diff --git a/TODO.FACTOR.txt b/TODO.FACTOR.txt
index 1ab482deeb..d769b82c4e 100644
--- a/TODO.FACTOR.txt
+++ b/TODO.FACTOR.txt
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@
 
 + module system:
 
-- reloading source files manually should update their mod time in the
-  module system
 - convention for main entry point of a module
 - convention for main help article of a module
 - track a list of assets loaded from each module's file
diff --git a/contrib/cairo/cairo_simple.factor b/contrib/cairo/cairo_simple.factor
index f88b364958..589b74c065 100644
--- a/contrib/cairo/cairo_simple.factor
+++ b/contrib/cairo/cairo_simple.factor
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 ! Then, start Factor as usual (./f factor.image) and enter these
 ! at the listener:
 !
-! "/contrib/cairo/load.factor" run-resource
+! "contrib/cario" require
 ! "cairo_simple.factor" run-file
 
 IN: cairo-simple
diff --git a/contrib/cairo/cairo_text.factor b/contrib/cairo/cairo_text.factor
index 64479e4236..a75e9b3879 100644
--- a/contrib/cairo/cairo_text.factor
+++ b/contrib/cairo/cairo_text.factor
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 ! Then, start Factor as usual (./f factor.image) and enter these
 ! at the listener:
 !
-! "/contrib/cairo/load.factor" run-resource
+! "contrib/cario" require
 ! "cairo_text.factor" run-file
 
 IN: cairo-text
diff --git a/contrib/httpd/examples/load.factor b/contrib/httpd/examples/load.factor
index 2cef267227..b6d59d1b8c 100644
--- a/contrib/httpd/examples/load.factor
+++ b/contrib/httpd/examples/load.factor
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-IN: scratchpad
-USING: words kernel parser sequences io compiler ;
+USING: modules ;
 
-"/contrib/httpd/load.factor" run-resource
+REQUIRES: contrib/httpd ;
 
 { 
-    "cont-examples"
-    "cont-numbers-game"
-} [ "/contrib/httpd/examples/" swap ".factor" append3 run-resource ] each
+    "resource:contrib/httpd/examples/cont-examples.factor"
+    "resource:contrib/httpd/examples/cont-numbers-game.factor"
+} run-files
diff --git a/contrib/x11/examples/lindenmayer/load.factor b/contrib/x11/examples/lindenmayer/load.factor
index 7da2d70a19..21917362e1 100644
--- a/contrib/x11/examples/lindenmayer/load.factor
+++ b/contrib/x11/examples/lindenmayer/load.factor
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-USING: parser words compiler sequences ;
+USING: parser modules ;
 
-"contrib/x11/examples/lindenmayer/lindenmayer.factor" run-resource
-"contrib/x11/examples/lindenmayer/viewer.factor" run-resource
-"lindenmayer" words [ try-compile ] each
\ No newline at end of file
+{
+    "resource:contrib/x11/examples/lindenmayer/lindenmayer.factor"
+    "resource:contrib/x11/examples/lindenmayer/viewer.factor"
+} run-files
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/doc/handbook/cookbook.facts b/doc/handbook/cookbook.facts
index 87e4264036..101c4a74f5 100644
--- a/doc/handbook/cookbook.facts
+++ b/doc/handbook/cookbook.facts
@@ -172,8 +172,6 @@ $terpri
 ARTICLE: "cookbook-sources" "Source file cookbook"
 "By convention, code  is stored in files with the " { $snippet ".factor" } " filename extension. You can load source files using " { $link run-file } ":"
 { $code "\"hello.factor\" run-file" }
-"You can load source files from the Factor source code directory using " { $link run-resource } ":"
-{ $code "\"/examples/lcd.factor\" run-resource" }
 { $references
     { }
     "sources"
diff --git a/doc/handbook/tools.facts b/doc/handbook/tools.facts
index 8e9116816c..4644ac64e4 100644
--- a/doc/handbook/tools.facts
+++ b/doc/handbook/tools.facts
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ $terpri
 ARTICLE: "sources" "Source files"
 "The simplest way to distribute a piece of Factor code is in the form of a source file. Source files can be loaded in the listener:"
 { $subsection run-file }
-"Another way to load a source file is to provide a path relative to the Factor installation directory:"
-{ $subsection run-resource }
 "Factor tracks which source files definitions were loaded from; see " { $link "definitions" } "."
 $terpri
 "Details on the Factor source parser itself can be found in " { $link "parser" } "."
diff --git a/library/bootstrap/boot-stage1.factor b/library/bootstrap/boot-stage1.factor
index 5fb0480d09..ab10a2f267 100644
--- a/library/bootstrap/boot-stage1.factor
+++ b/library/bootstrap/boot-stage1.factor
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ prettyprint sequences vectors words ;
 
