diff --git a/iron/common/compilation/base.py b/iron/common/compilation/base.py
index d6d17a64..27a814be 100644
--- a/iron/common/compilation/base.py
+++ b/iron/common/compilation/base.py
@@ -56,18 +56,39 @@
 
 @dataclass
 class DesignGenerator:
-    """Lazy callable that imports source_path and calls fn_name(*args, **kwargs), returning MLIR as a string."""
+    """Lazy callable that imports *source_path* and calls *fn_name*, returning MLIR.
+
+    On first call the loaded module is registered in ``sys.modules`` under
+    its fully-qualified package name (e.g. ``iron.operators.axpy.design``) so
+    that subsequent code can import it through the standard Python import
+    mechanism.
+    """
 
     source_path: Path
     fn_name: str
     args: tuple = ()
     kwargs: dict[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)
 
+    @property
+    def module_name(self) -> str:
+        """Python module path derived from *source_path*.
+
+        Walks up from *source_path* until the ``iron`` package root is found,
+        then builds a dotted path relative to it.
+        """
+        parts = list(self.source_path.resolve().parts)
+        try:
+            idx = parts.index("iron")
+        except ValueError:
+            return self.source_path.stem
+        rel_parts = parts[idx:-1] + [self.source_path.stem]
+        return ".".join(rel_parts)
+
     def __call__(self) -> str:
-        spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(
-            self.source_path.name, self.source_path
-        )
+        module_name = self.module_name
+        spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, self.source_path)
         module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+        sys.modules[module_name] = module
         spec.loader.exec_module(module)
         return str(getattr(module, self.fn_name)(*self.args, **self.kwargs))
 
diff --git a/iron/common/compilation/fusion.py b/iron/common/compilation/fusion.py
index fdb6c8a8..fce22f80 100644
--- a/iron/common/compilation/fusion.py
+++ b/iron/common/compilation/fusion.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import numpy as np
-import importlib.util
+import importlib
 from functools import partial
 from pathlib import Path
 from aie import ir
@@ -74,18 +74,17 @@ def extract_runtime_sequence_arg_types(dev_op: Any) -> list[Any]:
 def get_child_mlir_module(mlir_artifact: PythonGeneratedMLIRArtifact) -> Any:
     """Extract MLIR module from a PythonGeneratedMLIRArtifact.
 
-    Uses the artifact's DesignGenerator to dynamically import the design
-    module and call the callback, returning the raw (non-stringified) MLIR
-    module object for further inspection by the fusion pass.
+    Imports the design module via the standard Python import mechanism
+    (relying on it having been registered in ``sys.modules`` by
+    ``DesignGenerator.__call__``) and calls the callback, returning the
+    raw (non-stringified) MLIR module object.
     """
     if not isinstance(mlir_artifact, PythonGeneratedMLIRArtifact):
         raise TypeError(
             f"Expected PythonGeneratedMLIRArtifact, got {type(mlir_artifact).__name__}"
         )
     gen = mlir_artifact.generator
-    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(gen.source_path.name, gen.source_path)
-    module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
-    spec.loader.exec_module(module)
+    module = importlib.import_module(gen.module_name)
     callback_function = getattr(module, gen.fn_name)
     return callback_function(*gen.args, **gen.kwargs)