diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0b872811..b7d72626 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -162,7 +162,8 @@ With this configuration:
 
 ##### External package / file
 
-`releaseRules` can also reference a module, either by it's `npm` name or path:
+`releaseRules` can also reference a module, either by it's `npm` name or path. Note that the path must include the `.js` extension.
+
 ```json
 {
   "plugins": [
@@ -174,9 +175,12 @@ With this configuration:
   ]
 }
 ```
+
+The file must be an ES Module exporting an array as default
+
 ```js
 // File: config/release-rules.js
-module.exports = [
+export default [
   {type: 'docs', scope: 'README', release: 'patch'},
   {type: 'refactor', scope: 'core-*', release: 'minor'},
   {type: 'refactor', release: 'patch'},
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 65d4f298..06764144 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
-const {isUndefined} = require('lodash');
-const parser = require('conventional-commits-parser').sync;
-const filter = require('conventional-commits-filter');
-const debug = require('debug')('semantic-release:commit-analyzer');
-const loadParserConfig = require('./lib/load-parser-config');
-const loadReleaseRules = require('./lib/load-release-rules');
-const analyzeCommit = require('./lib/analyze-commit');
-const compareReleaseTypes = require('./lib/compare-release-types');
-const RELEASE_TYPES = require('./lib/default-release-types');
-const DEFAULT_RELEASE_RULES = require('./lib/default-release-rules');
+import lodash from 'lodash';
+const {isUndefined} = lodash;
+import {sync as parser} from 'conventional-commits-parser';
+import filter from 'conventional-commits-filter';
+import debug from 'debug';
+import loadParserConfig from './lib/load-parser-config.js';
+import loadReleaseRules from './lib/load-release-rules.js';
+import analyzeCommit from './lib/analyze-commit.js';
+import compareReleaseTypes from './lib/compare-release-types.js';
+import RELEASE_TYPES from './lib/default-release-types.js';
+import DEFAULT_RELEASE_RULES from './lib/default-release-rules.js';
+
+debug('semantic-release:commit-analyzer');
 
 /**
  * Determine the type of release to create based on a list of commits.
@@ -25,7 +28,7 @@ const DEFAULT_RELEASE_RULES = require('./lib/default-release-rules');
  */
 async function analyzeCommits(pluginConfig, context) {
   const {commits, logger} = context;
-  const releaseRules = loadReleaseRules(pluginConfig, context);
+  const releaseRules = await loadReleaseRules(pluginConfig, context);
   const config = await loadParserConfig(pluginConfig, context);
   let releaseType = null;
 
@@ -79,4 +82,4 @@ async function analyzeCommits(pluginConfig, context) {
   return releaseType;
 }
 
-module.exports = {analyzeCommits};
+export {analyzeCommits};
diff --git a/lib/analyze-commit.js b/lib/analyze-commit.js
index 757a45dc..968ea926 100644
--- a/lib/analyze-commit.js
+++ b/lib/analyze-commit.js
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
-const {isMatchWith, isString} = require('lodash');
-const micromatch = require('micromatch');
-const debug = require('debug')('semantic-release:commit-analyzer');
-const RELEASE_TYPES = require('./default-release-types');
-const compareReleaseTypes = require('./compare-release-types');
+import lodash from 'lodash';
+import micromatch from 'micromatch';
+import debug from 'debug';
+import RELEASE_TYPES from './default-release-types.js';
+import compareReleaseTypes from './compare-release-types.js';
+const {isMatchWith, isString} = lodash;
+const {isMatch} = micromatch;
+debug('semantic-release:commit-analyzer');
 
 /**
  * Find all the rules matching and return the highest release type of the matching rules.
@@ -11,7 +14,7 @@ const compareReleaseTypes = require('./compare-release-types');
  * @param {Commit} commit a parsed commit.
  * @return {string} the highest release type of the matching rules or `undefined` if no rule match the commit.
  */
-module.exports = (releaseRules, commit) => {
+export default (releaseRules, commit) => {
   let releaseType;
 
   releaseRules
@@ -23,7 +26,7 @@ module.exports = (releaseRules, commit) => {
         (!revert || commit.revert) &&
         // Otherwise match the regular rules
         isMatchWith(commit, rule, (object, src) =>
-          isString(src) && isString(object) ? micromatch.isMatch(object, src) : undefined
+          isString(src) && isString(object) ? isMatch(object, src) : undefined
         )
     )
     .every(match => {
diff --git a/lib/compare-release-types.js b/lib/compare-release-types.js
index 51c97b35..5fdaee5f 100644
--- a/lib/compare-release-types.js
+++ b/lib/compare-release-types.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const RELEASE_TYPES = require('./default-release-types');
+import RELEASE_TYPES from './default-release-types.js';
 
 /**
  * Test if a realease type is of higher level than a given one.
