diff --git a/racketscript-compiler/racketscript/compiler/expand.rkt b/racketscript-compiler/racketscript/compiler/expand.rkt
index cbe1d51c..8649245f 100644
--- a/racketscript-compiler/racketscript/compiler/expand.rkt
+++ b/racketscript-compiler/racketscript/compiler/expand.rkt
@@ -218,14 +218,27 @@
      (define unchecked? (syntax-property v 'racketscript-unchecked-lambda?))
      (define fabsyn (formals->absyn #'formals))
      (PlainLambda fabsyn (map to-absyn (syntax->list #'body)) unchecked?)]
+    ;; NOTE: js require cannot be used without define (see next 4 cases)
     [(define-values (name)
        (#%plain-app (~datum #%js-ffi) (quote (~datum require)) (quote mod:str)))
-     ;; HACK: Special case for JSRequire
      (JSRequire (syntax-e #'name) (syntax-e #'mod) 'default)]
     [(define-values (name)
        (#%plain-app (~datum #%js-ffi) (quote (~datum require)) (quote *) (quote mod:str)))
-     ;; HACK: Special case for JSRequire
      (JSRequire (syntax-e #'name) (syntax-e #'mod) '*)]
+    [(define-values (name)
+       (#%plain-app (~datum #%js-ffi) (quote (~datum requirerkt)) (quote mod:str)))
+     ;; js ids not part of dependency calculation, so manually add
+     (current-module-imports
+      (set-add (current-module-imports)
+               (path->complete-path (string->path (syntax-e #'mod)))))
+     (JSRequire (syntax-e #'name) (string-append "./" (syntax-e #'mod) ".js") 'default)]
+    [(define-values (name)
+       (#%plain-app (~datum #%js-ffi) (quote (~datum requirerkt)) (quote *) (quote mod:str)))
+     ;; js ids not part of dependency calculation, so manually add
+     (current-module-imports
+      (set-add (current-module-imports)
+               (path->complete-path (string->path (syntax-e #'mod)))))
+     (JSRequire (syntax-e #'name) (string-append "./" (syntax-e #'mod) ".js") '*)]
     [(define-values (id ...) b)
      (DefineValues (syntax->datum #'(id ...)) (to-absyn #'b))]
     [(#%top . x) (TopId (syntax-e #'x))]
diff --git a/racketscript-compiler/racketscript/interop.rkt b/racketscript-compiler/racketscript/interop.rkt
index ef492c27..2132db51 100644
--- a/racketscript-compiler/racketscript/interop.rkt
+++ b/racketscript-compiler/racketscript/interop.rkt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
          $/array
          $/require
          $/require/*
+         $/require/rkt
          $$
          $>
          $/:=
@@ -150,6 +151,13 @@
     [(_ mod:str)
      #`(#%js-ffi 'require '* mod)]))
 
+(define-syntax ($/require/rkt stx)
+  (syntax-parse stx
+    [(_ mod:str)
+     #`(#%js-ffi 'requirerkt mod)]
+    [(_ mod:str (~datum *))
+     #`(#%js-ffi 'requirerkt '* mod)]))
+
 (define-syntax ($> stx)
   (define-syntax-class chaincall
     (pattern [fieldname:id ρ:expr ...]))
diff --git a/racketscript-doc/racketscript/scribblings/ffi.scrbl b/racketscript-doc/racketscript/scribblings/ffi.scrbl
index 438d4f8b..83883dcb 100644
--- a/racketscript-doc/racketscript/scribblings/ffi.scrbl
+++ b/racketscript-doc/racketscript/scribblings/ffi.scrbl
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ which will expand to the appropriate call to @racket[#%js-ffi].
            (#%js-ffi 'instanceof obj type)
            (#%js-ffi 'string str)
            (#%js-ffi 'require mod)
+           (#%js-ffi 'requirerkt mod)
            (#%js-ffi 'operator 'op operand ...))
 ]{}
 
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ Summary of JavaScript operations supported by @racket[#%js-ffi]:
           @item{@racket['instanceof]: JS @tt{instanceof} operation}
           @item{@racket['string]: JS strings (incompatible with Racket/RacketScript strings, see @racket[$/str])}
           @item{@racket['require]: JS @tt{import}, use to import JS libraries}
+          @item{@racket['requirerkt]: JS @tt{import}, use to import Racket libraries as JS}
           @item{@racket['operator]: Use to call JS functions requiring infix notation}
           ]
 
@@ -135,7 +137,7 @@ Shorthand for multiple @racket[$]s. Allows more direct use of dot notation in Ra
           ([mod string?])]{
    JavaScript import statement.
                                          
-   Often used with @racket[define], e.g., @racket[(define express ($/require "express"))] compiles to:
+   Must be used with @racket[define], e.g., @racket[(define express ($/require "express"))] compiles to:
 
    @tt{import * as express from "express";}
    
@@ -149,6 +151,23 @@ Shorthand for multiple @racket[$]s. Allows more direct use of dot notation in Ra
 
     Shorthand for @racket[($/require mod *)]}
 
+@defform*[#:literals (*)
+          (($/require/rkt mod)
+           ($/require/rkt mod *))
+          #:contracts
+          ([mod string?])]{
+   JavaScript import statement, but for Racket files, i.e., @racket[mod]
+   is a Racket file name whose compiled JS file gets required in the output JS.
+
+   This form is needed because the RacketScript compiler's dependency
+   calculations skips JS identifiers.
+
+   Must be used with @racket[define], e.g., @racket[(define lib ($/require/rkt "lib.rkt"))] compiles to:
+
+   @tt{import * as lib from "lib.rkt.js";}
+
+   Equivalent to @racket[(#%js-ffi 'requirerkt mod)] or  @racket[(#%js-ffi 'requirerkt '* mod)]}
+
 @defform[($> e call ...)
          #:grammar
          ([call id
diff --git a/racketscript-doc/racketscript/scribblings/start.scrbl b/racketscript-doc/racketscript/scribblings/start.scrbl
index 1fd5a3fc..b0983f39 100644
--- a/racketscript-doc/racketscript/scribblings/start.scrbl
+++ b/racketscript-doc/racketscript/scribblings/start.scrbl
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #lang scribble/manual
 
 @title[#:tag "start"]{Getting Started}
-                                    }
 
 @section[#:tag "install"]{Installation}
 
diff --git a/tests/ffi/requirerkt.rkt b/tests/ffi/requirerkt.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0cb458c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ffi/requirerkt.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#lang racketscript/base
+(require racketscript/interop)
+
+;; fixes pr#278
+
+(define lib ($/require/rkt "rktlib.rkt"))
+
+(#js.lib.f 10)
diff --git a/tests/ffi/rktlib.rkt b/tests/ffi/rktlib.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b10addd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ffi/rktlib.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#lang racket/base
+;; test for pr#278
+(provide f)
+(define (f x) x)