diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/function/10-function.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/function/10-function.js
index a876ed741b..dbf3fed27d 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/function/10-function.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/function/10-function.js
@@ -268,7 +268,23 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             var iniScript = null;
             var iniOpt = null;
             if (node.ini && (node.ini !== "")) {
-                var iniText = "(async function () {\n"+node.ini +"\n})();";
+                var iniText = `
+                    (async function(__send__) {
+                        var node = {
+                            id:__node__.id,
+                            name:__node__.name,
+                            log:__node__.log,
+                            error:__node__.error,
+                            warn:__node__.warn,
+                            debug:__node__.debug,
+                            trace:__node__.trace,
+                            status:__node__.status,
+                            send: function(msgs, cloneMsg) { 
+                                __node__.send(__send__, RED.util.generateId(), msgs, cloneMsg); 
+                            }
+                        };
+                        `+ node.ini +`
+                    })(send);`;
                 iniOpt = createVMOpt(node, " setup");
                 iniScript = new vm.Script(iniText, iniOpt);
             }
@@ -280,7 +296,9 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             }
             var promise = Promise.resolve();
             if (iniScript) {
+                context.send = function(m) { node.send(m); };
                 promise = iniScript.runInContext(context, iniOpt);
+                delete context.send;
             }
 
             function processMessage(msg, send, done) {