diff --git a/src/app/NewProject.tsx b/src/app/NewProject.tsx
index 7cafbd49..8705f1de 100644
--- a/src/app/NewProject.tsx
+++ b/src/app/NewProject.tsx
@@ -142,19 +142,31 @@ export class NewProject extends React.Component<NewProjectProps, NewProjectState
       return;
     }
     const file = event.target.files[0];
-    let contents = await readFile(file);
+    const contents = await readFile(file);
     let logs: string | undefined;
 
     try {
-      // convert vensim files to xmile
+      let engine2Project: Engine2Project;
+
       if (file.name.endsWith('.mdl')) {
-        [contents, logs] = await convertMdlToXmile(contents, true);
-        if (contents.length === 0) {
-          throw new Error('Vensim converter: ' + (logs || 'unknown error'));
+        // For Vensim MDL files, try direct import first if available
+        const hasVensim = await Engine2Project.hasVensimSupport();
+        if (hasVensim) {
+          engine2Project = await Engine2Project.openVensim(contents);
+        } else {
+          // Fall back to xmutil conversion when direct Vensim support is not available
+          const [xmileContents, conversionLogs] = await convertMdlToXmile(contents, true);
+          logs = conversionLogs;
+          if (xmileContents.length === 0) {
+            throw new Error('Vensim converter: ' + (logs || 'unknown error'));
+          }
+          engine2Project = await Engine2Project.open(xmileContents);
         }
+      } else {
+        // XMILE/STMX files open directly
+        engine2Project = await Engine2Project.open(contents);
       }
 
-      const engine2Project = await Engine2Project.open(contents);
       const projectPB = engine2Project.serializeProtobuf();
       const json = JSON.parse(engine2Project.serializeJson()) as JsonProject;
       const activeProject = ProjectDM.fromJson(json);
diff --git a/src/engine2/src/project.ts b/src/engine2/src/project.ts
index e6602396..dac1e744 100644
--- a/src/engine2/src/project.ts
+++ b/src/engine2/src/project.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,12 @@ import {
   simlin_project_get_errors,
   simlin_project_apply_patch,
 } from './internal/project';
-import { simlin_project_open_xmile, simlin_project_serialize_xmile } from './internal/import-export';
+import {
+  simlin_project_open_xmile,
+  simlin_project_open_vensim,
+  simlin_project_serialize_xmile,
+  hasVensimSupport,
+} from './internal/import-export';
 import { simlin_analyze_get_loops, readLoops, simlin_free_loops } from './internal/analysis';
 import { SimlinProjectPtr, SimlinJsonFormat, ErrorDetail } from './internal/types';
 import { readAllErrorDetails, simlin_error_free } from './internal/error';
@@ -95,6 +100,18 @@ export class Project {
     return new Project(ptr);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Create a project from Vensim MDL data.
+   * Note: This requires libsimlin to be built with the 'vensim' feature.
+   * @param data MDL file data as Uint8Array
+   * @returns New Project instance
+   * @throws SimlinError if the MDL data is invalid or vensim support is not available
+   */
+  private static fromVensim(data: Uint8Array): Project {
+    const ptr = simlin_project_open_vensim(data);
+    return new Project(ptr);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Create a project from XMILE data (string or bytes).
    * Automatically initializes WASM if needed.
@@ -136,6 +153,36 @@ export class Project {
     return Project.fromJson(data, format);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Create a project from Vensim MDL data (string or bytes).
+   * Automatically initializes WASM if needed.
+   *
+   * Note: This requires libsimlin to be built with the 'vensim' feature.
+   * Use Project.hasVensimSupport() to check availability before calling.
+   *
+   * @param data MDL file data as string or Uint8Array
+   * @param options Optional WASM configuration
+   * @returns Promise resolving to new Project instance
+   * @throws SimlinError if the MDL data is invalid or vensim support is not available
+   */
+  static async openVensim(data: string | Uint8Array, options: ProjectOpenOptions = {}): Promise<Project> {
+    await ensureInitialized(options.wasm);
+    const bytes = typeof data === 'string' ? new TextEncoder().encode(data) : data;
+    return Project.fromVensim(bytes);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Check if the WASM module was built with Vensim MDL support.
+   * Automatically initializes WASM if needed.
+   *
+   * @param options Optional WASM configuration
+   * @returns Promise resolving to true if Project.openVensim() is available
+   */
+  static async hasVensimSupport(options: ProjectOpenOptions = {}): Promise<boolean> {
+    await ensureInitialized(options.wasm);
+    return hasVensimSupport();
+  }
+
   /**
    * Get the internal WASM pointer. For internal use only.
    */
diff --git a/src/engine2/tests/api.test.ts b/src/engine2/tests/api.test.ts
index cf47fe2a..32a613b8 100644
--- a/src/engine2/tests/api.test.ts
+++ b/src/engine2/tests/api.test.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,15 @@ function loadTestXmile(): Uint8Array {
   return fs.readFileSync(xmilePath);
 }
 
