diff --git a/tns-core-modules/file-system/file-system.d.ts b/tns-core-modules/file-system/file-system.d.ts
index d3c6e1023..64bd85ff0 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/file-system/file-system.d.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/file-system/file-system.d.ts
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ export class Folder extends FileSystemEntity {
      * Gets all the top-level entities residing within this folder synchronously.
      * @param onError An optional function to be called if some error occurs.
      */
-    getEntitiesSync(onError?: (error: any) => any): Promise<Array<FileSystemEntity>>;
+    getEntitiesSync(onError?: (error: any) => any): Array<FileSystemEntity>;
 
     /**
      * Enumerates all the top-level FileSystem entities residing within this folder.
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/module-name-resolver/module-name-resolver.ts b/tns-core-modules/module-name-resolver/module-name-resolver.ts
index 1c618518a..f7945175d 100644
--- a/tns-core-modules/module-name-resolver/module-name-resolver.ts
+++ b/tns-core-modules/module-name-resolver/module-name-resolver.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { ModuleNameResolver as ModuleNameResolverDefinition, ModuleListProvider
 import { screen, device } from "../platform/platform";
 import * as appCommonModule from "../application/application-common";
 import { PlatformContext, findMatch } from "./qualifier-matcher";
+import { registerModulesFromFileSystem } from "./non-bundle-workflow-compat";
 
 export class ModuleNameResolver implements ModuleNameResolverDefinition {
     private _cache = {};
@@ -28,7 +29,13 @@ export class ModuleNameResolver implements ModuleNameResolverDefinition {
         let result: string = null;
         ext = ext ? "." + ext : "";
 
-        const candidates = this.getCandidates(path, ext);
+        // Compatibility path for non-webpack workflow
+        // register modules from FS first
+        if (!global.TNS_WEBPACK) {
+            registerModulesFromFileSystem(path);
+        }
+
+        let candidates = this.getCandidates(path, ext);
         result = findMatch(path, ext, candidates, this.context);
 
         return result;
diff --git a/tns-core-modules/module-name-resolver/non-bundle-workflow-compat.ts b/tns-core-modules/module-name-resolver/non-bundle-workflow-compat.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e79c4188a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tns-core-modules/module-name-resolver/non-bundle-workflow-compat.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+import * as fs from "../file-system/file-system";
+import * as appCommonModule from "../application/application-common";
+
+const appFolder = fs.knownFolders.currentApp();
+const cache = new Set<string>();
+let initialized = false;
+
+function register(name, loader) {
+    global.registerModule(name, loader);
+}
+
+function processFile(file: fs.File) {
+    const filePathRelativeToApp = file.path.substr(appFolder.path.length + 1);
+    const loadContent = () => file.readTextSync();
+
+    switch (file.extension.toLocaleLowerCase()) {
+        case ".js":
+            const noExtPath = filePathRelativeToApp.substr(0, filePathRelativeToApp.length - ".js".length);
+
+            register(filePathRelativeToApp, function () { return global.require(file.path); });
+            register(noExtPath, function () { return global.require(file.path); });
+            break;
+
+        case ".css":
+            register(filePathRelativeToApp, loadContent);
+            break;
+
+        case ".xml":
+            register(filePathRelativeToApp, loadContent);
+            break;
+    }
+
+    if (file.name === "package.json") {
+        const json = global.require(file.path);
+        if (json.main) {
+            let name = filePathRelativeToApp.substr(0, filePathRelativeToApp.length - "package.json".length - 1);
+            let requirePath = fs.path.join(file.parent.path, json.main);
+
+            if (name.startsWith("tns_modules")) {
+                name = name.substr("tns_modules".length + 1);
+            }
+
+            register(name, () => global.require(requirePath));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+function processFolder(path: string) {
+    if (fs.Folder.exists(path)) {
+        const folder = fs.Folder.fromPath(path);
+
+        folder.eachEntity((file) => {
+            if (file instanceof fs.File) {
+                processFile(file);
+            }
+
+            return true;
+        });
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Registers loaders for all files from the containing folder with global.registerModule().
+ * Compatibility method for non-webpack workflow (like in playground). 
+ * @param moduleName 
+ */
+export function registerModulesFromFileSystem(moduleName: string) {
+    initialize();
+
+    if (cache.has(moduleName)) {
+        return;
+    }
+    cache.add(moduleName);
+
+    // moduleName is a folder with package.json
+    const path = fs.path.join(fs.knownFolders.currentApp().path, moduleName);
+    if (fs.Folder.exists(path)) {
+        processFolder(path);
+
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // moduleName is file - load all files in it's folder
+    const parentName = moduleName.substr(0, moduleName.lastIndexOf(fs.path.separator));
+    const parentFolderPath = fs.path.join(fs.knownFolders.currentApp().path, parentName);
+    if (fs.Folder.exists(parentFolderPath)) {
+        processFolder(parentFolderPath);
+
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // moduleName is a folder in tns_modules ex. "nativescript-ui-chart"
+    const tnsModulesPath = fs.path.join(fs.knownFolders.currentApp().path, "tns_modules", moduleName);
+    if (fs.Folder.exists(tnsModulesPath)) {
+        processFolder(tnsModulesPath);
+
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // moduleName a file in tns_modules/plugin. Avoid traversing the whole tns_modules folder if parentName is empty
+    if (parentName) {
+        const tnsParentFolderPath = fs.path.join(fs.knownFolders.currentApp().path, "tns_modules", parentName);
+        if (fs.Folder.exists(tnsParentFolderPath)) {
+            processFolder(tnsParentFolderPath);
+
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+function initialize() {
+    if (!initialized) {
+        appCommonModule.on("livesync", args => cache.clear());
+        initialized = true;
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file