugin.toString()).toEnd('index.js');
+  sh.popd();
+
   const config = {
     plugins: {
       'my-plugin': {
         name: 'foo'
       },
-      '/my/plugin': [
+      './my/plugin': [
         'named-plugin',
         {
           name: 'bar'
@@ -84,38 +77,45 @@ test.serial('should instantiate plugins and execute all release-cycle methods',
   };
   const container = getContainer(config);
 
-  await runTasks({}, container);
+  const result = await runTasks({}, container);
 
-  t.is(MyPlugin.firstCall.args[0].namespace, 'my-plugin');
-  t.deepEqual(MyPlugin.firstCall.args[0].options['my-plugin'], { name: 'foo' });
-  t.is(MyLocalPlugin.firstCall.args[0].namespace, 'named-plugin');
-  t.deepEqual(MyLocalPlugin.firstCall.args[0].options['named-plugin'], { name: 'bar' });
-
-  [
-    'init',
-    'getName',
-    'getLatestVersion',
-    'getIncrement',
-    'getIncrementedVersionCI',
-    'beforeBump',
-    'bump',
-    'beforeRelease',
-    'release',
-    'afterRelease'
-  ].forEach(method => {
-    t.is(myPlugin[method].callCount, 1);
-    t.is(myLocalPlugin[method].callCount, 1);
-  });
+  t.deepEqual(container.log.info.args, [
+    ['my-plugin:foo:init'],
+    ['named-plugin:bar:init'],
+    ['my-plugin:foo:getName'],
+    ['my-plugin:foo:getLatestVersion'],
+    ['my-plugin:foo:getIncrement'],
+    ['my-plugin:foo:getIncrementedVersionCI'],
+    ['named-plugin:bar:getIncrementedVersionCI'],
+    ['my-plugin:foo:beforeBump'],
+    ['named-plugin:bar:beforeBump'],
+    ['my-plugin:foo:bump:1.3.0'],
+    ['named-plugin:bar:bump:1.3.0'],
+    ['my-plugin:foo:beforeRelease'],
+    ['named-plugin:bar:beforeRelease'],
+    ['my-plugin:foo:release'],
+    ['named-plugin:bar:release'],
+    ['my-plugin:foo:afterRelease'],
+    ['named-plugin:bar:afterRelease']
+  ]);
 
-  const incrementBase = { latestVersion: '0.0.0', increment: undefined, isPreRelease: false, preReleaseId: undefined };
-  t.deepEqual(myPlugin.getIncrement.firstCall.args[0], incrementBase);
-  t.deepEqual(myPlugin.getIncrementedVersionCI.firstCall.args[0], incrementBase);
-  t.deepEqual(myLocalPlugin.getIncrementedVersionCI.firstCall.args[0], incrementBase);
-  t.is(myPlugin.bump.firstCall.args[0], '0.0.1');
-  t.is(myLocalPlugin.bump.firstCall.args[0], '0.0.1');
+  t.deepEqual(result, {
+    changelog: undefined,
+    name: 'new-project-name',
+    latestVersion: '1.2.3',
+    version: '1.3.0'
+  });
 });
 
 test.serial('should disable core plugins', async t => {
+  sh.exec('npm init -f');
+  sh.mkdir('replace-plugin');
+  sh.pushd('-q', 'replace-plugin');
+  sh.exec('npm link release-it');
+  const content = "const { Plugin } = require('release-it'); module.exports = " + ReplacePlugin.toString();
+  sh.ShellString(content).toEnd('index.js');
+  sh.popd();
+
   const config = {
     plugins: {
       'replace-plugin': {}
@@ -133,56 +133,50 @@ test.serial('should disable core plugins', async t => {
   });
 });
 
