diff --git a/.eslintrc b/.eslintrc
index 6a6eed21..5b749b5f 100644
--- a/.eslintrc
+++ b/.eslintrc
@@ -29,6 +29,16 @@
         "strict": "error",
     },
     "overrides": [
+        {
+            "files": ["*.mjs", "test/import/package_type/*.js"],
+            "extends": "@ljharb/eslint-config/esm",
+        },
+        {
+            "files": ["bin/import-or-require.js"],
+            "parserOptions": {
+                "ecmaVersion": 2020,
+            },
+        },
         {
             "files": ["test/async-await/*"],
             "parserOptions": {
diff --git a/.nycrc b/.nycrc
index c4187917..daab59ba 100644
--- a/.nycrc
+++ b/.nycrc
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 	"check-coverage": false,
 	"reporter": ["text-summary", "text", "html", "json"],
 	"exclude": [
+		"bin/import-or-require.js",
 		"coverage",
 		"example",
 		"test"
diff --git a/bin/import-or-require.js b/bin/import-or-require.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b72edd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/import-or-require.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const { extname: extnamePath } = require('path');
+const getPackageType = require('get-package-type');
+
+module.exports = function (file) {
+    const ext = extnamePath(file);
+
+    if (ext === '.mjs' || (ext === '.js' && getPackageType.sync(file) === 'module')) {
+        return import(file);
+    }
+    require(file);
+};
diff --git a/bin/tape b/bin/tape
index 03f9b273..a912c087 100755
--- a/bin/tape
+++ b/bin/tape
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ var readFileSync = require('fs').readFileSync;
 var parseOpts = require('minimist');
 var glob = require('glob');
 var ignore = require('dotignore');
+var hasImport = require('has-dynamic-import');
+
+var tape = require('../');
 
 var opts = parseOpts(process.argv.slice(2), {
     alias: { r: 'require', i: 'ignore' },
@@ -47,7 +50,7 @@ var files = opts._.reduce(function (result, arg) {
     var files = glob.sync(arg);
 
     if (!Array.isArray(files)) {
-        throw new TypeError('unknown error: glob.sync did not return an array or throw. Please report this.');
+        throw new TypeError('unknown error: glob.sync("' + arg + '") did not return an array or throw. Please report this.');
     }
 
     return result.concat(files);
@@ -57,6 +60,28 @@ var files = opts._.reduce(function (result, arg) {
     return resolvePath(cwd, file);
 });
 
-files.forEach(function (x) { require(x); });
+hasImport().then(function (hasSupport) {
+    // the nextTick callback gets called outside the promise chain, avoiding
+    // promises and unhandled rejections when only loading commonjs files
+    process.nextTick(importFiles, hasSupport);
+});
+
+function importFiles(hasSupport) {
+    if (!hasSupport) {
+        return files.forEach(function (x) { require(x); });
+    }
+
+    var importOrRequire = require('./import-or-require');
+
+    tape.wait();
+
+    var promise = files.reduce(function (promise, file) {
+        return promise ? promise.then(function () {
+            return importOrRequire(file);
+        }) : importOrRequire(file);
+    }, null);
+
+    return promise ? promise.then(function () { tape.run(); }) : tape.run();
+}
 
 // vim: ft=javascript
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 19cacb38..fb2a8621 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -14,11 +14,22 @@ var canExit = typeof process !== 'undefined' && process
 ;
 
 exports = module.exports = (function () {
+    var wait = false;
     var harness;
     var lazyLoad = function () {
         return getHarness().apply(this, arguments);
     };
 
+    lazyLoad.wait = function () {
+        wait = true;
+    };
+
+    lazyLoad.run = function () {
+        var run = getHarness().run;
+
+        if (run) run();
+    };
+
     lazyLoad.only = function () {
         return getHarness().only.apply(this, arguments);
     };
@@ -48,26 +59,25 @@ exports = module.exports = (function () {
     function getHarness(opts) {
         if (!opts) opts = {};
         opts.autoclose = !canEmitExit;
-        if (!harness) harness = createExitHarness(opts);
+        if (!harness) harness = createExitHarness(opts, wait);
         return harness;
     }
 })();
 