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ const RELEASE_TYPES = require('./default-release-types');
  * @param {string} releaseType the release type to compare with.
  * @return {Boolean} true if `releaseType` is higher than `currentReleaseType`.
  */
-module.exports = (currentReleaseType, releaseType) =>
+export default (currentReleaseType, releaseType) =>
   !currentReleaseType || RELEASE_TYPES.indexOf(releaseType) < RELEASE_TYPES.indexOf(currentReleaseType);
diff --git a/lib/default-release-rules.js b/lib/default-release-rules.js
index 338e4ef1..4f1b1ed7 100644
--- a/lib/default-release-rules.js
+++ b/lib/default-release-rules.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  *
  * @type {Array}
  */
-module.exports = [
+export default [
   {breaking: true, release: 'major'},
   {revert: true, release: 'patch'},
   // Angular
diff --git a/lib/default-release-types.js b/lib/default-release-types.js
index 937b01a0..d292fb96 100644
--- a/lib/default-release-types.js
+++ b/lib/default-release-types.js
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@
  *
  * @type {Array}
  */
-module.exports = ['major', 'premajor', 'minor', 'preminor', 'patch', 'prepatch', 'prerelease'];
+export default ['major', 'premajor', 'minor', 'preminor', 'patch', 'prepatch', 'prerelease'];
diff --git a/lib/esm-import.js b/lib/esm-import.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a2dcbf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/esm-import.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+export const esmImport = async name => {
+  try {
+    return (await import(name)).default;
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (error.code === 'ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND') {
+      error.code = 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND';
+    }
+
+    throw error;
+  }
+};
diff --git a/lib/load-parser-config.js b/lib/load-parser-config.js
index af093eba..6c185e0f 100644
--- a/lib/load-parser-config.js
+++ b/lib/load-parser-config.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-const {promisify} = require('util');
-const {isPlainObject} = require('lodash');
-const importFrom = require('import-from');
-const conventionalChangelogAngular = require('conventional-changelog-angular');
+import {promisify} from 'util';
+import lodash from 'lodash';
+const {isPlainObject} = lodash;
+import {esmImport} from './esm-import.js';
 
 /**
  * Load `conventional-changelog-parser` options. Handle presets that return either a `Promise<Array>` or a `Promise<Function>`.
@@ -14,16 +14,16 @@ const conventionalChangelogAngular = require('conventional-changelog-angular');
  * @param {String} context.cwd The current working directory.
  * @return {Promise<Object>} a `Promise` that resolve to the `conventional-changelog-parser` options.
  */
-module.exports = async ({preset, config, parserOpts, presetConfig}, {cwd}) => {
+export default async ({preset, config, parserOpts, presetConfig}, {_}) => {
   let loadedConfig;
 
   if (preset) {
     const presetPackage = `conventional-changelog-${preset.toLowerCase()}`;
-    loadedConfig = importFrom.silent(__dirname, presetPackage) || importFrom(cwd, presetPackage);
+    loadedConfig = await esmImport(presetPackage);
   } else if (config) {
-    loadedConfig = importFrom.silent(__dirname, config) || importFrom(cwd, config);
+    loadedConfig = await esmImport(config);
   } else {
-    loadedConfig = conventionalChangelogAngular;
+    loadedConfig = await esmImport('conventional-changelog-angular');
   }
 
   loadedConfig = await (typeof loadedConfig === 'function'
diff --git a/lib/load-release-rules.js b/lib/load-release-rules.js
index 508b0349..fd189d39 100644
--- a/lib/load-release-rules.js
+++ b/lib/load-release-rules.js
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
-const {isUndefined} = require('lodash');
-const importFrom = require('import-from');
-const RELEASE_TYPES = require('./default-release-types');
+import lodash from 'lodash';
+const {isUndefined} = lodash;
+import {esmImport} from './esm-import.js';
+import RELEASE_TYPES from './default-release-types.js';
+import {resolve} from 'path';
+import {pathToFileURL} from 'url';
 
 /**
  * Load and validate the `releaseRules` rules.
@@ -15,14 +18,12 @@ const RELEASE_TYPES = require('./default-release-types');
  *
  * @return {Array} the loaded and validated `releaseRules`.
