Index: loadlib.c
===================================================================
--- loadlib.c	(revision 2)
+++ loadlib.c	(working copy)
@@ -293,8 +293,10 @@
 */
 
 
-static const char *loadLua (lua_State *L, const char *fname, const char *name) {
+static int loadLua (lua_State *L) {
   const char *path;
+  const char *name = luaL_checkstring(L, 1);
+  const char *fname = luaL_gsub(L, name, ".", LUA_DIRSEP);
   /* try first `LUA_PATH' for compatibility */
   lua_getglobal(L, "LUA_PATH");
   path = lua_tostring(L, -1);
@@ -306,30 +308,48 @@
   if (path == NULL)
     luaL_error(L, "`package.path' must be a string");
   fname = luaL_searchpath(L, fname, path);
-  if (fname == NULL) return path;  /* library not found in this path */
+  if (fname == NULL) return 0;  /* library not found in this path */
   if (luaL_loadfile(L, fname) != 0)
     luaL_error(L, "error loading package `%s' (%s)", name, lua_tostring(L, -1));
-  return NULL;  /* library loaded successfully */
+  return 1;  /* library loaded successfully */
 }
 
 
-static const char *loadC (lua_State *L, const char *fname, const char *name) {
+static int loadC (lua_State *L) {
   const char *path;
   const char *funcname;
+  const char *name = luaL_checkstring(L, 1);
+  const char *fname = luaL_gsub(L, name, ".", LUA_DIRSEP);
   luaL_getfield(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, "package.cpath");
   path = lua_tostring(L, -1);
   if (path == NULL)
     luaL_error(L, "`package.cpath' must be a string");
   fname = luaL_searchpath(L, fname, path);
-  if (fname == NULL) return path;  /* library not found in this path */
+  if (fname == NULL) return 0;  /* library not found in this path */
   funcname = luaL_gsub(L, name, ".", LUA_OFSEP);
   funcname = lua_pushfstring(L, "%s%s", POF, funcname);
   if (ll_loadfunc(L, fname, funcname) != 1)
     luaL_error(L, "error loading package `%s' (%s)", name, lua_tostring(L, -2));
-  return NULL;  /* library loaded successfully */
+  return 1;  /* library loaded successfully */
 }
 
+static int ll_register_loader (lua_State *L) {
+  int i;
+  luaL_checktype(L, 1, LUA_TFUNCTION);
+  lua_getfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "_LOADERS");
 
+  /* find next slot available */
+  lua_rawgeti(L, -1, 0);
+  i = lua_tonumber(L, -1);
+  lua_pop(L, 1);
+
+  /* save loader */
+  lua_pushvalue(L, 1);
+  lua_rawseti(L, -2, i);
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
 static int ll_require (lua_State *L) {
   const char *name = luaL_checkstring(L, 1);
   lua_settop(L, 1);
@@ -344,17 +364,20 @@
   lua_getfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "_PRELOAD");
   lua_getfield(L, -1, name);
   if (lua_isnil(L, -1)) {  /* no preload function for that module? */
-    const char *fname = luaL_gsub(L, name, ".", LUA_DIRSEP);
-    const char *cpath = loadC(L, fname, name);  /* try a C module */
-    if (cpath) {  /* not found? */
-      const char *path = loadLua(L, fname, name);  /* try a Lua module */
-      if (path) {  /* yet not found? */
-        lua_pushnil(L);
-        lua_setfield(L, 2, name);  /* unmark _LOADED[name] */
-        return luaL_error(L, "package `%s' not found\n"
-                             "  cpath: %s\n  path: %s",
-                             name, cpath, path);
-      }
+    /* traverse binary loader table */
+    lua_getfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "_LOADERS");
+    int i;
+    for (i = 1;; ++i) {
+      lua_rawgeti(L, -1, i);
+      if (lua_isnil(L, -1)) /* no more loaders? */
+        luaL_error(L, "package `%s' not found", name);
+
+      lua_pushvalue(L, 1); /* push module name */
+      lua_call(L, 1, 1); /* call loader */
+      if (!lua_isnil(L, -1)) /* loaded successfully? */
+        break; /* loaded: stop searching */
+
+      lua_pop(L, 1); /* remove nil value */
     }
   }
   lua_pushvalue(L, 1);  /* pass name as argument to module */
@@ -457,6 +480,24 @@
   /* set field `preload' */
   lua_getfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "_PRELOAD");
   lua_setfield(L, -2, "preload");
+
+  /* set field `loaders' */
+  lua_getfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "_LOADERS");
+  lua_setfield(L, -2, "loaders");
+  /* loader registration funtion */
+  lua_pushcfunction(L, ll_register_loader);
+  lua_setfield(L, -2, "register_loader");
+
+  /* register predefined loaders */
+  lua_getfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "_LOADERS");
+  lua_pushcfunction(L, loadLua);
+  lua_rawseti(L, -2, 1);
+  lua_pushcfunction(L, loadC);
+  lua_rawseti(L, -2, 2);
+  lua_pushnumber(L, 2); /* set next position to use */
+  lua_rawseti(L, -2, 0);
+  lua_pop(L, 1);
+
   lua_pushvalue(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX);
   luaL_openlib(L, NULL, ll_funcs, 0);  /* open lib into global table */
   return 1;
Index: lbaselib.c
===================================================================
--- lbaselib.c	(revision 2)
+++ lbaselib.c	(working copy)
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@
             lua_pushliteral(L, "dead");
         else
           lua_pushliteral(L, "suspended");  /* initial state */
-        break;  
+        break;
       }
       default:  /* some error occured */
         lua_pushliteral(L, "dead");
@@ -620,6 +620,9 @@
   /* create register._LOADED to track loaded modules */
   lua_newtable(L);
   lua_setfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "_LOADED");
+  /* create register._LOADERS to allow modules loaders to be registered */
+  lua_newtable(L);
+  lua_setfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "_LOADERS");
   /* create register._PRELOAD to allow pre-loaded modules */
   lua_newtable(L);
   lua_setfield(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, "_PRELOAD");