diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 4c6dd34fdd..728c3b7b83 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1452,6 +1452,14 @@ version = "0.2.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b833d8d034ea094b1ea68aa6d5c740e0d04bad9d16568d08ba6f76823a114316"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "rusile"
+version = "0.15.3"
+dependencies = [
+ "mlua",
+ "sile",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "rust-embed"
 version = "8.4.0"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 55dbb2facb..140b7d1963 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -2,10 +2,13 @@
 resolver = "2"
 members = [
   ".",
+  "rusile",
 ]
 
 [workspace.package]
+version = "0.15.3"
 edition = "2021"
+rust-version = "1.71.0"
 authors = [
   "Simon Cozens",
   "Caleb Maclennan <caleb@alerque.com>",
@@ -18,16 +21,16 @@ license = "MIT"
 
 [package]
 name = "sile"
-version = "0.15.3"
-edition.workspace = true
-rust-version = "1.71.0"
 description = "Simon’s Improved Layout Engine"
+readme = "README.md"
+build = "build-aux/build.rs"
+version.workspace = true
+edition.workspace = true
+rust-version.workspace = true
 authors.workspace = true
 homepage.workspace = true
-readme = "README.md"
 repository.workspace = true
 license.workspace = true
-build = "build-aux/build.rs"
 
 [[bin]]
 name = "sile"
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 7ea15a56b1..c3de0b6f11 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -56,16 +56,20 @@ endif
 $(MANUAL): $(FIGURES)
 
 BUILT_LUA_SOURCES = core/features.lua core/pathsetup.lua core/version.lua
+RUSILE_SOURCES = rusile/Cargo.toml rusile/src/lib.rs
+RUSILE_MODULE = rusile.so
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = sile
 bin_SCRIPTS = sile-lua
 dist_man_MANS = sile-lua.1
-sile_SOURCES = src/bin/sile.rs src/lib.rs src/cli.rs
+sile_SOURCES = src/bin/sile.rs src/lib.rs src/cli.rs $(RUSILE_SOURCES)
 EXTRA_sile_SOURCES =
 if !EMBEDDED_RESOURCES
 nobase_dist_pkgdata_DATA = $(SILEDATA) $(LUALIBRARIES)
 nobase_nodist_pkgdata_DATA = $(BUILT_LUA_SOURCES) $(LUAMODULES)
 endif
+pkglib_LIBRARIES = $(RUSILE_MODULE)
+rusile_so_SOURCES = $(RUSILE_SOURCES)
 dist_doc_DATA = README.md CHANGELOG.md
 dist_pdf_DATA = $(_MANUAL)
 dist_license_DATA = LICENSE.md
@@ -146,6 +150,7 @@ else
 MLUAVER = lua$(LUA_SHORT_VERSION)
 endif
 CARGO_FEATURE_ARGS = --features $(MLUAVER)
+RUSILE_FEATURE_ARG = --features $(MLUAVER)
 
 if !SYSTEM_LUA_SOURCES
 CARGO_FEATURE_ARGS += --features vendored
@@ -159,6 +164,10 @@ if FONT_VARIATIONS
 CARGO_FEATURE_ARGS += --features variations
 endif
 
+$(RUSILE_MODULE):
+	$(CARGO_ENV) $(CARGO) build $(CARGO_VERBOSE) $(RUSILE_FEATURE_ARG) $(CARGO_RELEASE_ARGS) -p rusile
+	$(INSTALL) @builddir@/target/@RUST_TARGET_SUBDIR@/lib$@ $@
+
 DEPDIR := .deps
 LOCALFONTS := FONTCONFIG_FILE=$(PWD)/fontconfig.conf
 LOCALPATHS := SILE_PATH="$(PWD);libtexpdf/.libs;justenough/.libs"
diff --git a/rusile/Cargo.toml b/rusile/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..564dbe0063
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rusile/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+[package]
+name = "rusile"
+description = "Rusty components for the SILE typesetter"
+readme = "README.md"
+version.workspace = true
+edition.workspace = true
+rust-version.workspace = true
+authors.workspace = true
+homepage.workspace = true
+repository.workspace = true
+license.workspace = true
+
+[lib]
+crate_type = ["rlib", "cdylib"]
+
+[dependencies.sile]
+path = ".."
+
+[features]
+lua54 = [ "mlua/lua54" ]
+lua53 = [ "mlua/lua53" ]
+lua52 = [ "mlua/lua52" ]
+lua51 = [ "mlua/lua51" ]
+luajit = [ "mlua/luajit" ]
+
+[dependencies.mlua]
+version = "0.9"
+features = [ "module" ]
diff --git a/rusile/src/lib.rs b/rusile/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a4c43901d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rusile/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+use mlua::prelude::*;
+
+#[mlua::lua_module]
+fn rusile(lua: &Lua) -> LuaResult<LuaTable> {
+    let exports = lua.create_table().unwrap();
+    Ok(exports)
+}