diff --git a/conifer/backends/cpp/writer.py b/conifer/backends/cpp/writer.py
index df6cdc5d..3f7e1b32 100644
--- a/conifer/backends/cpp/writer.py
+++ b/conifer/backends/cpp/writer.py
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ class CPPModel(ModelBase):
   def __init__(self, ensembleDict, config, metadata=None):
     super(CPPModel, self).__init__(ensembleDict, config, metadata)
     self.config = CPPConfig(config)
+  
+  def load_shared_library(self, model_json, shared_library):
+    import importlib
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(os.path.basename(shared_library).split(".so")[0], shared_library)
+    self.bridge = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec).BDT(model_json)
+    spec.loader.exec_module(self.bridge)
 
   @copydocstring(ModelBase.write)
   def write(self):
@@ -99,10 +105,7 @@ def compile(self):
 
     try:
       logger.debug(f'Importing conifer_bridge_{self._stamp} from conifer_bridge_{self._stamp}.so')
-      import importlib.util
-      spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(f'conifer_bridge_{self._stamp}', f'./conifer_bridge_{self._stamp}.so')
-      self.bridge = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec).BDT(f"{cfg.project_name}.json")
-      spec.loader.exec_module(self.bridge)
+      self.load_shared_library(f"{cfg.project_name}.json", f"./conifer_bridge_{self._stamp}.so")
     except ImportError:
       os.chdir(curr_dir)
       raise Exception("Can't import pybind11 bridge, is it compiled?")
diff --git a/conifer/backends/xilinxhls/writer.py b/conifer/backends/xilinxhls/writer.py
index e9b28f4c..9b188978 100644
--- a/conifer/backends/xilinxhls/writer.py
+++ b/conifer/backends/xilinxhls/writer.py
@@ -512,6 +512,12 @@ def decision_function(self, X, trees=False):
             y = y.reshape(y.shape[0])
         return y
     
+    def load_shared_library(self, model_json, shared_library):
+        import importlib
+        spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(os.path.basename(shared_library).split(".so")[0], shared_library)
+        self.bridge = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+        spec.loader.exec_module(self.bridge)
+    
     @copydocstring(ModelBase.compile)
     def compile(self):
         self.write()
@@ -534,10 +540,7 @@ def compile(self):
 
         try:
             logger.debug(f'Importing conifer_bridge_{self._stamp} from conifer_bridge_{self._stamp}.so')
-            import importlib.util
-            spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(f'conifer_bridge_{self._stamp}', f'./conifer_bridge_{self._stamp}.so')
-            self.bridge = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
-            spec.loader.exec_module(self.bridge)
+            self.load_shared_library(f"{cfg.project_name}.json", f"./conifer_bridge_{self._stamp}.so")
         except ImportError:
             os.chdir(curr_dir)
             raise Exception("Can't import pybind11 bridge, is it compiled?")
diff --git a/conifer/model.py b/conifer/model.py
index 2812fe60..4b16c0aa 100644
--- a/conifer/model.py
+++ b/conifer/model.py
@@ -495,6 +495,9 @@ def _profile(self, what : Literal["scores", "thresholds"], ax=None):
 
         return ax
 
+    def load_shared_library(self, model_json, shared_library):
+        pass
+
 class ModelMetaData:
     def __init__(self):
         self.version = version
@@ -532,7 +535,7 @@ def make_model(ensembleDict, config=None):
     backend = get_backend(backend)
     return backend.make_model(ensembleDict, config)
 
-def load_model(filename, new_config=None):
+def load_model(filename, new_config=None, shared_library=True):
     '''
     Load a Model from JSON file
 