 "Bootstrap stage 1..." print flush
 
-"/library/bootstrap/primitives.factor" run-resource
+"resource:/library/bootstrap/primitives.factor" run-file
 
 ! The [ ] make form creates a boot quotation
 [
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ prettyprint sequences vectors words ;
     "library/compiler/" architecture get append require
     "doc/handbook" require
 
-    [ "/library/bootstrap/boot-stage2.factor" run-resource ] %
+    [
+        "resource:/library/bootstrap/boot-stage2.factor"
+        run-file
+    ] %
 ] [ ] make
 
 vocabularies get [
diff --git a/library/bootstrap/boot-stage2.factor b/library/bootstrap/boot-stage2.factor
index 240f362bd2..2e1e1e81c4 100644
--- a/library/bootstrap/boot-stage2.factor
+++ b/library/bootstrap/boot-stage2.factor
@@ -14,14 +14,14 @@ optimizer parser sequences sequences-internals words ;
 
         cpu "x86" = [
             macosx?
-            "/library/compiler/x86/alien-macosx.factor"
-            "/library/compiler/x86/alien.factor"
-            ? run-resource
+            "resource:/library/compiler/x86/alien-macosx.factor"
+            "resource:/library/compiler/x86/alien.factor"
+            ? run-file
         ] when
 
         "compile" get [
             windows? [
-                "/library/windows/dlls.factor" run-resource
+                "resource:/library/windows/dlls.factor" run-file
             ] when
 
             \ number= compile
diff --git a/library/bootstrap/image.factor b/library/bootstrap/image.factor
index 79dcfb4723..586915162e 100644
--- a/library/bootstrap/image.factor
+++ b/library/bootstrap/image.factor
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ M: hashtable '
         {
             vocabularies typemap builtins c-types crossref
             articles parent-graph term-index changed-words
-            modules class<map
+            modules class<map source-files
         } [ dup get swap bootstrap-word set ] each
     ] make-hash '
     global-offset fixup ;
@@ -327,8 +327,9 @@ M: hashtable '
     <file-writer> [ (write-image) ] with-stream ;
 
 : prepare-profile ( arch -- )
-    "/library/bootstrap/profile-" swap ".factor" append3
-    run-resource ;
+    "resource:/library/bootstrap/profile-"
+    swap ".factor" append3
+    run-file ;
 
 : prepare-image ( arch -- )
     bootstrapping? on dup architecture set prepare-profile
@@ -339,7 +340,7 @@ M: hashtable '
         parse-hook off
         prepare-image
         begin-image
-        "/library/bootstrap/boot-stage1.factor" run-resource
+        "resource:/library/bootstrap/boot-stage1.factor" run-file
         end-image
         image get image-name write-image
     ] with-scope ;
diff --git a/library/bootstrap/primitives.factor b/library/bootstrap/primitives.factor
index c8b097a437..949b349fdb 100644
--- a/library/bootstrap/primitives.factor
+++ b/library/bootstrap/primitives.factor
@@ -11,11 +11,13 @@ strings vectors words ;
 "Creating primitives and basic runtime structures..." print flush
 
 H{ } clone c-types set
-"/library/compiler/alien/primitive-types.factor" parse-resource
+
+"resource:/library/compiler/alien/primitive-types.factor" parse-file
 