-function createExitHarness(conf) {
+function createExitHarness(conf, wait) {
     if (!conf) conf = {};
     var harness = createHarness({
         autoclose: defined(conf.autoclose, false)
     });
+    var running = false;
+    var ended = false;
 
-    var stream = harness.createStream({ objectMode: conf.objectMode });
-    var es = stream.pipe(conf.stream || createDefaultStream());
-    if (canEmitExit) {
-        es.on('error', function (err) { harness._exitCode = 1; });
+    if (wait) {
+        harness.run = run;
+    } else {
+        run();
     }
 
-    var ended = false;
-    stream.on('end', function () { ended = true; });
-
     if (conf.exit === false) return harness;
     if (!canEmitExit || !canExit) return harness;
 
@@ -92,6 +102,17 @@ function createExitHarness(conf) {
     });
 
     return harness;
+
+    function run() {
+        if (running) return;
+        running = true;
+        var stream = harness.createStream({ objectMode: conf.objectMode });
+        var es = stream.pipe(conf.stream || createDefaultStream());
+        if (canEmitExit) {
+            es.on('error', function (err) { harness._exitCode = 1; });
+        }
+        stream.on('end', function () { ended = true; });
+    };
 }
 
 exports.createHarness = createHarness;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index bbdae7de..8292e6e9 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -27,8 +27,10 @@
         "defined": "^1.0.0",
         "dotignore": "^0.1.2",
         "for-each": "^0.3.3",
+        "get-package-type": "^0.1.0",
         "glob": "^7.1.7",
         "has": "^1.0.3",
+        "has-dynamic-import": "^2.0.0",
         "inherits": "^2.0.4",
         "is-regex": "^1.1.3",
         "minimist": "^1.2.5",
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@
         "through": "^2.3.8"
     },
     "devDependencies": {
+        "@ljharb/eslint-config": "^17.6.0",
         "array.prototype.flatmap": "^1.2.4",
         "aud": "^1.1.5",
         "concat-stream": "^1.6.2",
diff --git a/test/import.js b/test/import.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b30952be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import.js
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+'use strict';
+
+var tap = require('tap');
+var spawn = require('child_process').spawn;
+var concat = require('concat-stream');
+var hasDynamicImport = require('has-dynamic-import');
+
+tap.test('importing mjs files',  function (t) {
+    hasDynamicImport().then(function (hasSupport) {
+        if (hasSupport) {
+            var tc = function (rows) {
+                t.same(rows.toString('utf8'), [
+                    'TAP version 13',
+                    '# mjs-a',
+                    'ok 1 test ran',
+                    '# mjs-b',
+                    'ok 2 test ran after mjs-a',
+                    '# mjs-c',
+                    'ok 3 test ran after mjs-b',
+                    '# mjs-d',
+                    'ok 4 test ran after mjs-c',
+                    '# mjs-e',
+                    'ok 5 test ran after mjs-d',
+                    '# mjs-f',
+                    'ok 6 test ran after mjs-e',
+                    '# mjs-g',
+                    'ok 7 test ran after mjs-f',
+                    '# mjs-h',
+                    'ok 8 test ran after mjs-g',
+                    '',
+                    '1..8',
+                    '# tests 8',
+                    '# pass  8',
+                    '',
+                    '# ok'
+                ].join('\n') + '\n\n');
+            };
+
+            var ps = tape('import/*.mjs');
+            ps.stdout.pipe(concat(tc));
+            ps.stderr.pipe(process.stderr);
+            ps.on('exit', function (code) {
+                t.equal(code, 0);
+                t.end();
+            });
+        } else {
+            t.pass('does not support dynamic import');
+            t.end();
+        }
+    });
+});
+
+tap.test('importing type: "module" files', function (t) {
+    hasDynamicImport().then(function (hasSupport) {
+        if (hasSupport) {
+            var tc = function (rows) {
+                t.same(rows.toString('utf8'), [
+                    'TAP version 13',
+                    '# package-type-a',
+                    'ok 1 test ran',
+                    '# package-type-b',
+                    'ok 2 test ran after package-type-a',
+                    '# package-type-c',
+                    'ok 3 test ran after package-type-b',
+                    '',
+                    '1..3',
+                    '# tests 3',
+                    '# pass  3',
+                    '',
+                    '# ok'
+                ].join('\n') + '\n\n');
+            };
+
+            var ps = tape('import/package_type/*.js');
+            ps.stdout.pipe(concat(tc));
+            ps.stderr.pipe(process.stderr);
+            ps.on('exit', function (code) {
+                t.equal(code, 0);
+                t.end();
+            });
+        } else {
+            t.pass('does not support dynamic import');
+            t.end();
+        }
+    });
+});
+
+function tape(args) {
+    var proc = require('child_process');
