diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ffdf7d2..50ec558 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ const onPrepare = function (env) {
 MyApp.prepare({
   cwd: argv.cwd,
   configPath: argv.myappfile,
-  require: argv.require,
+  preload: argv.preload,
   completion: argv.completion
 }, onPrepare);
 ```
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ myapp --myappfile /Users/name/Myappfile.js --cwd /var/www/project1
 myapp --myappfile /Users/name/Myappfile.js --cwd /var/www/project2
 ```
 
-#### opts.require
+#### opts.preload
 
 A string or array of modules to attempt requiring from the local working directory before invoking the launch callback.
 
@@ -387,13 +387,13 @@ Default: `null`
 ```js
 var argv = require('minimist')(process.argv.slice(2));
 MyApp.launch({
-  require: argv.require
+  preload: argv.preload
 }, invoke);
 ```
 
 **Matching CLI Invocation:**
 ```js
-myapp --require coffee-script/register
+myapp --preload coffee-script/register
 ```
 
 #### callback(env)
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ myapp --require coffee-script/register
 A function called after your environment is prepared.  A good place to modify the environment before calling `execute`.  When invoked, `this` will be your instance of Liftoff. The `env` param will contain the following keys:
 
 - `cwd`: the current working directory
-- `require`: an array of modules that liftoff tried to pre-load
+- `preload`: an array of modules that liftoff tried to pre-load
 - `configNameSearch`: the config files searched for
 - `configPath`: the full path to your configuration file (if found)
 - `configBase`: the base directory of your configuration file (if found)
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ MyApp.prepare({}, onPrepare);
 A function called after your application is executed.  When invoked, `this` will be your instance of Liftoff, `argv` will be all command-line arguments (minus node & v8 flags), and `env` will contain the following keys:
 
 - `cwd`: the current working directory
-- `require`: an array of modules that liftoff tried to pre-load
+- `preload`: an array of modules that liftoff tried to pre-load
 - `configNameSearch`: the config files searched for
 - `configPath`: the full path to your configuration file (if found)
 - `configBase`: the base directory of your configuration file (if found)
@@ -448,10 +448,10 @@ A function called after your application is executed.  When invoked, `this` will
 
 #### `on('preload:before', function(name) {})`
 
-Emitted before a module is pre-load. (But for only a module which is specified by `opts.require`.)
+Emitted before a module is pre-load. (But for only a module which is specified by `opts.preload`.)
 
 ```js
-var Hacker = new Liftoff({name:'hacker', require:'coffee-script'});
+var Hacker = new Liftoff({name:'hacker', preload:'coffee-script'});
 Hacker.on('preload:before', function (name) {
   console.log('Requiring external module: '+name+'...');
 });
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 559634f..216952e 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Liftoff.prototype.buildEnvironment = function(opts) {
   opts = opts || {};
 
   // get modules we want to preload
-  var preload = opts.require || [];
+  var preload = opts.preload || [];
 
   // ensure items to preload is an array
   if (!Array.isArray(preload)) {
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ Liftoff.prototype.buildEnvironment = function(opts) {
 
   return {
     cwd: cwd,
-    require: preload,
+    preload: preload,
     configNameSearch: configNameSearch,
     configPath: configPath,
     configBase: configBase,
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ Liftoff.prototype.execute = function(env, forcedFlags, fn) {
 
 function preloadModules(inst, env) {
   var basedir = env.cwd;
-  env.require.filter(toUnique).forEach(function(module) {
+  env.preload.filter(toUnique).forEach(function(module) {
     inst.requireLocal(module, basedir);
   });
 }
diff --git a/test/fixtures/respawn_and_require.js b/test/fixtures/respawn_and_require.js
index bc9ef19..fcc2030 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/respawn_and_require.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/respawn_and_require.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Test.on('preload:success', function(name) {
 });
 
 Test.prepare({
-  require: 'coffeescript/register',
+  preload: 'coffeescript/register',
 }, function(env) {
   var forcedFlags = ['--lazy'];
   Test.execute(env, forcedFlags, function() {
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index 38f4e66..7c25499 100644
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -282,9 +282,9 @@ describe('Liftoff', function() {
       app.on('preload:failure', function(moduleName, err) {
         done(err);
       });
-      app.prepare({ require: ['coffeescript/register'] }, function(env) {
+      app.prepare({ preload: ['coffeescript/register'] }, function(env) {
         app.execute(env, function(env) {
-          expect(env.require).to.deep.equal(['coffeescript/register']);
+          expect(env.preload).to.deep.equal(['coffeescript/register']);
           expect(logs).to.deep.equal(['preload:success']);
           done();
         });
@@ -302,9 +302,9 @@ describe('Liftoff', function() {
       app.on('preload:failure', function(moduleName, err) {
         done(err);
       });
-      app.prepare({ require: 'coffeescript/register' }, function(env) {
+      app.prepare({ preload: 'coffeescript/register' }, function(env) {
         app.execute(env, function(env) {
-          expect(env.require).to.deep.equal(['coffeescript/register']);
+          expect(env.preload).to.deep.equal(['coffeescript/register']);
           expect(logs).to.deep.equal(['preload:success']);
           done();
         });
@@ -319,9 +319,9 @@ describe('Liftoff', function() {
         expect(err).to.not.equal(null);
         logs.push('preload:failure');
       });
-      app.prepare({ require: 'badmodule' }, function(env) {
+      app.prepare({ preload: 'badmodule' }, function(env) {
         app.execute(env, function(env) {
-          expect(env.require).to.deep.equal(['badmodule']);
+          expect(env.preload).to.deep.equal(['badmodule']);
           expect(logs).to.deep.equal(['preload:failure']);
           done();
         });