diff --git a/gems/bess/lib/houdini/engine.rb b/gems/bess/lib/houdini/engine.rb
index 0f3d043d..3a710c1a 100644
--- a/gems/bess/lib/houdini/engine.rb
+++ b/gems/bess/lib/houdini/engine.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 # License: AGPL-3.0-or-later WITH WTO-AP-3.0-or-later
 # Full license explanation at https://github.com/houdiniproject/houdini/blob/master/LICENSE
+require "active_support"
+require "active_support/rails"
+require "active_support/core_ext/numeric/time" # we need this becuase 20.minutes isn't loaded otherwise?
+
 module Houdini
   class Engine < ::Rails::Engine
     config.houdini = ActiveSupport::OrderedOptions.new