diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 491fc35..017354f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
-node_modules
+node_modules/*
+!node_modules/cool-styles
 lib
diff --git a/node_modules/cool-styles/foo.css b/node_modules/cool-styles/foo.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65f95db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/node_modules/cool-styles/foo.css
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+.example {
+  color: #F00;
+}
diff --git a/src/file-system-loader.js b/src/file-system-loader.js
index 2f9ab02..2a3f47d 100644
--- a/src/file-system-loader.js
+++ b/src/file-system-loader.js
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ export default class FileSystemLoader {
         rootRelativePath = path.resolve( relativeDir, newPath ),
         fileRelativePath = path.resolve( path.join( this.root, relativeDir ), newPath )
 
+      // if the path is not relative or absolute, try to resolve it in node_modules
+      if (newPath[0] !== '.' && newPath[0] !== '/') {
+        try {
+          fileRelativePath = require.resolve(newPath);
+        }
+        catch (e) {}
+      }
+
       const tokens = this.tokensByFile[fileRelativePath]
       if (tokens) { return resolve(tokens) }
 
diff --git a/test/test-cases/compose-node-module/expected.css b/test/test-cases/compose-node-module/expected.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0667b94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test-cases/compose-node-module/expected.css
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+._compose_node_module_cool_styles_foo__example {
+  color: #F00;
+}
+._compose_node_module_source__foo {
+}
diff --git a/test/test-cases/compose-node-module/expected.json b/test/test-cases/compose-node-module/expected.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a57448c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test-cases/compose-node-module/expected.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  "foo": "_compose_node_module_source__foo _compose_node_module_cool_styles_foo__example"
+}
diff --git a/test/test-cases/compose-node-module/source.css b/test/test-cases/compose-node-module/source.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6477b1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test-cases/compose-node-module/source.css
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+.foo {
+  composes: example from "cool-styles/foo.css";
+}