diff --git a/VERSIONS b/VERSIONS
index 9a7ecec03..dd31baca7 100644
--- a/VERSIONS
+++ b/VERSIONS
@@ -2,6 +2,15 @@
 ChucK VERSIONS log
 ------------------
 
+
+1.5.4.3
+=======
+(added) '/usr/lib/chuck' to @import system search paths on Linux and MacOS.
+    .chug files in system paths will auto-load on start up (.ck files will 
+    not auto-load and needs to be @imported in order to be used); also 
+    @import will now include this directory when resolving fileanems.
+
+
 1.5.4.2 (November 2024)
 =======
 new ChuGL v0.2.4 (see ChuGL release notes below)
diff --git a/src/core/chuck_dl.cpp b/src/core/chuck_dl.cpp
index 5bc2800cc..b9fe608d7 100644
--- a/src/core/chuck_dl.cpp
+++ b/src/core/chuck_dl.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ using namespace std;
 //   (=v ChuMP =v ChucK Manager of Packages)
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #if defined(__PLATFORM_APPLE__)
-char g_default_path_system[] = "/usr/local/lib/chuck:/Library/Application Support/ChucK/chugins";
+char g_default_path_system[] = "/usr/lib/chuck:/usr/local/lib/chuck:/Library/Application Support/ChucK/chugins";
 char g_default_path_packages[] = "~/.chuck/packages";
 char g_default_path_user[] = "~/Library/Application Support/ChucK/chugins:~/.chuck/lib";
 #elif defined(__PLATFORM_WINDOWS__)
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ char g_default_path_system[] = "C:\\Windows\\system32\\ChucK;C:\\Program Files\\
 char g_default_path_packages[] = "C:\\Users\\%USERNAME%\\Documents\\ChucK\\packages";
 char g_default_path_user[] = "C:\\Users\\%USERNAME%\\Documents\\ChucK\\chugins";
 #else // Linux / Cygwin
-char g_default_path_system[] = "/usr/local/lib/chuck";
+char g_default_path_system[] = "/usr/lib/chuck:/usr/local/lib/chuck";
 char g_default_path_packages[] = "~/.chuck/packages";
 char g_default_path_user[] = "~/.chuck/lib";
 #endif
diff --git a/src/core/util_string.cpp b/src/core/util_string.cpp
index dfb98d519..617187f12 100644
--- a/src/core/util_string.cpp
+++ b/src/core/util_string.cpp
@@ -1354,11 +1354,13 @@ void tokenize( const std::string & str, std::vector<string> & tokens, const std:
 }
 
 
-// static instantiation
-t_CKBOOL TC::isEnabled = TRUE;
-t_CKBOOL TC::globalBypass = TRUE;
 
 
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// TC static instantiation
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+t_CKBOOL TC::isEnabled = TRUE;
+t_CKBOOL TC::globalBypass = TRUE;
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // on/off switches
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1379,7 +1381,6 @@ void TC::globalDisableOverride( t_CKBOOL setTrueToEngage )
     globalBypass = setTrueToEngage;
 }
 
-
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // get bold escape sequence
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1389,7 +1390,6 @@ std::string TC::bold( const std::string & text )
     return TC::bold() + text + TC::reset();
 }
 
-
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // get color escape sequences
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1454,10 +1454,8 @@ std::string TC::set_blue( t_CKBOOL bold )
     return std::string( "\033[38;5;39m" ) + (bold?TC::bold():"");
 }
 
-
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // set*() methods -- returns escape sequences o insert into output
-
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // set a terminal code
 std::string TC::set( TerminalCode code )