diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index e58c255..bb0eb9e 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -81,10 +81,15 @@ fn dump_asm(instructions: &[nescript::asm::Instruction]) {
 }
 
 fn compile(input: &PathBuf, _debug: bool, asm_dump: bool) -> Result<Vec<u8>, ()> {
-    let source = std::fs::read_to_string(input).map_err(|e| {
+    let raw_source = std::fs::read_to_string(input).map_err(|e| {
         eprintln!("error: failed to read {}: {e}", input.display());
     })?;
 
+    // Preprocess: inline include directives
+    let source = nescript::parser::preprocess_source(&raw_source, Some(input)).map_err(|e| {
+        eprintln!("error: {e}");
+    })?;
+
     let filename = input.to_string_lossy();
 
     // Parse
@@ -141,10 +146,14 @@ fn compile(input: &PathBuf, _debug: bool, asm_dump: bool) -> Result<Vec<u8>, ()>
 }
 
 fn check(input: &PathBuf) -> Result<(), ()> {
-    let source = std::fs::read_to_string(input).map_err(|e| {
+    let raw_source = std::fs::read_to_string(input).map_err(|e| {
         eprintln!("error: failed to read {}: {e}", input.display());
     })?;
 
+    let source = nescript::parser::preprocess_source(&raw_source, Some(input)).map_err(|e| {
+        eprintln!("error: {e}");
+    })?;
+
     let filename = input.to_string_lossy();
 
     let (program, parse_diags) = nescript::parser::parse(&source);
diff --git a/src/parser/mod.rs b/src/parser/mod.rs
index 18f674b..0400290 100644
--- a/src/parser/mod.rs
+++ b/src/parser/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 pub mod ast;
+pub mod preprocess;
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests;
 
+pub use preprocess::preprocess as preprocess_source;
+
 use crate::errors::{Diagnostic, ErrorCode};
 use crate::lexer::{Span, Token, TokenKind};
 use ast::*;
diff --git a/src/parser/preprocess.rs b/src/parser/preprocess.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f6e257
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/parser/preprocess.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+//! Source-level include preprocessor.
+//!
+//! Before lexing, scan the source for `include "path"` directives at the
+//! start of lines and splice in the contents of those files. Tracks an
+//! include stack to detect circular includes.
+
+use std::collections::HashSet;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+
+/// Preprocess a source file, inlining all `include "path"` directives.
+pub fn preprocess(source: &str, source_path: Option<&Path>) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let mut visited = HashSet::new();
+    let base_dir = source_path
+        .and_then(|p| p.parent())
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| Path::new("."))
+        .to_path_buf();
+    if let Some(p) = source_path {
+        if let Ok(canon) = p.canonicalize() {
+            visited.insert(canon);
+        }
+    }
+    process(source, &base_dir, &mut visited)
+}
+
+fn process(
+    source: &str,
+    base_dir: &Path,
+    visited: &mut HashSet<PathBuf>,
+) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let mut out = String::new();
+    for line in source.lines() {
+        if let Some(path_str) = parse_include_line(line) {
+            let include_path = resolve_include(base_dir, path_str);
+            let canon = include_path
+                .canonicalize()
+                .map_err(|e| format!("failed to open '{}': {e}", include_path.display()))?;
+            if !visited.insert(canon.clone()) {
+                return Err(format!(
+                    "circular include: '{}' is already in the include stack",
+                    include_path.display()
+                ));
+            }
+            let included = std::fs::read_to_string(&canon)
+                .map_err(|e| format!("failed to read '{}': {e}", canon.display()))?;
+            // Use the included file's directory as base for its own includes
+            let nested_base = canon
+                .parent()
+                .map_or_else(|| base_dir.to_path_buf(), std::path::Path::to_path_buf);
+            let processed = process(&included, &nested_base, visited)?;
+            out.push_str(&processed);
+            out.push('\n');
+            // Remove from visited so siblings can re-include (only cycles
+            // through the current branch are forbidden).
+            visited.remove(&canon);
+        } else {
+            out.push_str(line);
+            out.push('\n');
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(out)
+}
+
+/// Parse a line like `include "path/to/file.ne"` and extract the path.
+/// Returns None if the line is not an include directive.
+fn parse_include_line(line: &str) -> Option<&str> {
+    let trimmed = line.trim_start();
+    let rest = trimmed.strip_prefix("include")?;
+    let rest = rest.trim_start();
+    let rest = rest.strip_prefix('"')?;
+    let end = rest.find('"')?;
+    Some(&rest[..end])
+}
+
+fn resolve_include(base_dir: &Path, path_str: &str) -> PathBuf {
+    let p = Path::new(path_str);
+    if p.is_absolute() {
+        p.to_path_buf()
+    } else {
+        base_dir.join(p)
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn preprocess_no_includes_passthrough() {
+        let src = "game \"T\" { mapper: NROM }\non frame { wait_frame }\nstart Main\n";
+        let out = preprocess(src, None).unwrap();
+        assert!(out.contains("game \"T\""));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_include_line_valid() {
+        assert_eq!(parse_include_line("include \"foo.ne\""), Some("foo.ne"));
+        assert_eq!(parse_include_line("  include \"a/b.ne\""), Some("a/b.ne"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_include_line_invalid() {
+        assert_eq!(parse_include_line("var x: u8 = 0"), None);
+        assert_eq!(parse_include_line("include foo.ne"), None); // no quotes
+        assert_eq!(parse_include_line("// include \"foo.ne\""), None);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn preprocess_with_temp_file() {
+        use std::io::Write;
+        let dir = std::env::temp_dir();
+        let inc_path = dir.join("nescript_test_include.ne");
+        let main_path = dir.join("nescript_test_main.ne");
+
+        std::fs::write(&inc_path, "const SPEED: u8 = 5\n").unwrap();
+        let main_src = format!("include \"{}\"\nvar x: u8 = 0\n", inc_path.display());
+        let mut f = std::fs::File::create(&main_path).unwrap();
+        f.write_all(main_src.as_bytes()).unwrap();
+
+        let out = preprocess(&main_src, Some(&main_path)).unwrap();
+        assert!(out.contains("const SPEED"));
+        assert!(out.contains("var x: u8"));
+
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&inc_path);
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&main_path);
+    }
+}