diff --git a/dist/compiler.js b/dist/compiler.js
index 423ec00..134b73c 100644
--- a/dist/compiler.js
+++ b/dist/compiler.js
@@ -523,6 +523,8 @@ function compile(src, opts, url) {
 
   if (!opts) opts = {}
 
+  url = url || process.cwd()
+
   exclude = opts.exclude || false
   function included(s) { return !(exclude && ~exclude.indexOf(s)) }
 
diff --git a/lib/core.js b/lib/core.js
index ebdef33..7273a67 100644
--- a/lib/core.js
+++ b/lib/core.js
@@ -532,6 +532,13 @@ function compile(src, opts, url) {
 
   if (!opts) opts = {}
 
+  //#if NODE
+  // let's be sure that an url is always defined at least on node
+  // this will allow the babeljs users using the .babelrc file to configure
+  // their transpiler setup
+  url = url || process.cwd()
+  //#endif
+
   exclude = opts.exclude || false
   function included(s) { return !(exclude && ~exclude.indexOf(s)) }
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 020d726..0270387 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     "compiler"
   ],
   "dependencies": {
-    "riot-tmpl": "^2.3.16"
+    "riot-tmpl": "^2.3.17"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "coveralls": "^2.11.4",