 ! Bring up a bare cross-compiling vocabulary.
 "syntax" vocab
 
+H{ } clone source-files set
 H{ } clone vocabularies set
 H{ } clone class<map set
 V{ } clone modules set
diff --git a/library/io/files.factor b/library/io/files.factor
index 6f8b49faf9..b7120d79f0 100644
--- a/library/io/files.factor
+++ b/library/io/files.factor
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ strings styles ;
     \ resource-path get [ image parent-dir ] unless*
     swap path+ ;
 
-: <resource-reader> ( resource -- stream )
-    resource-path <file-reader> ;
+: ?resource-path ( path -- path )
+    "resource:" ?head [ resource-path ] when ;
 
 TUPLE: pathname string ;
 
diff --git a/library/io/files.facts b/library/io/files.facts
index 9d71a4328f..7f5a76c725 100644
--- a/library/io/files.facts
+++ b/library/io/files.facts
@@ -51,10 +51,6 @@ HELP: resource-path
 { $values { "resource" "a string" } { "path" "a string" } }
 { $description "Resolve a path relative to the Factor source code location. This first checks if the " { $link resource-path } " variable is set to a path, and if not, uses the parent directory of the current image." } ;
 
-HELP: <resource-reader>
-{ $values { "resource" "a string" } { "stream" "an input stream" } }
-{ $description "Opens a file relative to the Factor source code location." } ;
-
 HELP: pathname
 { $class-description "Class of path name presentations. Instances can be used passed to " { $link write-object } " to output a clickable path name." } ;
 
diff --git a/library/modules.factor b/library/modules.factor
index a6313e5268..99569de787 100644
--- a/library/modules.factor
+++ b/library/modules.factor
@@ -6,29 +6,18 @@ test words strings arrays math ;
 
 SYMBOL: modules
 
-TUPLE: module name files tests modified ;
+TUPLE: module name files tests ;
 
 : module-def ( name -- path )
-    dup ".factor" append dup resource-path exists?
-    [ nip ] [ drop "/load.factor" append ] if ;
-
-: record-def-modified ( module hash -- )
-    >r module-name module-def
-    [ resource-path file-modified ] keep
-    r> set-hash ;
-
-: record-modified ( module -- )
-    dup module-files
-    [ dup resource-path file-modified ] map>hash
-    2dup record-def-modified
-    swap set-module-modified ;
-
-: modified? ( file module -- ? )
-    dupd module-modified hash
-    swap resource-path file-modified [ < ] [ drop f ] if* ;
+    "resource:" over ".factor" append3
+    dup ?resource-path exists? [
+        nip
+    ] [
+        drop "resource:" swap "/load.factor" append3
+    ] if ;
 
 : prefix-paths ( name seq -- newseq )
-    [ "/" swap append3 ] map-with ;
+    [ path+ "resource:" swap append ] map-with ;
 
 C: module ( name files tests -- module )
     [ >r >r over r> prefix-paths r> set-module-tests ] keep
@@ -40,16 +29,16 @@ C: module ( name files tests -- module )
 : load-module ( name -- )
     [
         "Loading module " write dup write "..." print
-        [ dup module-def run-resource ] assert-depth drop
+        [ dup module-def run-file ] assert-depth drop
     ] no-parse-hook ;
 
 : require ( name -- )
     dup module [ drop ] [ load-module ] if do-parse-hook ;
 
-: run-resources ( seq -- )
+: run-files ( seq -- )
     [
         bootstrapping? get
-        [ parse-resource % ] [ run-resource ] ? each
+        [ parse-file % ] [ run-file ] ? each
     ] no-parse-hook ;
 
 : process-files ( seq -- newseq )
@@ -66,8 +55,8 @@ C: module ( name files tests -- module )
 
 : provide ( name files tests -- )
     pick remove-module
-    [ process-files ] 2apply <module> dup record-modified
-    [ module-files run-resources ] keep
+    [ process-files ] 2apply <module>
+    [ module-files run-files ] keep
     add-module ;
 
