diff --git a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/README.md b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/README.md
index 4cf7f50b..9d4cfd85 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/README.md
+++ b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/README.md
@@ -11,23 +11,24 @@ We export three ESLint configurations for your usage.
 ### eslint-config-airbnb
 
 Our default export contains all of our ESLint rules, including EcmaScript 6+
-and React. It requires `eslint`, `eslint-plugin-react`, and `eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y`.
+and React. It requires `eslint`, `eslint-plugin-import`, `eslint-plugin-react`,
+and `eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y`.
 
-1. `npm install --save-dev eslint-config-airbnb eslint-plugin-react eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y eslint`
+1. `npm install --save-dev eslint-config-airbnb eslint-plugin-import eslint-plugin-react eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y eslint`
 2. add `"extends": "airbnb"` to your .eslintrc
 
 ### eslint-config-airbnb/base
 
 Lints ES6+ but does not lint React. Requires `eslint`.
 
-1. `npm install --save-dev eslint-config-airbnb eslint`
+1. `npm install --save-dev eslint-config-airbnb eslint-plugin-import eslint`
 2. add `"extends": "airbnb/base"` to your .eslintrc
 
 ### eslint-config-airbnb/legacy
 
 Lints ES5 and below. Only requires `eslint`.
 
-1. `npm install --save-dev eslint-config-airbnb eslint`
+1. `npm install --save-dev eslint-config-airbnb eslint-plugin-import eslint`
 2. add `"extends": "airbnb/legacy"` to your .eslintrc
 
 See [Airbnb's Javascript styleguide](https://github.com/airbnb/javascript) and
diff --git a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/package.json b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/package.json
index 88d8d425..6c8a89d2 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/package.json
+++ b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/package.json
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
     "babel-tape-runner": "^1.3.1",
     "eslint": "^2.7.0",
     "eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y": "^0.6.2",
+    "eslint-plugin-import": "^1.4.0",
     "eslint-plugin-react": "^4.3.0",
     "react": "^0.14.8",
     "tape": "^4.5.1",
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@
   "peerDependencies": {
     "eslint": "^2.7.0",
     "eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y": "^0.6.2",
+    "eslint-plugin-import": "^1.4.0",
     "eslint-plugin-react": "^4.3.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/es6.js b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/es6.js
index 3045f4cd..7ac09522 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/es6.js
+++ b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/es6.js
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ module.exports = {
       'objectLiteralDuplicateProperties': false
     }
   },
+  'plugins': [
+    'import'
+  ],
   'rules': {
     // enforces no braces where they can be omitted
     // http://eslint.org/docs/rules/arrow-body-style
@@ -83,6 +86,19 @@ module.exports = {
     'template-curly-spacing': 2,
     // enforce spacing around the * in yield* expressions
     // http://eslint.org/docs/rules/yield-star-spacing
-    'yield-star-spacing': [2, 'after']
+    'yield-star-spacing': [2, 'after'],
+    // disallow invalid exports, e.g. multiple defaults
+    // https://github.com/benmosher/eslint-plugin-import/blob/master/docs/rules/export.md
+    'import/export': 2,
+    // ensure imports point to files/modules that can be resolved
+    // https://github.com/benmosher/eslint-plugin-import/blob/master/docs/rules/no-unresolved.md
+    'import/no-unresolved': [2, { 'commonjs': true }]
+  },
+  'settings': {
+    'import/resolver': {
+      'node': {
+        'extensions': ['.js', '.json']
+      }
+    }
   }
 };
diff --git a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/node.js b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/node.js
index 16b6f20d..2114c377 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/node.js
+++ b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/node.js
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ module.exports = {
   'env': {
     'node': true
   },
+  'plugins': [
+    'import'
+  ],
   'rules': {
     // enforce return after a callback
     'callback-return': 0,
@@ -18,6 +21,16 @@ module.exports = {
     // restrict usage of specified node modules
     'no-restricted-modules': 0,
     // disallow use of synchronous methods (off by default)
-    'no-sync': 0
+    'no-sync': 0,
+    // ensure imports point to files/modules that can be resolved
+    // https://github.com/benmosher/eslint-plugin-import/blob/master/docs/rules/no-unresolved.md
+    'import/no-unresolved': [2, { 'commonjs': true }]
+  },
+  'settings': {
+    'import/resolver': {
+      'node': {
+        'extensions': ['.js', '.json']
+      }
+    }
   }
 };
diff --git a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/react.js b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/react.js
index a452feba..c05d575e 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/react.js
+++ b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/rules/react.js
@@ -166,5 +166,12 @@ module.exports = {
       assignment: true,
       return: true
     }],
+  },
+  'settings': {
+    'import/resolver': {
+      'node': {
+        'extensions': ['.js', '.jsx', '.json']
+      }
+    }
   }
 };
diff --git a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/test/test-base.js b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/test/test-base.js
index 24aa884c..c29e89dd 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/test/test-base.js
+++ b/packages/eslint-config-airbnb/test/test-base.js
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ Object.keys(files).forEach(name => {
   test(`${name}: does not reference react`, t => {
     t.plan(2);
 
-    t.notOk(config.plugins, 'plugins is unspecified');
+    // scan plugins for react and fail if it is found
+    const hasReactPlugin = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(config, 'plugins') &&
+      config.plugins.indexOf('react') !== -1;
+    t.notOk(hasReactPlugin, 'there is no react plugin');
 
     // scan rules for react/ and fail if any exist
     const reactRuleIds = Object.keys(config.rules)