diff --git a/compiler/semexprs.nim b/compiler/semexprs.nim
index 532566a184..28a97068bf 100644
--- a/compiler/semexprs.nim
+++ b/compiler/semexprs.nim
@@ -1775,6 +1775,13 @@ proc setMs(n: PNode, s: PSym): PNode =
   n.sons[0] = newSymNode(s)
   n.sons[0].info = n.info
 
+proc extractImports(n: PNode; result: PNode) =
+  if n.kind in {nkImportStmt, nkImportExceptStmt, nkFromStmt}:
+    result.add copyTree(n)
+    n.kind = nkEmpty
+    return
+  for i in 0..<n.safeLen: extractImports(n[i], result)
+
 proc semMagic(c: PContext, n: PNode, s: PSym, flags: TExprFlags): PNode =
   # this is a hotspot in the compiler!
   # DON'T forget to update ast.SpecialSemMagics if you add a magic here!
@@ -1854,6 +1861,9 @@ proc semMagic(c: PContext, n: PNode, s: PSym, flags: TExprFlags): PNode =
           if c.runnableExamples == nil:
             c.runnableExamples = newTree(nkStmtList,
               newTree(nkImportStmt, newStrNode(nkStrLit, expandFilename(inp))))
+          let imports = newTree(nkStmtList)
+          extractImports(n.lastSon, imports)
+          for imp in imports: c.runnableExamples.add imp
           c.runnableExamples.add newTree(nkBlockStmt, emptyNode, copyTree n.lastSon)
         result = setMs(n, s)
     else: