diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/template.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/template.py
index 81b291ff491..358d7d31648 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/template.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/template.py
@@ -111,6 +111,11 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
                 time.localtime(os.path.getmtime(source))
             )
 
+            self._templar.environment.searchpath = [self._loader._basedir, os.path.dirname(source)]
+            if self._task._role is not None:
+                self._templar.environment.searchpath.insert(1, C.DEFAULT_ROLES_PATH)
+                self._templar.environment.searchpath.insert(1, self._task._role._role_path)
+
             old_vars = self._templar._available_variables
             self._templar.set_available_variables(temp_vars)
             resultant = self._templar.template(template_data, preserve_trailing_newlines=True, convert_data=False)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/template.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/template.py
index 311904b280b..8f793a2066f 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/template.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/template.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 
 import os
 
+from ansible import constants as C
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError
 from ansible.plugins.lookup import LookupBase
 
@@ -41,6 +42,12 @@ class LookupModule(LookupBase):
             if lookupfile and os.path.exists(lookupfile):
                 with open(lookupfile, 'r') as f:
                     template_data = f.read()
+
+                    self._templar.environment.searchpath = [self._loader._basedir, os.path.dirname(lookupfile)]
+                    if 'role_path' in variables:
+                        self._templar.environment.searchpath.insert(1, C.DEFAULT_ROLES_PATH)
+                        self._templar.environment.searchpath.insert(1, variables['role_path'])
+
                     res = self._templar.template(template_data, preserve_trailing_newlines=True)
                     ret.append(res)
             else:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/template/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/template/__init__.py
index 574359955db..ec9866c3143 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/template/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/template/__init__.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class Templar:
             undefined=StrictUndefined,
             extensions=self._get_extensions(),
             finalize=self._finalize,
-            loader=FileSystemLoader('.'),
+            loader=FileSystemLoader(self._basedir),
         )
         self.environment.template_class = AnsibleJ2Template