diff --git a/command.rkt b/command.rkt
index a955f66..0a9afc5 100644
--- a/command.rkt
+++ b/command.rkt
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 #lang racket/base
 (require pollen/world)
 
+;; The use of dynamic-require throughout this file is intentional:
+;; this way, low-dependency raco commands (like "version") are faster.
+;; Whereas with `require` or `local-require`, everything would have to be front-loaded.
+
 (module+ raco
   (define command-name (with-handlers ([exn:fail? (λ _ #f)])
                          (vector-ref (current-command-line-arguments) 0)))
   (dispatch command-name))
 
 (define (dispatch command-name)
-  (local-require racket/path)
   (define (get-first-arg-or-current-dir)
-    (normalize-path
+    ((dynamic-require 'racket/path 'normalize-path)
      (with-handlers ([exn:fail? (λ(exn) (current-directory))])
        ;; incoming path argument is handled as described in docs for current-directory
        (very-nice-path (vector-ref (current-command-line-arguments) 1)))))
@@ -29,8 +32,7 @@
     [else (handle-unknown command-name)]))
 
 (define (very-nice-path x)
-  (local-require sugar/coerce)
-  (path->complete-path (simplify-path (cleanse-path (->path x)))))
+  (path->complete-path (simplify-path (cleanse-path ((dynamic-require 'sugar/coerce '->path) x)))))
 
 (define (handle-test)
   (displayln "raco pollen is installed correctly"))
@@ -54,15 +56,14 @@ version                print the version (~a)" (world:current-server-port) (worl
 
 
 (define (handle-render path-args)
-  (local-require pollen/pagetree pollen/render pollen/file sugar/coerce racket/string)
   (parameterize ([current-directory (world:current-project-root)])
     (define first-arg (car path-args))
     (if (directory-exists? first-arg)
         (let ([dir first-arg]) ; now we know it's a dir
           (parameterize ([current-directory dir]
                          [world:current-project-root dir])
-            (define preprocs (filter preproc-source? (directory-list dir)))
-            (define static-pagetrees (filter pagetree-source? (directory-list dir)))
+            (define preprocs (filter (dynamic-require 'pollen/file 'preproc-source?) (directory-list dir)))
+            (define static-pagetrees (filter (dynamic-require 'pollen/file 'pagetree-source?) (directory-list dir)))
             ;; if there are no static pagetrees, use make-project-pagetree
             ;; (which will synthesize a pagetree if needed, which includes all sources)
             (define preprocs-and-static-pagetrees (append preprocs static-pagetrees))
@@ -71,14 +72,14 @@ version                print the version (~a)" (world:current-server-port) (worl
                    (cond
                      [(null? preprocs-and-static-pagetrees)
                       (displayln (format "Rendering generated pagetree for directory ~a" dir))
-                      (cdr (make-project-pagetree dir))]
+                      (cdr ((dynamic-require 'pollen/pagetree 'make-project-pagetree) dir))]
                      [else
                       (displayln (format "Rendering preproc & pagetree files in directory ~a" dir))
                       preprocs-and-static-pagetrees])))
-            (apply render-batch batch-to-render)))
+            (apply (dynamic-require 'pollen/render 'render-batch) batch-to-render)))
         (begin ; first arg is a file
-          (displayln (format "Rendering ~a" (string-join (map ->string path-args) " "))) 
-          (apply render-batch path-args)))))
+          (displayln (format "Rendering ~a" ((dynamic-require 'racket/string 'string-join) (map (dynamic-require 'sugar/coerce '->string) path-args) " "))) 
+          (apply (dynamic-require 'pollen/render 'render-batch) path-args)))))
 
 (define (handle-start directory [port #f])
   (if (not (directory-exists? directory))
@@ -89,7 +90,6 @@ version                print the version (~a)" (world:current-server-port) (worl
 
 
 (define (handle-publish directory rest-args arg-command-name)
-  (local-require racket/file racket/list pollen/file)
   (define target-path
     (or 
      (and rest-args (not (null? rest-args)) (path->complete-path (string->path (car rest-args))))
@@ -97,13 +97,13 @@ version                print the version (~a)" (world:current-server-port) (worl
   
   (define (delete-it path)
     (cond
-      [(directory-exists? path) (delete-directory/files path)]
+      [(directory-exists? path) ((dynamic-require 'racket/file 'delete-directory/files) path)]
       [(file-exists? path) (delete-file path)]))
   
   (define (contains-directory? possible-superdir possible-subdir)
     (define (has-prefix? xs prefix)
       (and (>= (length xs) (length prefix))
-           (andmap equal? prefix (take xs (length prefix)))))
+           (andmap equal? prefix ((dynamic-require 'racket/list 'take) xs (length prefix)))))
     ((explode-path possible-subdir) . has-prefix? . (explode-path possible-superdir)))
   
   (define source-dir (simplify-path directory))
@@ -118,9 +118,9 @@ version                print the version (~a)" (world:current-server-port) (worl
     (error 'publish "aborted because target directory for publishing (~a) can't be the same as current directory (~a)" target-dir (current-directory)))
   (displayln "publishing ...")
   (when (directory-exists? target-dir)
-    (delete-directory/files target-dir))
-  (copy-directory/files source-dir target-dir)
-  (for-each delete-it (find-files pollen-related-file? target-dir))
+    ((dynamic-require 'racket/file 'delete-directory/files) target-dir))
+  ((dynamic-require 'racket/file 'copy-directory/files) source-dir target-dir)
+  (for-each delete-it ((dynamic-require 'racket/file 'find-files) (dynamic-require 'pollen/file 'pollen-related-file?) target-dir))
   (displayln (format "completed to ~a" target-dir)))
 
 (define (handle-unknown command)