 : test-module ( name -- ) module module-tests run-tests ;
@@ -83,15 +72,11 @@ C: module ( name files tests -- module )
     all-module-names natural-sort [ print ] each ;
 
 : reload-module ( module -- )
-    dup module-name module-def over modified? [
+    dup module-name module-def source-modified? [
         module-name load-module
     ] [
-        dup dup module-files [ swap modified? ] subset-with
-        run-resources
-        record-modified
+        module-files [ source-modified? ] subset run-files
     ] if ;
 
 : reload-modules ( -- )
     all-modules [ reload-module ] each do-parse-hook ;
-
-: reset-modified ( -- ) all-modules [ record-modified ] each ;
diff --git a/library/modules.facts b/library/modules.facts
index 698467f34c..8ccbfab4a8 100644
--- a/library/modules.facts
+++ b/library/modules.facts
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ $terpri
 "If this module is already listed in the " { $link modules } " hashtable, this word does nothing. Otherwise, it calls " { $link load-module } "." }
 { $notes "Module definitions should use the " { $link POSTPONE: REQUIRES: } " parsing word instead. In the listener, the " { $link require } " word might be more useful since it recompiles new words after loading the module." } ;
 
-HELP: run-resources
+HELP: run-files
 { $values { "seq" "a sequence of strings" } }
-{ $description "Load a collection of source files identified by resource paths (see " { $link resource-path } ")."
+{ $description "Load a collection of source files."
 $terpri
 "If bootstrapping, this word appends the top-level forms to the currently constructing quotation instead." } ;
 
diff --git a/library/syntax/parse-stream.factor b/library/syntax/parse-stream.factor
index 686ae6d62b..91b72ae1d3 100644
--- a/library/syntax/parse-stream.factor
+++ b/library/syntax/parse-stream.factor
@@ -4,6 +4,33 @@ IN: parser
 USING: arrays errors generic hashtables io kernel math
 namespaces sequences words ;
 
+SYMBOL: source-files
+
+TUPLE: source-file path modified definitions ;
+
+: source-file-modified* ( source-file -- n )
+    source-file-path ?resource-path
+    file-modified [ 0 ] unless* ;
+
+: record-modified ( file -- )
+    dup source-file-modified* swap set-source-file-modified ;
+
+: reset-modified ( -- )
+    source-files get hash-values [ record-modified ] each ;
+
+C: source-file ( path -- source-file )
+    [ set-source-file-path ] keep
+    V{ } clone over set-source-file-definitions
+    dup record-modified ;
+
+: source-modified? ( file -- ? )
+    source-files get hash [
+        dup source-file-modified swap source-file-modified*
+        [ < ] [ drop f ] if*
+    ] [
+        t
+    ] if* ;
+
 : file-vocabs ( -- )
     "scratchpad" set-in { "syntax" "scratchpad" } set-use ;
 
@@ -36,17 +63,22 @@ SYMBOL: parse-hook
         do-parse-hook
     ] with-scope ;
 
-: parsing-file ( file -- ) "Loading " write print flush ;
+: parsing-file ( file -- )
+    "Loading " write print flush ;
+
+: record-file ( file -- )
+    [ <source-file> ] keep source-files get set-hash ;
 
 : parse-file-restarts ( file -- restarts )
     "Load " swap " again" append3 t 2array 1array ;
 
-: (parse-file) ( file ident -- quot )
-    [ dup parsing-file >r <file-reader> r> parse-stream ]
-    [ pick parse-file-restarts condition drop (parse-file) ]
-    recover ;
-
-: parse-file ( file -- quot ) dup (parse-file) ;
+: parse-file ( file -- quot )
+    [
+        dup parsing-file dup record-file
+        [ ?resource-path <file-reader> ] keep parse-stream
+    ] [
+        over parse-file-restarts condition drop parse-file
+    ] recover ;
 
 : run-file ( file -- ) parse-file call ;
 