@@ -542,6 +545,14 @@ def load_model(filename, new_config=None):
         filename to load from
     new_config: dictionary (optional)
         if provided, override the configuration specified in the JSON file
+    shared_library: string|bool (optional)
+        If True, the shared library will be looked for in the same directory as the JSON file, using the timestamp of the last metadata entry available
+        If False, the shared library will not be loaded
+        If a string, it could be:
+            - path to the shared library to load
+            - path to the directory where to look for the .so file, using the timestamp of the last metadata entry available
+            
+        No shared library will be loaded if a new configuration is provided
     '''
     with open(filename, 'r') as json_file:
         js = json.load(json_file)
@@ -561,4 +572,25 @@ def load_model(filename, new_config=None):
 
     model = make_model(js, config)
     model._metadata = metadata + model._metadata
+
+    if new_config is None and shared_library is not False:
+        shared_library_path=None
+        if isinstance(shared_library, str) and shared_library.endswith(".so"):
+            shared_library_path=shared_library
+        else:
+            from glob import glob
+            shared_library_dirpath=os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(filename)) if shared_library is True else os.path.abspath(shared_library)
+            timestamps=[int(md._to_dict()["time"]) for md in model._metadata[-2::-1]]
+            so_files=glob(os.path.join(shared_library_dirpath, 'conifer_bridge_*.so'))
+            so_files=[os.path.basename(so_file) for so_file in so_files]
+            for timestamp in timestamps:
+                if f"conifer_bridge_{timestamp}.so" in so_files:
+                    shared_library_path=os.path.join(shared_library_dirpath, f'conifer_bridge_{timestamp}.so')
+                    break
+
+        try:
+            model.load_shared_library(filename, shared_library_path)
+        except Exception:
+            print("An existing shared library was either not found or could not be loaded. Run model.compile()")
+
     return model
diff --git a/tests/test_save_load.py b/tests/test_save_load.py
index c617ec8a..734a9ee5 100644
--- a/tests/test_save_load.py
+++ b/tests/test_save_load.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 import conifer
 import json
+import os
 
 '''
 Test conifer's model saving and loading functionality by loading some models and checking the predictions
@@ -16,6 +17,29 @@ def test_hls_save_load(hls_convert, train_skl):
   y_hls_0, y_hls_1 = util.predict_skl(orig_model, X, y, load_model)
   np.testing.assert_array_equal(y_hls_0, y_hls_1)
 
+def test_hls_reload_last_shared_library(hls_convert, train_skl):
+  clf, X, y = train_skl
+  initial_model = conifer.model.load_model(f'{hls_convert.config.output_dir}/{hls_convert.config.project_name}.json', shared_library = False)
+  initial_model.config.output_dir += '_loaded'
+  initial_model.compile()
+  # Re-load without recompiling to check if the shared library is loaded correctly
+  reload_model = conifer.model.load_model(f'{hls_convert.config.output_dir}_loaded/{hls_convert.config.project_name}.json', shared_library=True)
+  y_hls, y_hls_reload = util.predict_skl(initial_model, X, y, reload_model)
+  np.testing.assert_array_equal(y_hls, y_hls_reload)
+  assert os.path.basename(initial_model.bridge.__file__) == os.path.basename(reload_model.bridge.__file__), "Loaded two different shared libraries"
+
+def test_hls_reload_manual_shared_library(hls_convert, train_skl):
+  clf, X, y = train_skl
+  initial_model = conifer.model.load_model(f'{hls_convert.config.output_dir}/{hls_convert.config.project_name}.json', shared_library = False)
+  initial_model.config.output_dir += '_loaded'
+  initial_model.compile()
+  so_path = os.path.basename(initial_model.bridge.__file__) # manually get the shared library path
+  # Re-load without recompiling to check if the shared library is loaded correctly
+  reload_model = conifer.model.load_model(f'{hls_convert.config.output_dir}_loaded/{hls_convert.config.project_name}.json', shared_library=so_path) # pass the shared library path manually
+  y_hls, y_hls_reload = util.predict_skl(initial_model, X, y, reload_model)
+  np.testing.assert_array_equal(y_hls, y_hls_reload)
+  assert os.path.basename(initial_model.bridge.__file__) == os.path.basename(reload_model.bridge.__file__), "Loaded two different shared libraries"
+
 def test_hdl_save_load(vhdl_convert, train_skl):
   orig_model = vhdl_convert
   clf, X, y = train_skl