diff --git a/lib/handlebars.js b/lib/handlebars.js
index 7d85c2610..f82ec3bad 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars.js
@@ -21,6 +21,17 @@ Handlebars.create = create;
 
 module.exports = Handlebars; // instantiate an instance
 
+// Publish a Node.js require() handler for .handlebars and .hbs files
+if (require.extensions) {
+  var extension = function(module, filename) {
+    var fs = require("fs");
+    var templateString = fs.readFileSync(filename, "utf8");
+    module.exports = Handlebars.compile(templateString);
+  };
+  require.extensions[".handlebars"] = extension;
+  require.extensions[".hbs"] = extension;
+}
+
 // BEGIN(BROWSER)
 
 // END(BROWSER)
diff --git a/spec/example_1.handlebars b/spec/example_1.handlebars
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..054e96cb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/example_1.handlebars
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{{foo}}
diff --git a/spec/example_2.hbs b/spec/example_2.hbs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..963eab972
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/example_2.hbs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Hello, {{name}}!
diff --git a/spec/qunit_spec.js b/spec/qunit_spec.js
index e2f7d47d0..fef5166bc 100644
--- a/spec/qunit_spec.js
+++ b/spec/qunit_spec.js
@@ -1502,3 +1502,27 @@ test('isEmpty', function() {
   equal(Handlebars.Utils.isEmpty('foo'), false);
   equal(Handlebars.Utils.isEmpty({bar: 1}), false);
 });
+
+if (typeof(require) !== 'undefined') {
+  suite('Require');
+
+  test('Load .handlebars files with require()', function() {
+    var template = require("./example_1");
+    assert.deepEqual(template, require("./example_1.handlebars"));
+
+    var expected = 'foo\n';
+    var result = template({foo: "foo"});
+
+    equal(result, expected);
+  });
+
+  test('Load .hbs files with require()', function() {
+    var template = require("./example_2");
+    assert.deepEqual(template, require("./example_2.hbs"));
+
+    var expected = 'Hello, World!\n';
+    var result = template({name: "World"});
+
+    equal(result, expected);
+  });
+}