diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
index 381e717d..1f28a4b0 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@
 - Added `ctx.compact()` and `ctx.getContextUsage()` to extension contexts for programmatic compaction and context usage checks.
 - Added documentation for delete word forward and kill ring keybindings in interactive mode. ([#810](https://github.com/badlogic/pi-mono/pull/810) by [@Perlence](https://github.com/Perlence))
 
+### Fixed
+
+- Fixed photon module failing to load in ESM context with "require is not defined" error ([#795](https://github.com/badlogic/pi-mono/pull/795) by [@dannote](https://github.com/dannote))
+
 ## [0.48.0] - 2026-01-16
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/image-convert.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/image-convert.ts
index a1e5a474..74198c63 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/image-convert.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/image-convert.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { getPhoton } from "./photon.js";
+import { loadPhoton } from "./photon.js";
 
 /**
  * Convert image to PNG format for terminal display.
@@ -13,14 +13,15 @@ export async function convertToPng(
 		return { data: base64Data, mimeType };
 	}
 
-	const photon = getPhoton();
+	const photon = await loadPhoton();
 	if (!photon) {
 		// Photon not available, can't convert
 		return null;
 	}
 
 	try {
-		const image = photon.PhotonImage.new_from_byteslice(new Uint8Array(Buffer.from(base64Data, "base64")));
+		const bytes = new Uint8Array(Buffer.from(base64Data, "base64"));
+		const image = photon.PhotonImage.new_from_byteslice(bytes);
 		try {
 			const pngBuffer = image.get_bytes();
 			return {
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/image-resize.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/image-resize.ts
index dbaf0b4c..91c3f796 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/image-resize.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/image-resize.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { ImageContent } from "@mariozechner/pi-ai";
-import { getPhoton } from "./photon.js";
+import { loadPhoton } from "./photon.js";
 
 export interface ImageResizeOptions {
 	maxWidth?: number; // Default: 2000
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export async function resizeImage(img: ImageContent, options?: ImageResizeOption
 	const opts = { ...DEFAULT_OPTIONS, ...options };
 	const inputBuffer = Buffer.from(img.data, "base64");
 
-	const photon = getPhoton();
+	const photon = await loadPhoton();
 	if (!photon) {
 		// Photon not available, return original image
 		return {
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/photon.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/photon.ts
index 0666460b..d7a2f07f 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/photon.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/photon.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
  * The challenge: photon-node's CJS entry uses fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/photon_rs_bg.wasm')
  * which bakes the build machine's absolute path into Bun compiled binaries.
  *
- * Solution: Lazy-load photon and gracefully handle failures. Image processing functions
- * already have fallbacks that return original images when photon isn't available.
+ * Solution: Lazy-load photon via dynamic import and gracefully handle failures.
+ * Image processing functions have fallbacks that return original images when photon isn't available.
  */
 
 // Re-export types from the main package
@@ -17,43 +17,29 @@ export type { PhotonImage as PhotonImageType } from "@silvia-odwyer/photon-node"
 
 // Lazy-loaded photon module
 let photonModule: typeof import("@silvia-odwyer/photon-node") | null = null;
-let loadAttempted = false;
-let loadError: Error | null = null;
+let loadPromise: Promise<typeof import("@silvia-odwyer/photon-node") | null> | null = null;
 
 /**
- * Get the photon module, loading it lazily on first access.
- * Returns null if loading fails (e.g., in broken Bun binary).
+ * Load the photon module asynchronously.
+ * Returns cached module on subsequent calls.
  */
-export function getPhoton(): typeof import("@silvia-odwyer/photon-node") | null {
-	if (loadAttempted) {
+export async function loadPhoton(): Promise<typeof import("@silvia-odwyer/photon-node") | null> {
+	if (photonModule) {
 		return photonModule;
 	}
 
-	loadAttempted = true;
-
-	try {
-		// Dynamic require to defer loading until actually needed
-		// This also allows the error to be caught gracefully
-		photonModule = require("@silvia-odwyer/photon-node");
-	} catch (e) {
-		loadError = e as Error;
-		photonModule = null;
+	if (loadPromise) {
+		return loadPromise;
 	}
 
-	return photonModule;
-}
+	loadPromise = (async () => {
+		try {
+			photonModule = await import("@silvia-odwyer/photon-node");
+		} catch {
+			photonModule = null;
+		}
+		return photonModule;
+	})();
 
-/**
- * Check if photon is available and working.
- */
-export function isPhotonAvailable(): boolean {
-	return getPhoton() !== null;
-}
-
-/**
- * Get the error that occurred during photon loading, if any.
- */
-export function getPhotonLoadError(): Error | null {
-	getPhoton(); // Ensure load was attempted
-	return loadError;
+	return loadPromise;
 }