  */
-module.exports = ({releaseRules}, {cwd}) => {
+export default async ({releaseRules}, {cwd}) => {
   let loadedReleaseRules;
 
   if (releaseRules) {
     loadedReleaseRules =
-      typeof releaseRules === 'string'
-        ? importFrom.silent(__dirname, releaseRules) || importFrom(cwd, releaseRules)
-        : releaseRules;
+      typeof releaseRules === 'string' ? await esmImport(pathToFileURL(resolve(cwd, releaseRules)).href) : releaseRules;
 
     if (!Array.isArray(loadedReleaseRules)) {
       throw new TypeError('Error in commit-analyzer configuration: "releaseRules" must be an array of rules');
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 28c57343..fe093dd3 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@semantic-release/commit-analyzer",
+  "type": "module",
   "description": "semantic-release plugin to analyze commits with conventional-changelog",
   "version": "0.0.0-development",
   "author": "Pierre Vanduynslager (https://twitter.com/@pvdlg_)",
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@
     "semantic-release"
   ],
   "license": "MIT",
-  "main": "index.js",
+  "exports": "./index.js",
   "nyc": {
     "include": [
       "lib/**/*.js",
@@ -94,7 +95,11 @@
     "prettier": true,
     "space": true,
     "rules": {
-      "unicorn/string-content": "off"
+      "unicorn/string-content": "off",
+      "unicorn/import-index": "off",
+      "import/extensions": "off",
+      "import/no-useless-path-segments": "off",
+      "node/no-unsupported-features/es-syntax": "off"
     }
   },
   "renovate": {
diff --git a/test/analyze-commit.test.js b/test/analyze-commit.test.js
index 45f07715..2f8a7329 100644
--- a/test/analyze-commit.test.js
+++ b/test/analyze-commit.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-const test = require('ava');
-const analyzeCommit = require('../lib/analyze-commit');
+import test from 'ava';
+import analyzeCommit from '../lib/analyze-commit.js';
 
 test('Match breaking change', t => {
   const commit = {
diff --git a/test/compare-release-types.test.js b/test/compare-release-types.test.js
index 82fc3bce..1d61b52d 100644
--- a/test/compare-release-types.test.js
+++ b/test/compare-release-types.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-const test = require('ava');
-const compareReleaseTypes = require('../lib/compare-release-types');
+import test from 'ava';
+import compareReleaseTypes from '../lib/compare-release-types.js';
 
 test('Compares release types', t => {
   t.true(compareReleaseTypes('patch', 'minor'));
diff --git a/test/fixtures/release-rules-invalid.js b/test/fixtures/release-rules-invalid.js
index 888cae37..7a4e8a72 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/release-rules-invalid.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/release-rules-invalid.js
@@ -1 +1 @@
-module.exports = 42;
+export default 42;
diff --git a/test/fixtures/release-rules.js b/test/fixtures/release-rules.js
index 87297d18..8cb14f87 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/release-rules.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/release-rules.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-module.exports = [
+export default [
   {breaking: true, release: 'major'},
   {type: 'feat', release: 'minor'},
   {type: 'fix', release: 'patch'},
diff --git a/test/integration.test.js b/test/integration.test.js
index e7ac70ae..3c52034c 100644
--- a/test/integration.test.js
+++ b/test/integration.test.js
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-const test = require('ava');
-const {stub} = require('sinon');
-const {analyzeCommits} = require('..');
+import test from 'ava';
+import sinon from 'sinon';
+import {analyzeCommits} from '../index.js';
 
 const cwd = process.cwd();
 
 test.beforeEach(t => {
-  const log = stub();
+  const log = sinon.stub();
   t.context.log = log;
   t.context.logger = {log};
 });
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ test('Accept a "releaseRules" option that reference a requierable module', async
     {hash: '456', message: 'feat(scope2): Second feature'},
   ];
   const releaseType = await analyzeCommits(
-    {releaseRules: './test/fixtures/release-rules'},
+    {releaseRules: './test/fixtures/release-rules.js'},
     {cwd, commits, logger: t.context.logger}
   );
 
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ test('Throw error if "releaseRules" is not an Array or a String', async t => {
 });
 
 test('Throw error if "releaseRules" option reference a requierable module that is not an Array or a String', async t => {
-  await t.throwsAsync(analyzeCommits({releaseRules: './test/fixtures/release-rules-invalid'}, {cwd}), {
+  await t.throwsAsync(analyzeCommits({releaseRules: './test/fixtures/release-rules-invalid.js'}, {cwd}), {
     message: /Error in commit-analyzer configuration: "releaseRules" must be an array of rules/,
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/load-parser-config.test.js b/test/load-parser-config.test.js
index 233cb284..88e15cb7 100644
--- a/test/load-parser-config.test.js
+++ b/test/load-parser-config.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-const test = require('ava');
-const loadParserConfig = require('../lib/load-parser-config');
+import test from 'ava';
+import loadParserConfig from '../lib/load-parser-config.js';
+import conventionalChangelogAngular from 'conventional-changelog-angular';
 
