diff --git a/packages/boot/src/__tests__/unit/booters/booter-utils.unit.ts b/packages/boot/src/__tests__/unit/booters/booter-utils.unit.ts
index 769ebe638e81..b47c0e1c0ac6 100644
--- a/packages/boot/src/__tests__/unit/booters/booter-utils.unit.ts
+++ b/packages/boot/src/__tests__/unit/booters/booter-utils.unit.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import {expect, TestSandbox} from '@loopback/testlab';
 import {resolve} from 'path';
 import {discoverFiles, isClass, loadClassesFromFiles} from '../../..';
+import { readFileSync } from 'fs';
 
 describe('booter-utils unit tests', () => {
   const sandbox = new TestSandbox(resolve(__dirname, '../../../.sandbox'));
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ describe('booter-utils unit tests', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('loadClassesFromFiles()', () => {
+  describe('loadClassesFromFiles()', async () => {
     it('returns an array of classes from a file', async () => {
       // Copying a test file to sandbox that contains a function and 2 classes
       await sandbox.copyFile(
@@ -66,11 +67,31 @@ describe('booter-utils unit tests', () => {
       const files = [resolve(sandbox.path, 'multiple.artifact.js')];
       const NUM_CLASSES = 2; // Number of classes in above file
 
-      const classes = loadClassesFromFiles(files, sandbox.path);
+      const classes = await loadClassesFromFiles(files, sandbox.path);
       expect(classes).to.have.lengthOf(NUM_CLASSES);
       expect(classes[0]).to.be.a.Function();
       expect(classes[1]).to.be.a.Function();
     });
+    
+    it('loads classes from CJS files', async () => {
+        const artifactFilename = 'multiple.artifact.cjs';
+        await sandbox.copyFile(resolve(__dirname, '../../fixtures/multiple.artifact.cjs'));
+        const NUM_CLASSES = 2;
+        const classes = await loadClassesFromFiles([resolve(sandbox.path, artifactFilename)], sandbox.path);
+        expect(classes).to.have.lengthOf(NUM_CLASSES);
+        expect(classes[0]).to.be.a.Function();
+        expect(classes[1]).to.be.a.Function();
+    });
+
+    it('loads classes from ESM files', async () => {
+        const artifactFilename = 'multiple.artifact.mjs';
+        await sandbox.copyFile(resolve(__dirname, '../../fixtures/multiple.artifact.mjs'));
+        const NUM_CLASSES = 2;
+        const classes = await loadClassesFromFiles([resolve(sandbox.path, artifactFilename)], sandbox.path);
+        expect(classes).to.have.lengthOf(NUM_CLASSES);
+        expect(classes[0]).to.be.a.Function();
+        expect(classes[1]).to.be.a.Function();
+    });
 
     it('returns an empty array given an empty file', async () => {
       await sandbox.copyFile(
@@ -78,14 +99,14 @@ describe('booter-utils unit tests', () => {
       );
       const files = [resolve(sandbox.path, 'empty.artifact.js')];
 
-      const classes = loadClassesFromFiles(files, sandbox.path);
+      const classes = await loadClassesFromFiles(files, sandbox.path);
       expect(classes).to.be.an.Array();
       expect(classes).to.be.empty();
     });
 
     it('throws an error given a non-existent file', async () => {
       const files = [resolve(sandbox.path, 'fake.artifact.js')];
-      expect(() => loadClassesFromFiles(files, sandbox.path)).to.throw(
+      expect(loadClassesFromFiles(files, sandbox.path)).to.be.rejectedWith(
         /Cannot find module/,
       );
     });
diff --git a/packages/boot/src/booters/base-artifact.booter.ts b/packages/boot/src/booters/base-artifact.booter.ts
index 50150a50bbd0..ae2aad4f655c 100644
--- a/packages/boot/src/booters/base-artifact.booter.ts
+++ b/packages/boot/src/booters/base-artifact.booter.ts
@@ -137,6 +137,6 @@ export class BaseArtifactBooter implements Booter {
    * and then process the artifact classes as appropriate.
    */
   async load() {
-    this.classes = loadClassesFromFiles(this.discovered, this.projectRoot);
+    this.classes = await loadClassesFromFiles(this.discovered, this.projectRoot);
   }
 }