+    var bin = __dirname + '/../bin/tape';
+
+    return proc.spawn('node', [bin].concat(args.split(' ')), { cwd: __dirname });
+}
diff --git a/test/import/mjs-a.mjs b/test/import/mjs-a.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..39244e0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/mjs-a.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import tape from '../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('mjs-a', function (t) {
+    t.pass('test ran');
+    t.end();
+    global.mjs_a = true;
+});
+
diff --git a/test/import/mjs-b.mjs b/test/import/mjs-b.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..69317cd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/mjs-b.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import tape from '../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('mjs-b', function (t) {
+    t.ok(global.mjs_a, 'test ran after mjs-a');
+    t.end();
+    global.mjs_b = true;
+});
diff --git a/test/import/mjs-c.mjs b/test/import/mjs-c.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aeaffcd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/mjs-c.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import tape from '../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('mjs-c', function (t) {
+    t.ok(global.mjs_b, 'test ran after mjs-b');
+    t.end();
+    global.mjs_c = true;
+});
diff --git a/test/import/mjs-d.mjs b/test/import/mjs-d.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6b13422
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/mjs-d.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import tape from '../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('mjs-d', function (t) {
+    t.ok(global.mjs_c, 'test ran after mjs-c');
+    t.end();
+    global.mjs_d = true;
+});
diff --git a/test/import/mjs-e.mjs b/test/import/mjs-e.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f089e3d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/mjs-e.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import tape from '../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('mjs-e', function (t) {
+    t.ok(global.mjs_d, 'test ran after mjs-d');
+    t.end();
+    global.mjs_e = true;
+});
diff --git a/test/import/mjs-f.mjs b/test/import/mjs-f.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d1e68539
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/mjs-f.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import tape from '../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('mjs-f', function (t) {
+    t.ok(global.mjs_e, 'test ran after mjs-e');
+    t.end();
+    global.mjs_f = true;
+});
diff --git a/test/import/mjs-g.mjs b/test/import/mjs-g.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fb7728bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/mjs-g.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import tape from '../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('mjs-g', function (t) {
+    t.ok(global.mjs_f, 'test ran after mjs-f');
+    t.end();
+    global.mjs_g = true;
+});
diff --git a/test/import/mjs-h.mjs b/test/import/mjs-h.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e4af5d81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/mjs-h.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import tape from '../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('mjs-h', function (t) {
+    t.ok(global.mjs_g, 'test ran after mjs-g');
+    t.end();
+});
diff --git a/test/import/package_type/package-a.js b/test/import/package_type/package-a.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..af4b097a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/package_type/package-a.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import tape from '../../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('package-type-a', function (t) {
+    t.pass('test ran');
+    t.end();
+    global.package_type_a = true;
+});
+
diff --git a/test/import/package_type/package-b.js b/test/import/package_type/package-b.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..74b8d052
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/package_type/package-b.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import tape from '../../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('package-type-b', function (t) {
+    t.ok(global.package_type_a, 'test ran after package-type-a');
+    t.end();
+    global.package_type_b = true;
+});
diff --git a/test/import/package_type/package-c.js b/test/import/package_type/package-c.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8fa8fac3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/package_type/package-c.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import tape from '../../../index.js';
+
+tape.test('package-type-c', function (t) {
+    t.ok(global.package_type_b, 'test ran after package-type-b');
+    t.end();
+});
diff --git a/test/import/package_type/package.json b/test/import/package_type/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..47200257
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/import/package_type/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+    "type": "module"
+}