diff --git a/hy/core/__init__.py b/hy/core/__init__.py
index 55b9b9c..324ab96 100644
--- a/hy/core/__init__.py
+++ b/hy/core/__init__.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 # FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
 # DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 
+from hy.macros import process as mprocess
+
 import importlib
 
 
@@ -26,6 +28,11 @@ MACROS = [
 ]
 
 
+def process(tree):
+    load_macros()
+    return mprocess(tree)
+
+
 def load_macros():
     for module in MACROS:
         importlib.import_module(module)
diff --git a/hy/importer.py b/hy/importer.py
index 30085ec..f6c0402 100644
--- a/hy/importer.py
+++ b/hy/importer.py
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 #
 
 from hy.lex import tokenize
-from hy.macros import process
-from hy.core import load_macros
+from hy.core import process
 from hy.compiler import hy_compile
 
 
@@ -13,7 +12,6 @@ import os
 
 def import_file_to_hst(fpath):
     tree = tokenize(open(fpath, 'r').read())
-    load_macros()
     tree = process(tree)
     return tree