diff --git a/scripts/base/init-supervisor.zeek b/scripts/base/init-supervisor.zeek
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..da5af4b8b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/base/init-supervisor.zeek
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+##! This script loads functionality needed by the supervisor. Zeek only sources
+##! this when the supervisor is active (-j). Like init-default.zeek, this isn't
+##! loaded in bare mode.
+
+@load base/frameworks/supervisor
diff --git a/src/zeek-setup.cc b/src/zeek-setup.cc
index 240e2f2a37..838bf86ef8 100644
--- a/src/zeek-setup.cc
+++ b/src/zeek-setup.cc
@@ -532,7 +532,14 @@ SetupResult setup(int argc, char** argv, Options* zopts)
 	add_essential_input_file("base/init-frameworks-and-bifs.zeek");
 
 	if ( ! options.bare_mode )
-		add_input_file("base/init-default.zeek");
+		{
+		// The supervisor only needs to load a limited set of
+		// scripts, since it won't be doing traffic processing.
+		if ( options.supervisor_mode )
+			add_input_file("base/init-supervisor.zeek");
+		else
+			add_input_file("base/init-default.zeek");
+		}
 
 	add_input_file("builtin-plugins/__preload__.zeek");
 	add_input_file("builtin-plugins/__load__.zeek");