+// Load the teacup test model in Vensim MDL format
+function loadTestMdl(): Uint8Array {
+  const mdlPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', '..', 'test', 'test-models', 'samples', 'teacup', 'teacup.mdl');
+  if (!fs.existsSync(mdlPath)) {
+    throw new Error('Required test MDL model not found: ' + mdlPath);
+  }
+  return fs.readFileSync(mdlPath);
+}
+
 async function openTestProject(): Promise<Project> {
   return Project.open(loadTestXmile());
 }
@@ -1067,4 +1076,83 @@ describe('High-Level API', () => {
       project.dispose();
     });
   });
+
+  describe('Vensim MDL support', () => {
+    it('should check hasVensimSupport availability via Project static method', async () => {
+      // Project.hasVensimSupport() is an async method that ensures WASM is initialized
+      const supported = await Project.hasVensimSupport();
+      expect(typeof supported).toBe('boolean');
+    });
+
+    it('should handle openVensim when support is not available', async () => {
+      const supported = await Project.hasVensimSupport();
+
+      if (!supported) {
+        // When Vensim support is not available, openVensim should throw
+        const mdlData = loadTestMdl();
+        await expect(Project.openVensim(mdlData)).rejects.toThrow(/vensim/i);
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('should load MDL file when Vensim support is available', async () => {
+      const supported = await Project.hasVensimSupport();
+
+      if (supported) {
+        // When Vensim support is available, openVensim should work
+        const mdlData = loadTestMdl();
+        const project = await Project.openVensim(mdlData);
+
+        expect(project).toBeInstanceOf(Project);
+        expect(project.modelCount).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+        // The teacup model should have the expected variables
+        const model = project.mainModel;
+        const varNames = model.variables.map((v) => v.name.toLowerCase());
+        expect(varNames).toContain('teacup temperature');
+
+        project.dispose();
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('should accept MDL data as string when Vensim support is available', async () => {
+      const supported = await Project.hasVensimSupport();
+
+      if (supported) {
+        // openVensim should accept string data (like XMILE)
+        const mdlData = loadTestMdl();
+        const mdlString = new TextDecoder().decode(mdlData);
+        const project = await Project.openVensim(mdlString);
+
+        expect(project).toBeInstanceOf(Project);
+        project.dispose();
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('should simulate models loaded from MDL when Vensim support is available', async () => {
+      const supported = await Project.hasVensimSupport();
+
+      if (supported) {
+        const mdlData = loadTestMdl();
+        const project = await Project.openVensim(mdlData);
+        const model = project.mainModel;
+
+        // Run simulation
+        const run = model.run();
+        expect(run).toBeInstanceOf(Run);
+
+        // Get results
+        const results = run.results;
+        expect(results.size).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+        // Check that teacup temperature series exists and has expected behavior
+        // (temperature should decrease over time as teacup cools)
+        const tempSeries = results.get('teacup_temperature');
+        if (tempSeries && tempSeries.length > 1) {
+          expect(tempSeries[0]).toBeGreaterThan(tempSeries[tempSeries.length - 1]);
+        }
+
+        project.dispose();
+      }
+    });
+  });
 });