-test.serial('should expose context to execute commands', async t => {
-  const { bare } = t.context;
-  const latestVersion = '1.0.0';
-  const project = path.basename(bare);
-  const pkgName = 'plugin-context';
-  const owner = path.basename(path.dirname(bare));
-  gitAdd(`{"name":"${pkgName}","version":"${latestVersion}"}`, 'package.json', 'Add package.json');
-
-  class MyPlugin extends Plugin {
-    init() {
-      this.exec('echo ${version.isPreRelease}');
-    }
-    beforeBump() {
-      const context = this.config.getContext();
-      t.is(context.name, pkgName);
-      this.exec('echo ${name} ${repo.owner} ${repo.project} ${latestVersion} ${version}');
-    }
-    bump() {
-      const repo = this.config.getContext('repo');
-      t.is(repo.owner, owner);
-      t.is(repo.project, project);
-      t.is(repo.repository, `${owner}/${project}`);
-      this.exec('echo ${name} ${repo.owner} ${repo.project} ${latestVersion} ${version}');
-    }
-    beforeRelease() {
-      const context = this.config.getContext();
-      t.is(context.name, pkgName);
-      this.exec('echo ${name} ${repo.owner} ${repo.project} ${latestVersion} ${version} ${tagName}');
-    }
-    release() {
-      const context = this.config.getContext();
-      t.is(context.latestVersion, latestVersion);
-      t.is(context.version, '1.0.1');
-      this.exec('echo ${name} ${repo.owner} ${repo.project} ${latestVersion} ${version} ${tagName}');
-    }
-    afterRelease() {
-      const context = this.config.getContext();
-      t.is(context.tagName, '1.0.1');
-      this.exec('echo ${name} ${repo.owner} ${repo.project} ${latestVersion} ${version} ${tagName}');
+test.serial('should support ESM-based plugins', async t => {
+  sh.exec('npm init -f');
+  sh.mkdir('my-plugin');
+  sh.pushd('-q', 'my-plugin');
+  sh.ShellString('{"name":"my-plugin","version":"1.0.0","type": "module"}').toEnd('package.json');
+  sh.exec('npm link release-it');
+  const content = "import { Plugin } from 'release-it'; " + MyPlugin.toString() + '; export default MyPlugin;';
+  sh.ShellString(content).toEnd('index.js');
+  sh.popd();
+
+  const config = {
+    plugins: {
+      'my-plugin': {}
     }
-  }
-  const statics = { isEnabled: () => true, disablePlugin: () => null };
-  const options = { '@global': true, '@noCallThru': true };
-  const runTasks = proxyquire('../lib/tasks', {
-    'my-plugin': Object.assign(MyPlugin, statics, options)
+  };
+  const container = getContainer(config);
+
+  const result = await runTasks({}, container);
+
+  t.deepEqual(result, {
+    changelog: undefined,
+    name: 'new-project-name',
+    latestVersion: '1.2.3',
+    version: '1.3.0'
   });
+});
+
+test.serial('should expose context to execute commands', async t => {
+  sh.ShellString('{"name":"pkg-name","version":"1.0.0"}').toEnd('package.json');
+  const repo = parseGitUrl('https://github.com/user/pkg');
+
+  sh.mkdir('context-plugin');
+  sh.pushd('-q', 'context-plugin');
+  sh.exec('npm link release-it');
+  const content = "const { Plugin } = require('release-it'); module.exports = " + ContextPlugin.toString();
+  sh.ShellString(content).toEnd('index.js');
+  sh.popd();
 
-  const container = getContainer({ plugins: { 'my-plugin': {} } });
+  const container = getContainer({ plugins: { 'context-plugin': {} } });
   const exec = sinon.spy(container.shell, 'execFormattedCommand');
 
+  container.config.setContext({ repo });
+  container.config.setContext({ tagName: '1.0.1' });
+
   await runTasks({}, container);
 
   const pluginExecArgs = exec.args
@@ -191,10 +185,16 @@ test.serial('should expose context to execute commands', async t => {
 
