diff --git a/packages/compiler/babel-utils.d.ts b/packages/compiler/babel-utils.d.ts
index 9f0d0a91e5..c3ccef7f23 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/babel-utils.d.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/babel-utils.d.ts
@@ -288,10 +288,6 @@ export function parseTemplateLiteral(
 ): t.TemplateLiteral;
 
 export function resolveRelativePath(file: t.BabelFile, request: string): string;
-export function importEffect(
-  file: t.BabelFile,
-  request: string,
-): t.NodePath<t.ImportDeclaration>;
 export function importDefault(
   file: t.BabelFile,
   request: string,
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/babel-utils/imports.js b/packages/compiler/src/babel-utils/imports.js
index 35fc7e8197..e7bbfd4c88 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/babel-utils/imports.js
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/babel-utils/imports.js
@@ -20,23 +20,6 @@ export function resolveRelativePath(file, request) {
   return request;
 }
 
-export function importEffect(file, request) {
-  const imports = getImports(file);
-  request = resolveRelativePath(file, request);
-  let importDeclaration = imports.get(request);
-
-  if (!importDeclaration) {
-    imports.set(
-      request,
-      (importDeclaration = file.path.unshiftContainer(
-        "body",
-        t.importDeclaration([], t.stringLiteral(request)),
-      )[0]),
-    );
-  }
-  return importDeclaration;
-}
-
 export function importDefault(file, request, nameHint) {
   const imports = getImports(file);
   request = resolveRelativePath(file, request);
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/babel-utils/index.js b/packages/compiler/src/babel-utils/index.js
index cb3300d9f0..7cd3d006e6 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/babel-utils/index.js
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/babel-utils/index.js
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ export {
 } from "./diagnostics";
 export {
   importDefault,
-  importEffect,
   importNamed,
   importStar,
   resolveRelativePath,
diff --git a/packages/runtime-tags/src/translator/visitors/program/index.ts b/packages/runtime-tags/src/translator/visitors/program/index.ts
index a30a19868c..e5a2516570 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-tags/src/translator/visitors/program/index.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-tags/src/translator/visitors/program/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { types as t } from "@marko/compiler";
 import {
-  importEffect,
   loadFileForImport,
   resolveRelativePath,
 } from "@marko/compiler/babel-utils";
@@ -144,10 +143,22 @@ export default {
       }
 
       if (program.node.extra?.needsCompat) {
-        const compatRuntimeFile = getCompatRuntimeFile();
-        const compatImport = importEffect(program.hub.file, compatRuntimeFile);
-        program.unshiftContainer("body", t.clone(compatImport.node));
-        compatImport.remove();
+        const compatFile = getCompatRuntimeFile();
+        const body: [undefined | t.Statement, ...t.Statement[]] = [undefined];
+
+        for (const child of program.node.body) {
+          if (
+            child.type === "ImportDeclaration" &&
+            child.source.value === compatFile
+          ) {
+            body[0] = child;
+          } else {
+            body.push(child);
+          }
+        }
+
+        body[0] ??= t.importDeclaration([], t.stringLiteral(compatFile));
+        program.node.body = body as t.Statement[];
       }
       currentProgramPath = previousProgramPath.get(currentProgramPath)!;
     },
diff --git a/packages/runtime-tags/src/translator/visitors/tag/dynamic-tag.ts b/packages/runtime-tags/src/translator/visitors/tag/dynamic-tag.ts
index 61f1773f47..19410bc6f0 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-tags/src/translator/visitors/tag/dynamic-tag.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-tags/src/translator/visitors/tag/dynamic-tag.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import { types as t } from "@marko/compiler";
 import {
   assertAttributesOrArgs,
   importDefault,
-  importEffect,
   importNamed,
   loadFileForTag,
 } from "@marko/compiler/babel-utils";
@@ -115,15 +114,13 @@ export default {
       if (isClassAPI) {
         // This is the interop layer leaking into the translator
         // We use the dynamic tag when a custom tag from the class runtime is used
-        const compatRuntimeFile = getCompatRuntimeFile();
-        importEffect(tag.hub.file, compatRuntimeFile);
 
         if (isOutputHTML()) {
           currentProgramPath.pushContainer(
             "body",
             t.expressionStatement(
               t.callExpression(
-                importNamed(tag.hub.file, compatRuntimeFile, "s"),
+                importNamed(tag.hub.file, getCompatRuntimeFile(), "s"),
                 [
                   t.identifier((tagExpression as t.Identifier).name),
                   t.stringLiteral(loadFileForTag(tag)!.metadata.marko.id),