diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
index 41033bd19de..22a3bbfcbba 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
@@ -23,12 +23,6 @@ import yaml
 import copy
 import optparse
 import operator
-from ansible import errors
-from ansible import __version__
-from ansible.utils.plugins import *
-from ansible.utils import template
-from ansible.callbacks import display
-import ansible.constants as C
 import time
 import StringIO
 import stat
@@ -43,6 +37,15 @@ import getpass
 import sys
 import textwrap
 
+# ansible
+from ansible import errors
+from ansible import __version__
+from ansible.utils.plugins import *
+from ansible.utils import template
+from ansible.callbacks import display
+import ansible.constants as C
+import filesystem
+
 VERBOSITY=0
 
 # list of all deprecation messages to prevent duplicate display
@@ -224,7 +227,7 @@ def unfrackpath(path):
     example:
     '$HOME/../../var/mail' becomes '/var/spool/mail'
     '''
-    return os.path.normpath(os.path.realpath(os.path.expandvars(os.path.expanduser(path))))
+    return filesystem.unfrackpath(path)
 
 def prepare_writeable_dir(tree,mode=0777):
     ''' make sure a directory exists and is writeable '''
@@ -250,33 +253,11 @@ def path_dwim(basedir, given):
     '''
     make relative paths work like folks expect.
     '''
-
-    if given.startswith("/"):
-        return os.path.abspath(given)
-    elif given.startswith("~"):
-        return os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(given))
-    else:
-        return os.path.abspath(os.path.join(basedir, given))
+    return filesystem.path_dwim(basedir, given)
 
 def path_dwim_relative(original, dirname, source, playbook_base, check=True):
     ''' find one file in a directory one level up in a dir named dirname relative to current '''
-    # (used by roles code)
-
-    basedir = os.path.dirname(original)
-    if os.path.islink(basedir):
-        basedir = unfrackpath(basedir)
-        template2 = os.path.join(basedir, dirname, source)
-    else:
-        template2 = os.path.join(basedir, '..', dirname, source)
-    source2 = path_dwim(basedir, template2)
-    if os.path.exists(source2):
-        return source2
-    obvious_local_path = path_dwim(playbook_base, source)
-    if os.path.exists(obvious_local_path):
-        return obvious_local_path
-    if check:
-        raise errors.AnsibleError("input file not found at %s or %s" % (source2, obvious_local_path))
-    return source2 # which does not exist
+    return filesystem.path_dwim_relative(original, dirname, source, playbook_base, check=True)
 
 def json_loads(data):
     ''' parse a JSON string and return a data structure '''
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/filesystem.py b/lib/ansible/utils/filesystem.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..db83c546cfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/filesystem.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+# (c) 2012, Michael DeHaan <michael.dehaan@gmail.com>
+#
+# This file is part of Ansible
+#
+# Ansible is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# Ansible is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+import sys
+import os
+from ansible import errors
+from ansible import __version__
+import ansible.constants as C
+
+def path_dwim(basedir, given):
+    '''
+    make relative paths work like folks expect.
+    '''
+
+    if given.startswith("/"):
+        return os.path.abspath(given)
+    elif given.startswith("~"):
+        return os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(given))
+    else:
+        return os.path.abspath(os.path.join(basedir, given))
+
+def path_dwim_relative(original, dirname, source, playbook_base, check=True):
+    ''' find one file in a directory one level up in a dir named dirname relative to current '''
+    # (used by roles code)
+
+    basedir = os.path.dirname(original)
+    if os.path.islink(basedir):
+        basedir = unfrackpath(basedir)
+        template2 = os.path.join(basedir, dirname, source)
+    else:
+        template2 = os.path.join(basedir, '..', dirname, source)
+    source2 = path_dwim(basedir, template2)
+    if os.path.exists(source2):
+        return source2
+    obvious_local_path = path_dwim(playbook_base, source)
+    if os.path.exists(obvious_local_path):
+        return obvious_local_path
+    if check:
+        raise errors.AnsibleError("input file not found at %s or %s" % (source2, obvious_local_path))
+    return source2 # which does not exist
+
+def unfrackpath(path):
+    '''
+    returns a path that is free of symlinks, environment
+    variables, relative path traversals and symbols (~)
+    example:
+    '$HOME/../../var/mail' becomes '/var/spool/mail'
+    '''
+    return os.path.normpath(os.path.realpath(os.path.expandvars(os.path.expanduser(path))))
+
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/template.py b/lib/ansible/utils/template.py
index b83650738f1..8ca285c7933 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/template.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/template.py
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import time
 import datetime
 import pwd
 import ast
+import plugins
+import filesystem
 
 FILTER_PLUGINS = None
 _LISTRE = re.compile(r"(\w+)\[(\d+)\]")
@@ -45,10 +47,9 @@ def _get_filters():
     if Globals.FILTERS is not None:
         return Globals.FILTERS
 
-    from ansible import utils
-    plugins = [ x for x in utils.plugins.filter_loader.all()]
+    my_plugins = [ x for x in plugins.filter_loader.all()]
     filters = {}
-    for fp in plugins:
+    for fp in my_plugins:
         filters.update(fp.filters())
     Globals.FILTERS = filters
 
@@ -66,8 +67,7 @@ def _get_extensions():
     return jinja_exts
 
 def lookup(name, *args, **kwargs):
-    from ansible import utils
-    instance = utils.plugins.lookup_loader.get(name.lower(), basedir=kwargs.get('basedir',None))
+    instance = plugins.lookup_loader.get(name.lower(), basedir=kwargs.get('basedir',None))
     vars = kwargs.get('vars', None)
 
     if instance is not None:
@@ -221,7 +221,6 @@ def _legacy_varFind(basedir, text, vars, lookup_fatal, depth, expand_lists):
         if basedir is None:
             return {'replacement': None, 'start': start, 'end': end}
         var_end -= 1
-        from ansible import utils
         args = text[part_start:var_end]
         if lookup_plugin_name == 'LOOKUP':
             lookup_plugin_name, args = args.split(",", 1)
@@ -233,7 +232,7 @@ def _legacy_varFind(basedir, text, vars, lookup_fatal, depth, expand_lists):
             return None
 
 
-        instance = utils.plugins.lookup_loader.get(lookup_plugin_name.lower(), basedir=basedir)
+        instance = plugins.lookup_loader.get(lookup_plugin_name.lower(), basedir=basedir)
         if instance is not None:
             try:
                 replacement = instance.run(args, inject=vars)
@@ -411,8 +410,7 @@ def template_from_file(basedir, path, vars):
 
     fail_on_undefined = C.DEFAULT_UNDEFINED_VAR_BEHAVIOR
 
-    from ansible import utils
-    realpath = utils.path_dwim(basedir, path)
+    realpath = filesystem.path_dwim(basedir, path)
     loader=jinja2.FileSystemLoader([basedir,os.path.dirname(realpath)])
 
     def my_lookup(*args, **kwargs):