diff --git a/init/builtins.c b/init/builtins.c
index dad754541..f43b04850 100644
--- a/init/builtins.c
+++ b/init/builtins.c
@@ -226,11 +226,6 @@ int do_insmod(int nargs, char **args)
     return do_insmod_inner(nargs, args, size);
 }
 
-int do_import(int nargs, char **args)
-{
-    return init_parse_config_file(args[1]);
-}
-
 int do_mkdir(int nargs, char **args)
 {
     mode_t mode = 0755;
diff --git a/init/init_parser.c b/init/init_parser.c
index e88c5a008..d9d308420 100644
--- a/init/init_parser.c
+++ b/init/init_parser.c
@@ -179,6 +179,14 @@ void parse_new_section(struct parse_state *state, int kw,
             return;
         }
         break;
+    case K_import:
+        if (nargs != 2) {
+            ERROR("single argument needed for import\n");
+        } else {
+            int ret = init_parse_config_file(args[1]);
+            if (ret)
+                ERROR("could not import file %s\n", args[1]);
+        }
     }
     state->parse_line = parse_line_no_op;
 }
diff --git a/init/keywords.h b/init/keywords.h
index 95acd01a3..3e3733f28 100644
--- a/init/keywords.h
+++ b/init/keywords.h
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ int do_export(int nargs, char **args);
 int do_hostname(int nargs, char **args);
 int do_ifup(int nargs, char **args);
 int do_insmod(int nargs, char **args);
-int do_import(int nargs, char **args);
 int do_mkdir(int nargs, char **args);
 int do_mount(int nargs, char **args);
 int do_restart(int nargs, char **args);
@@ -54,7 +53,7 @@ enum {
     KEYWORD(hostname,    COMMAND, 1, do_hostname)
     KEYWORD(ifup,        COMMAND, 1, do_ifup)
     KEYWORD(insmod,      COMMAND, 1, do_insmod)
-    KEYWORD(import,      COMMAND, 1, do_import)
+    KEYWORD(import,      SECTION, 1, 0)
     KEYWORD(keycodes,    OPTION,  0, 0)
     KEYWORD(mkdir,       COMMAND, 1, do_mkdir)
     KEYWORD(mount,       COMMAND, 3, do_mount)