   t.deepEqual(pluginExecArgs, [
     'echo false',
-    `echo ${pkgName} ${owner} ${project} ${latestVersion} 1.0.1`,
-    `echo ${pkgName} ${owner} ${project} ${latestVersion} 1.0.1`,
-    `echo ${pkgName} ${owner} ${project} ${latestVersion} 1.0.1 1.0.1`,
-    `echo ${pkgName} ${owner} ${project} ${latestVersion} 1.0.1 1.0.1`,
-    `echo ${pkgName} ${owner} ${project} ${latestVersion} 1.0.1 1.0.1`
+    'echo false',
+    `echo pkg-name user 1.0.0 1.0.1`,
+    `echo pkg-name user 1.0.0 1.0.1`,
+    `echo user pkg user/pkg 1.0.1`,
+    `echo user pkg user/pkg 1.0.1`,
+    `echo user pkg user/pkg 1.0.1`,
+    `echo user pkg user/pkg 1.0.1`,
+    `echo pkg 1.0.0 1.0.1 1.0.1`,
+    `echo pkg 1.0.0 1.0.1 1.0.1`,
+    `echo pkg 1.0.0 1.0.1 1.0.1`,
+    `echo pkg 1.0.0 1.0.1 1.0.1`
   ]);
 });
diff --git a/test/stub/plugin-context.js b/test/stub/plugin-context.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f6de5c1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stub/plugin-context.js
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import Plugin from '../../lib/plugin/Plugin.js';
+
+class ContextPlugin extends Plugin {
+  init() {
+    const context = this.config.getContext();
+    this.exec(`echo ${context.version.isPreRelease}`);
+    this.exec('echo ${version.isPreRelease}');
+  }
+  beforeBump() {
+    const context = this.config.getContext();
+    this.exec(`echo ${context.name} ${context.repo.owner} ${context.latestVersion} ${context.version}`);
+    this.exec('echo ${name} ${repo.owner} ${latestVersion} ${version}');
+  }
+  bump(version) {
+    const repo = this.config.getContext('repo');
+    this.exec(`echo ${repo.owner} ${repo.project} ${repo.repository} ${version}`);
+    this.exec('echo ${repo.owner} ${repo.project} ${repo.repository} ${version}');
+  }
+  beforeRelease() {
+    const { repo, tagName } = this.config.getContext();
+    this.exec(`echo ${repo.owner} ${repo.project} ${repo.repository} ${tagName}`);
+    this.exec('echo ${repo.owner} ${repo.project} ${repo.repository} ${tagName}');
+  }
+  release() {
+    const { repo, latestVersion, version, tagName } = this.config.getContext();
+    this.exec(`echo ${repo.project} ${latestVersion} ${version} ${tagName}`);
+    this.exec('echo ${repo.project} ${latestVersion} ${version} ${tagName}');
+  }
+  afterRelease() {
+    const { repo, latestVersion, version, tagName } = this.config.getContext();
+    this.exec(`echo ${repo.project} ${latestVersion} ${version} ${tagName}`);
+    this.exec('echo ${repo.project} ${latestVersion} ${version} ${tagName}');
+  }
+}
+
+export default ContextPlugin;
diff --git a/test/stub/plugin-replace.js b/test/stub/plugin-replace.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..44cc5c74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stub/plugin-replace.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import Plugin from '../../lib/plugin/Plugin.js';
+
+class ReplacePlugin extends Plugin {
+  static disablePlugin() {
+    return ['version', 'git', 'npm'];
+  }
+}
+
+export default ReplacePlugin;
diff --git a/test/stub/plugin.js b/test/stub/plugin.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cc298826
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/stub/plugin.js
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import Plugin from '../../lib/plugin/Plugin.js';
+
+class MyPlugin extends Plugin {
+  init() {
+    this.log.info(`${this.namespace}:${this.getContext('name')}:init`);
+  }
+  getName() {
+    this.log.info(`${this.namespace}:${this.getContext('name')}:getName`);
+    return 'new-project-name';
+  }
+  getLatestVersion() {
+    this.log.info(`${this.namespace}:${this.getContext('name')}:getLatestVersion`);
+    return '1.2.3';
+  }
+  getIncrement() {
+    this.log.info(`${this.namespace}:${this.getContext('name')}:getIncrement`);
+    return 'minor';
+  }
+  getIncrementedVersionCI() {
+    this.log.info(`${this.namespace}:${this.getContext('name')}:getIncrementedVersionCI`);
+  }
+  beforeBump() {
+    this.log.info(`${this.namespace}:${this.getContext('name')}:beforeBump`);
+  }
+  bump(version) {
+    this.log.info(`${this.namespace}:${this.getContext('name')}:bump:${version}`);
+  }
+  beforeRelease() {
+    this.log.info(`${this.namespace}:${this.getContext('name')}:beforeRelease`);
+  }
+  release() {
+    this.log.info(`${this.namespace}:${this.getContext('name')}:release`);
+  }
+  afterRelease() {
+    this.log.info(`${this.namespace}:${this.getContext('name')}:afterRelease`);
+  }
+}
+
+export default MyPlugin;
diff --git a/test/tasks.js b/test/tasks.js
index a3ba5be6..974b3514 100644
--- a/test/tasks.js
+++ b/test/tasks.js
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 import path from 'path';
 import test from 'ava';
 import sh from 'shelljs';
-import proxyquire from 'proxyquire';
 import _ from 'lodash';
 import sinon from 'sinon';
 import Log from '../lib/log.js';
 import Spinner from '../lib/spinner.js';
 import Config from '../lib/config.js';
 import runTasks from '../lib/tasks.js';
-import Plugin from '../lib/plugin/Plugin.js';
 import { mkTmpDir, gitAdd, getArgs } from './util/helpers.js';
 import ShellStub from './stub/shell.js';
 import {
@@ -398,15 +396,16 @@ test.serial('should propagate errors', async t => {
 });
 
 {
-  class MyPlugin extends Plugin {}
-  const statics = { isEnabled: () => true, disablePlugin: () => null };
-  const options = { '@global': true, '@noCallThru': true };
-  const runTasks = proxyquire('../lib/tasks', {
-    'my-plugin': Object.assign(MyPlugin, statics, options)
-  });
-
   test.serial('should run all hooks', async t => {
     gitAdd(`{"name":"hooked","version":"1.0.0"}`, 'package.json', 'Add package.json');
+    sh.mkdir('my-plugin');
+    sh.pushd('-q', 'my-plugin');
+    sh.exec('npm init -f');
+    sh.exec('npm link release-it');
+    const plugin = "const { Plugin } = require('release-it'); module.exports = class MyPlugin extends Plugin {};";
+    sh.ShellString(plugin).toEnd('index.js');
+    sh.popd();
+
     const hooks = {};
     ['before', 'after'].forEach(prefix => {
       ['version', 'git', 'npm', 'my-plugin'].forEach(ns => {