diff --git a/bin/6to5-node b/bin/6to5-node
index 2387551176..958d3cc5cc 100755
--- a/bin/6to5-node
+++ b/bin/6to5-node
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
  * when found, before invoking the "real" _6to5-node(1) executable.
  */
 
-var spawn = require("child_process").spawn;
 var args  = ["--harmony", __dirname + "/_6to5-node"];
 
 process.argv.slice(2).forEach(function(arg){
@@ -49,13 +48,21 @@ process.argv.slice(2).forEach(function(arg){
   }
 });
 
-var proc = spawn(process.argv[0], args, { stdio: "inherit" });
-proc.on("exit", function (code, signal) {
-  process.on("exit", function () {
-    if (signal) {
-      process.kill(process.pid, signal);
-    } else {
-      process.exit(code);
-    }
+try {
+  var kexec = require("kexec");
+  kexec(process.argv[0], args);
+} catch (err) {
+  if (err.code !== "MODULE_NOT_FOUND") throw err;
+
+  var child_process = require("child_process");
+  var proc = child_process.spawn(process.argv[0], args, { stdio: "inherit" });
+  proc.on("exit", function (code, signal) {
+    process.on("exit", function () {
+      if (signal) {
+        process.kill(process.pid, signal);
+      } else {
+        process.exit(code);
+      }
+    })
   });
-});
+}
diff --git a/doc/caveats.md b/doc/caveats.md
index 097edfc781..d7431ca9ea 100644
--- a/doc/caveats.md
+++ b/doc/caveats.md
@@ -39,3 +39,10 @@ class Bar extends Foo {
   }
 }
 ```
+
+## 6to5-node
+
+It is necessary to manually install `kexec` package on Unix-like OSes for
+`6to5-node` to correctly handle signals.
+
+**It is not recommended to use `6to5-node` with a process manager (`supervisord`, `upstart`, `systemd`, ...) without first installing `kexec`!**
diff --git a/lib/6to5/transformation/modules/amd.js b/lib/6to5/transformation/modules/amd.js
index 49185c5a40..9a26d52b8f 100644
--- a/lib/6to5/transformation/modules/amd.js
+++ b/lib/6to5/transformation/modules/amd.js
@@ -74,21 +74,16 @@ AMDFormatter.prototype.import = function (node) {
 
 AMDFormatter.prototype.importSpecifier = function (specifier, node, nodes) {
   var key = t.getSpecifierName(specifier);
-  var id  = specifier.id;
-
-  // import foo from "foo";
-  if (specifier.default) {
-    id = t.identifier("default");
-  }
-
-  var ref;
+  var ref = this._push(node);
 
   if (t.isImportBatchSpecifier(specifier)) {
     // import * as bar from "foo";
-    ref = this._push(node);
-  } else {
+  } else if (specifier.default) {
     // import foo from "foo";
-    ref = t.memberExpression(this._push(node), id, false);
+    ref = t.callExpression(this.file.addDeclaration("interop-require"), [ref]);
+  } else {
+    // import {foo} from "foo";
+    ref = t.memberExpression(ref, specifier.id, false);
   }
 
   nodes.push(t.variableDeclaration("var", [
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 18179d8fce..e934fd78a1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -61,5 +61,8 @@
     "mocha": "1.21.4",
     "rimraf": "2.2.8",
     "uglify-js": "2.4.15"
+  },
+  "optionalDependencies": {
+    "kexec": "^0.2.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/imports-default/expected.js b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/imports-default/expected.js
index e13da123e2..43e1ab9d53 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/imports-default/expected.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/imports-default/expected.js
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 define(["exports", "foo"], function (exports, _foo) {
   "use strict";
 
-  var foo = _foo["default"];
+  var _interopRequire = function (obj) {
+    return obj && (obj["default"] || obj);
+  };
+
+  var foo = _interopRequire(_foo);
+
   var foo = _foo["default"];
 });
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/imports-mixing/expected.js b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/imports-mixing/expected.js
index 5ff7a48899..7dd0e921bc 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/imports-mixing/expected.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/imports-mixing/expected.js
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 define(["exports", "foo"], function (exports, _foo) {
   "use strict";
 
-  var foo = _foo["default"];
+  var _interopRequire = function (obj) {
+    return obj && (obj["default"] || obj);
+  };
+
+  var foo = _interopRequire(_foo);
+
   var xyz = _foo.baz;
 });
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/overview/expected.js b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/overview/expected.js
index 5fc0d32601..7e01bdc8ef 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/overview/expected.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-amd/overview/expected.js
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 define(["exports", "foo", "foo-bar", "./directory/foo-bar"], function (exports, _foo, _fooBar, _directoryFooBar) {
   "use strict";
 
-  var foo = _foo["default"];
+  var _interopRequire = function (obj) {
+    return obj && (obj["default"] || obj);
+  };
+
+  var foo = _interopRequire(_foo);
+
   var foo = _foo;
   var bar = _foo.bar;
   var bar = _foo.foo;
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/imports-default/expected.js b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/imports-default/expected.js
index 10ec822646..b68de76392 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/imports-default/expected.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/imports-default/expected.js
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 })(function (exports, _foo) {
   "use strict";
 
-  var foo = _foo["default"];
+  var _interopRequire = function (obj) {
+    return obj && (obj["default"] || obj);
+  };
+
+  var foo = _interopRequire(_foo);
+
   var foo = _foo["default"];
 });
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/imports-mixing/expected.js b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/imports-mixing/expected.js
index 35f4b65e7f..a5fb4aa76e 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/imports-mixing/expected.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/imports-mixing/expected.js
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 })(function (exports, _foo) {
   "use strict";
 
-  var foo = _foo["default"];
+  var _interopRequire = function (obj) {
+    return obj && (obj["default"] || obj);
+  };
+
+  var foo = _interopRequire(_foo);
+
   var xyz = _foo.baz;
 });
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/overview/expected.js b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/overview/expected.js
index 6a6a53fdc5..b78e1e2388 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/overview/expected.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/transformation/es6-modules-umd/overview/expected.js
@@ -7,7 +7,12 @@
 })(function (exports, _foo, _fooBar, _directoryFooBar) {
   "use strict";
 
-  var foo = _foo["default"];
+  var _interopRequire = function (obj) {
+    return obj && (obj["default"] || obj);
+  };
+
+  var foo = _interopRequire(_foo);
+
   var foo = _foo;
   var bar = _foo.bar;
   var bar = _foo.foo;