diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 0ceba0b..983073b 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
  *
  * > loadModule('something.js', { paths: [ '.', '~/my-modules' ] })
  */
-module.exports = loadModule
 
 /**
  * @alias module:load-module
@@ -35,19 +34,77 @@ function loadModule (request, options) {
   if (paths && paths.length) {
     module.paths = module.paths.concat(paths)
   }
-  let output
+  let output = null
 
   if (prefix) {
-    /* Try first with the prefix then without */
     try {
-      output = require(require.resolve(`${options.prefix}${request}`, { paths }))
+      output = loadModule(`${prefix}${request}`, { paths })
     } catch (err) {
-      output = require(require.resolve(request, { paths }))
+      if (err.code === 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND') {
+        output = loadModule(request, { paths })
+      } else {
+        throw err
+      }
     }
   } else {
-    output = require(require.resolve(request, { paths }))
+    output = loadAsLocalPath(request, { paths })
+    if (output === null) {
+      output = loadAsRegularRequire(request, { paths })
+    }
+    if (output === null) {
+      output = tryEachPath(request, { paths })
+    }
   }
 
   module.paths = origModulePaths
+
+  if (output === null) {
+    const err = new Error('Cannot find ' + request)
+    err.code = 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND'
+    throw err
+  } else {
+    return output
+  }
+}
+
+function loadAsLocalPath (request, options) {
+  const path = require('path')
+  let output
+  try {
+    output = require(path.resolve(request), options)
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err.code === 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND') {
+      output = null
+    } else {
+      throw err
+    }
+  }
   return output
 }
+
+function loadAsRegularRequire (request, options) {
+  let output
+  try {
+    output = require(require.resolve(request, options))
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err.code === 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND') {
+      output = null
+    } else {
+      throw err
+    }
+  }
+  return output
+}
+
+function tryEachPath (request, options) {
+  const path = require('path')
+  let output = null
+  for (const p of options.paths || []) {
+    const fullPath = path.resolve(p, request)
+    output = loadAsRegularRequire(fullPath)
+    if (output !== null) break
+  }
+  return output
+}
+
+module.exports = loadModule
diff --git a/test/broken.js b/test/exceptions.js
similarity index 92%
rename from test/broken.js
rename to test/exceptions.js
index 96c9020..dd63c86 100644
--- a/test/broken.js
+++ b/test/exceptions.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const loadModule = require('../')
 const a = require('assert')
 const path = require('path')
 
-const tom = module.exports = new Tom('broken')
+const tom = module.exports = new Tom('exceptions')
 
 tom.test('broken module', function () {
   a.throws(
diff --git a/test/simple.js b/test/simple.js
index 9f20807..3010454 100644
--- a/test/simple.js
+++ b/test/simple.js
@@ -5,31 +5,49 @@ const path = require('path')
 
 const tom = module.exports = new Tom('simple')
 
-tom.test('relative path to file', function () {
+const noOptions = tom.test('no options')
+
+noOptions.test('module name', function () {
+  const result = loadModule('array-back')
+  a.strictEqual(result.name, 'arrayify')
+})
+
+const relative = tom.test('relative path')
+
+relative.test('to file', function () {
   const modulePath = './test/fixture/loadModule/some-module/lib/some-module.js'
   const result = loadModule(modulePath)
   a.strictEqual(result.name, 'someModule')
 })
 
-tom.test('absolute path to file', function () {
-  const modulePath = path.resolve(__dirname, './fixture/loadModule/some-module/lib/some-module.js')
+relative.test('to module dir', function () {
+  const modulePath = './test/fixture/loadModule/some-module'
   const result = loadModule(modulePath)
   a.strictEqual(result.name, 'someModule')
 })
 
-tom.test('relative path to module dir', function () {
-  const modulePath = './test/fixture/loadModule/some-module'
+relative.test('to file, no ./', function () {
+  const modulePath = 'test/fixture/loadModule/some-module/lib/some-module.js'
   const result = loadModule(modulePath)
   a.strictEqual(result.name, 'someModule')
 })
 
-tom.test('absolute path to module dir', function () {
-  const modulePath = path.resolve(__dirname, 'fixture/loadModule/some-module')
+relative.test('to module dir, no ./', function () {
+  const modulePath = 'test/fixture/loadModule/some-module'
   const result = loadModule(modulePath)
   a.strictEqual(result.name, 'someModule')
 })
 
-tom.test('module name', function () {
-  const result = loadModule('array-back')
-  a.strictEqual(result.name, 'arrayify')
+const absolute = tom.test('absolute path')
+
+absolute.test('to file', function () {
+  const modulePath = path.resolve(__dirname, './fixture/loadModule/some-module/lib/some-module.js')
+  const result = loadModule(modulePath)
+  a.strictEqual(result.name, 'someModule')
+})
+
+absolute.test('to module dir', function () {
+  const modulePath = path.resolve(__dirname, 'fixture/loadModule/some-module')
+  const result = loadModule(modulePath)
+  a.strictEqual(result.name, 'someModule')
 })