@@ -33,9 +33,14 @@
 		error 'what output format should i translate the input to?'
 	end
 	if mode['render:format'] == 'none' then return 0 end
 	if not ct.render[mode['render:format']] then
-		ct.exns.unimpl('output format “%s” unsupported', mode['render:format']):throw()
+		if (not ct.render.html) and not _G.native then
+			-- we may be running uncompiled; otherwise something is seriously broken
+			require('render.' .. mode['render:format'])
+		else
+			ct.exns.unimpl('output format “%s” unsupported', mode['render:format']):throw()
+		end
 	end
 	
 	local render_opts = ss.kmap(function(k,v)
 		return k:sub(2+#mode['render:format'])