@@ -58,9 +90,3 @@ SYMBOL: parse-hook
 
 : eval>string ( str -- str )
     [ [ [ eval ] keep ] try drop ] string-out ;
-
-: parse-resource ( path -- quot )
-    [ resource-path "resource:" ] keep append (parse-file) ;
-
-: run-resource ( file -- )
-    parse-resource call ;
diff --git a/library/syntax/parse-stream.facts b/library/syntax/parse-stream.facts
index c91e4c5991..95928e47ee 100644
--- a/library/syntax/parse-stream.facts
+++ b/library/syntax/parse-stream.facts
@@ -48,14 +48,3 @@ HELP: run-file
 HELP: ?run-file
 { $values { "file" "a path name string" } }
 { $description "Forgiving variant of " { $link run-file } " which does nothing if the file does not exist, and logs errors to the default stream without re-throwing them." }  ;
-
-HELP: parse-resource
-{ $values { "path" "a resource name string" } { "quot" "a new quotation" } }
-{ $description "Parses a library resource." }
-{ $notes "the source file name given to the parser is special for resources and begins with " { $snippet "resource:" } ". This allows words that operate on source files, like " { $link edit } ", to use a different resource path at run time than was used at parse time." }
-{ $errors "Throws an I/O error if there was an error reading the resource. Throws a parse error if the input is malformed." } ;
-
-HELP: run-resource
-{ $values { "path" "a resource name string" } }
-{ $description "Parses and runs a library resource." }
-{ $errors "Throws an I/O error if there was an error reading the resource. Throws a parse error if the input is malformed." } ;
diff --git a/library/test/help/porter-stemmer.factor b/library/test/help/porter-stemmer.factor
index 26de31b858..a00dc50592 100644
--- a/library/test/help/porter-stemmer.factor
+++ b/library/test/help/porter-stemmer.factor
@@ -55,9 +55,11 @@ USING: arrays io kernel porter-stemmer sequences test ;
 [ "hell" ] [ "hell" step5 "" like ] unit-test
 [ "mate" ] [ "mate" step5 "" like ] unit-test
 
+: resource-lines resource-path <file-reader> lines ;
+
 [ { } ] [
-    "/library/test/help/voc.txt" <resource-reader> lines 
+    "/library/test/help/voc.txt" resource-lines
     [ stem ] map
-    "/library/test/help/output.txt" <resource-reader> lines
+    "/library/test/help/output.txt" resource-lines
     [ 2array ] 2map [ first2 = not ] subset
 ] unit-test
diff --git a/library/test/io/io.factor b/library/test/io/io.factor
index f58a9b17ce..82556bf907 100644
--- a/library/test/io/io.factor
+++ b/library/test/io/io.factor
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 IN: temporary
 USING: io kernel math parser strings test ;
 
-[ 4 ] [ "/library/test/io/no-trailing-eol.factor" run-resource ] unit-test
+[ 4 ] [
+    "resource:/library/test/io/no-trailing-eol.factor" run-file
+] unit-test
+
+: <resource-reader> ( resource -- stream )
+    resource-path <file-reader> ;
 
 : lines-test ( stream -- line1 line2 )
     [ readln readln ] with-stream ;
diff --git a/library/tools/definitions.factor b/library/tools/definitions.factor
index da62ae8214..da8e5b98d7 100644
--- a/library/tools/definitions.factor
+++ b/library/tools/definitions.factor
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@ IN: definitions
 USING: arrays errors generic hashtables io kernel math
 namespaces parser prettyprint sequences styles words ;
 
-: ?resource-path ( path -- path )
-    "resource:" ?head [ resource-path ] when ;
-
 : where ( defspec -- loc )
     where* dup [ first2 >r ?resource-path r> 2array ] when ;
 
diff --git a/library/tools/test.factor b/library/tools/test.factor
index 29b10a767b..fecdd37a05 100644
--- a/library/tools/test.factor
+++ b/library/tools/test.factor
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ SYMBOL: failures
     [
         "=====> " write dup write "..." print flush
         [
-            [ [ run-resource ] with-scope ] keep
+            [ [ run-file ] with-scope ] keep
         ] assert-depth drop
     ] test-handler ;