diff --git a/shims/nohost.js b/shims/nohost.js
index dafd6c4..a5be404 100644
--- a/shims/nohost.js
+++ b/shims/nohost.js
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+/**
+ * The nohost.js shim is the first thing loaded by any page
+ * being served from the nohost server (ie., it gets injected
+ * before all other scripts). It is used to alter the environment
+ * so dynamic changes requiring data from the filesystem will
+ * continue to work in the nohost served page.
+ */
 var nohost = (function(window) {
 
   // The server's filesystem
@@ -58,7 +65,7 @@ var nohost = (function(window) {
     window.Image = Image;
   }
 
-  // Alter <img> to intercept paths in the filesystem
+  // Alter <script> to intercept paths in the filesystem
   function rewireScript() {
     var $Image = window.Image;
 
@@ -81,7 +88,7 @@ var nohost = (function(window) {
 
   // Alter XMLHttpRequest so it knows about nohost files
   function rewireXHR() {
-    require(['xhr']);
+    window.XMLHttpRequest = require('xhr');
   }
 
   // Setup auto-reload behaviour for watched paths
@@ -133,6 +140,8 @@ var nohost = (function(window) {
     rewireImage();
     rewireXHR();
     startWatchers();
+
+    // Do this last, so we don't lose require while we still need it
     cleanEnv();
   }
 
diff --git a/shims/xmlhttprequest.js b/shims/xmlhttprequest.js
index 3872fc5..00a878a 100644
--- a/shims/xmlhttprequest.js
+++ b/shims/xmlhttprequest.js
@@ -91,6 +91,6 @@ define(['filer'], function(Filer) {
     return self;
   }
 
-	window.XMLHttpRequest = $XMLHttpRequest;
+	return $XMLHttpRequest;
 
 });
diff --git a/src/main.js b/src/main.js
index ec39bb6..5d75e63 100644
--- a/src/main.js
+++ b/src/main.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ requirejs.config({
   }
 });
 
-requirejs(['filer', 'webserver'], function(Filer, WebServer) {
+requirejs(['filer', 'webserver', 'xhr'], function(Filer, WebServer) {
   var Path = Filer.Path;
 
   function install(file) {
@@ -89,11 +89,7 @@ requirejs(['filer', 'webserver'], function(Filer, WebServer) {
     // Case 3: a path was given into the web root, try to serve it.
     // Strip any server added trailing slash (unless we have '/').
     var url = option === '/' ? option : option.replace(/\/$/, '');
-
-    // We need to swap out the XHR implementation when loading from the filesystem
-    require(['xhr'], function() {
-      WebServer.serve(url);
-    });
+    WebServer.serve(url);
   }
 
   boot();