diff --git a/src/ceval.h b/src/ceval.h
index 64922653..db1d1472 100644
--- a/src/ceval.h
+++ b/src/ceval.h
@@ -482,40 +482,10 @@ __NEXT_STEP:;
         }
         DISPATCH();
     /*****************************************/
-    TARGET(IMPORT_NAME) {
-        StrName name(byte.arg);
-        PyObject* ext_mod = _modules.try_get(name);
-        if(ext_mod == nullptr){
-            Str source;
-            auto it = _lazy_modules.find(name);
-            if(it == _lazy_modules.end()){
-                Bytes b = _read_file_cwd(fmt(name, ".py"));
-                if(!b) {
-                    for(Str path: _path){
-#ifdef _WIN32
-                        const char* sep = "\\";
-#else
-                        const char* sep = "/";
-#endif
-                        b = _read_file_cwd(fmt(path, sep, name, ".py"));
-                        if(b) break;
-                    }
-                    if(!b) _error("ImportError", fmt("module ", name.escape(), " not found"));
-                }
-                source = Str(b.str());
-            }else{
-                source = it->second;
-                _lazy_modules.erase(it);
-            }
-            CodeObject_ code = compile(source, Str(name.sv())+".py", EXEC_MODE);
-            PyObject* new_mod = new_module(name);
-            _exec(code, new_mod);
-            new_mod->attr()._try_perfect_rehash();
-            PUSH(new_mod);
-        }else{
-            PUSH(ext_mod);
-        }
-    } DISPATCH();
+    TARGET(IMPORT_NAME)
+        _name = StrName(byte.arg);
+        PUSH(py_import(_name));
+        DISPATCH();
     TARGET(IMPORT_STAR)
         _0 = POPX();
         for(auto& [name, value]: _0->attr().items()){
diff --git a/src/pocketpy.h b/src/pocketpy.h
index 4191e77f..67108cba 100644
--- a/src/pocketpy.h
+++ b/src/pocketpy.h
@@ -104,6 +104,10 @@ inline void init_builtins(VM* _vm) {
         return VAR_T(VoidP, obj);
     });
 
+    _vm->bind_builtin_func<1>("__import__", [](VM* vm, ArgsView args) {
+        return vm->py_import(CAST(Str&, args[0]));
+    });
+
     _vm->bind_builtin_func<2>("divmod", [](VM* vm, ArgsView args) {
         i64 lhs = CAST(i64, args[0]);
         i64 rhs = CAST(i64, args[1]);
diff --git a/src/vm.h b/src/vm.h
index ca58b19c..79e4bfb2 100644
--- a/src/vm.h
+++ b/src/vm.h
@@ -548,6 +548,40 @@ public:
         return _all_types[obj->type].obj;
     }
 
+    PyObject* py_import(StrName name){
+        PyObject* ext_mod = _modules.try_get(name);
+        if(ext_mod == nullptr){
+            Str source;
+            auto it = _lazy_modules.find(name);
+            if(it == _lazy_modules.end()){
+                Bytes b = _read_file_cwd(fmt(name, ".py"));
+                if(!b) {
+                    for(Str path: _path){
+#ifdef _WIN32
+                        const char* sep = "\\";
+#else
+                        const char* sep = "/";
+#endif
+                        b = _read_file_cwd(fmt(path, sep, name, ".py"));
+                        if(b) break;
+                    }
+                    if(!b) _error("ImportError", fmt("module ", name.escape(), " not found"));
+                }
+                source = Str(b.str());
+            }else{
+                source = it->second;
+                _lazy_modules.erase(it);
+            }
+            CodeObject_ code = compile(source, Str(name.sv())+".py", EXEC_MODE);
+            PyObject* new_mod = new_module(name);
+            _exec(code, new_mod);
+            new_mod->attr()._try_perfect_rehash();
+            return new_mod;
+        }else{
+            return ext_mod;
+        }
+    }
+
     ~VM() {
         callstack.clear();
         s_data.clear();