 const cwd = process.cwd();
 
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ async function loadConfig(t, config, pluginOptions) {
 loadConfig.title = (providedTitle, config) => `${providedTitle} Load "${config}" config`.trim();
 
 test('Load "conventional-changelog-angular" by default', async t => {
-  t.deepEqual(await loadParserConfig({}, {cwd}), (await require('conventional-changelog-angular')).parserOpts);
+  t.deepEqual(await loadParserConfig({}, {cwd}), (await conventionalChangelogAngular).parserOpts);
 });
 
 test('Accept a "parserOpts" object as option', async t => {
diff --git a/test/load-release-rules.test.js b/test/load-release-rules.test.js
index a6818dae..ae928e56 100644
--- a/test/load-release-rules.test.js
+++ b/test/load-release-rules.test.js
@@ -1,29 +1,29 @@
-const test = require('ava');
-const loadReleaseRules = require('../lib/load-release-rules');
-const testReleaseRules = require('./fixtures/release-rules');
+import test from 'ava';
+import loadReleaseRules from '../lib/load-release-rules.js';
+import testReleaseRules from './fixtures/release-rules.js';
 
 const cwd = process.cwd();
 
-test('Accept a "releaseRules" option', t => {
-  const releaseRules = loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: testReleaseRules}, {cwd});
+test('Accept a "releaseRules" option', async t => {
+  const releaseRules = await loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: testReleaseRules}, {cwd});
 
   t.deepEqual(releaseRules, testReleaseRules);
 });
 
-test('Accept a "releaseRules" option that reference a requierable module', t => {
-  const releaseRules = loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: './test/fixtures/release-rules'}, {cwd});
+test('Accept a "releaseRules" option that reference a requierable module', async t => {
+  const releaseRules = await loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: './test/fixtures/release-rules.js'}, {cwd});
 
   t.deepEqual(releaseRules, testReleaseRules);
 });
 
-test('Return undefined if "releaseRules" not set', t => {
-  const releaseRules = loadReleaseRules({}, {cwd});
+test('Return undefined if "releaseRules" not set', async t => {
+  const releaseRules = await loadReleaseRules({}, {cwd});
 
   t.is(releaseRules, undefined);
 });
 
-test('Preserve release rules set to "false" or "null"', t => {
-  const releaseRules = loadReleaseRules(
+test('Preserve release rules set to "false" or "null"', async t => {
+  const releaseRules = await loadReleaseRules(
     {
       releaseRules: [
         {type: 'feat', release: false},
@@ -39,32 +39,32 @@ test('Preserve release rules set to "false" or "null"', t => {
   ]);
 });
 
-test('Throw error if "releaseRules" reference invalid commit type', t => {
-  t.throws(() => loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: [{tag: 'Update', release: 'invalid'}]}, {cwd}), {
+test('Throw error if "releaseRules" reference invalid commit type', async t => {
+  await t.throwsAsync(() => loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: [{tag: 'Update', release: 'invalid'}]}, {cwd}), {
     message: /Error in commit-analyzer configuration: "invalid" is not a valid release type\. Valid values are:\[?.*]/,
   });
 });
 
-test('Throw error if a rule in "releaseRules" does not have a release type', t => {
-  t.throws(() => loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: [{tag: 'Update'}]}, {cwd}), {
+test('Throw error if a rule in "releaseRules" does not have a release type', async t => {
+  await t.throwsAsync(() => loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: [{tag: 'Update'}]}, {cwd}), {
     message: /Error in commit-analyzer configuration: rules must be an object with a "release" property/,
   });
 });
 
-test('Throw error if "releaseRules" is not an Array or a String', t => {
-  t.throws(() => loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: {}}, {cwd}), {
+test('Throw error if "releaseRules" is not an Array or a String', async t => {
+  await t.throwsAsync(() => loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: {}}, {cwd}), {
     message: /Error in commit-analyzer configuration: "releaseRules" must be an array of rules/,
   });
 });
 
-test('Throw error if "releaseRules" option reference a requierable module that is not an Array or a String', t => {
-  t.throws(() => loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: './test/fixtures/release-rules-invalid'}, {cwd}), {
+test('Throw error if "releaseRules" option reference a requierable module that is not an Array or a String', async t => {
+  await t.throwsAsync(() => loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: './test/fixtures/release-rules-invalid.js'}, {cwd}), {
     message: /Error in commit-analyzer configuration: "releaseRules" must be an array of rules/,
   });
 });
 
-test('Throw error if "releaseRules" contains an undefined rule', t => {
-  t.throws(() => loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: [{type: 'feat', release: 'minor'}, undefined]}, {cwd}), {
+test('Throw error if "releaseRules" contains an undefined rule', async t => {
+  await t.throwsAsync(() => loadReleaseRules({releaseRules: [{type: 'feat', release: 'minor'}, undefined]}, {cwd}), {
     message: /Error in commit-analyzer configuration: rules must be an object with a "release" property/,
   });
 });