diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/collection_routing.yml b/changelogs/fragments/collection_routing.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fd1a5579bfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/collection_routing.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+major_changes:
+  - Plugin routing allows collections to declare deprecation, redirection targets, and removals for all plugin types.
+  - Routing data built into Ansible 2.10 ensures that 2.9 content should work unmodified on 2.10. Formerly included
+    modules and plugins that were moved to collections are still accessible by their original unqualified names, so long
+    as their destination collections are installed.
+  - Collections may declare a list of supported/tested Ansible versions for the collection. A warning is issued if a
+    collection does not support the Ansible version that loads it (can also be configured as silent or a fatal error).
+    Collections that do not declare supported Ansible versions do not issue a warning/error.
+  - Plugins that import module_utils and other ansible namespaces that have moved to collections should
+    continue to work unmodified.
diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/validate-modules-deprecated-collections.yml b/changelogs/fragments/validate-modules-deprecated-collections.yml
index cbd1366824c..092eb5930d1 100644
--- a/changelogs/fragments/validate-modules-deprecated-collections.yml
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/validate-modules-deprecated-collections.yml
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 minor_changes:
-    - validate-modules checks for deprecated in collections against meta/routing.yml
+    - validate-modules checks for deprecated in collections against meta/runtime.yml
diff --git a/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py
index 3adf5eb5a4b..59b19c636ff 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ from ansible.parsing.dataloader import DataLoader
 from ansible.parsing.vault import PromptVaultSecret, get_file_vault_secret
 from ansible.plugins.loader import add_all_plugin_dirs
 from ansible.release import __version__
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader, get_collection_name_from_path, set_collection_playbook_paths
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _get_collection_name_from_path
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
 from ansible.utils.path import unfrackpath
 from ansible.utils.unsafe_proxy import to_unsafe_text
@@ -455,11 +456,11 @@ class CLI(with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
         if basedir:
             loader.set_basedir(basedir)
             add_all_plugin_dirs(basedir)
-            set_collection_playbook_paths(basedir)
-            default_collection = get_collection_name_from_path(basedir)
+            AnsibleCollectionConfig.playbook_paths = basedir
+            default_collection = _get_collection_name_from_path(basedir)
             if default_collection:
                 display.warning(u'running with default collection {0}'.format(default_collection))
-                AnsibleCollectionLoader().set_default_collection(default_collection)
+                AnsibleCollectionConfig.default_collection = default_collection
 
         vault_ids = list(options['vault_ids'])
         default_vault_ids = C.DEFAULT_VAULT_IDENTITY_LIST
diff --git a/lib/ansible/cli/doc.py b/lib/ansible/cli/doc.py
index 8e96376ab6f..bfb67e66ff7 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/cli/doc.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/cli/doc.py
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ from ansible.parsing.metadata import extract_metadata
 from ansible.parsing.plugin_docs import read_docstub
 from ansible.parsing.yaml.dumper import AnsibleDumper
 from ansible.plugins.loader import action_loader, fragment_loader
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import set_collection_playbook_paths, get_collection_name_from_path
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _get_collection_name_from_path
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
 from ansible.utils.plugin_docs import BLACKLIST, get_docstring, get_versioned_doclink
 
@@ -44,11 +45,11 @@ def jdump(text):
 
 def add_collection_plugins(plugin_list, plugin_type, coll_filter=None):
 
-    # TODO: take into account routing.yml once implemented
+    # TODO: take into account runtime.yml once implemented
     b_colldirs = list_collection_dirs(coll_filter=coll_filter)
     for b_path in b_colldirs:
         path = to_text(b_path, errors='surrogate_or_strict')
-        collname = get_collection_name_from_path(b_path)
+        collname = _get_collection_name_from_path(b_path)
         ptype = C.COLLECTION_PTYPE_COMPAT.get(plugin_type, plugin_type)
         plugin_list.update(DocCLI.find_plugins(os.path.join(path, 'plugins', ptype), plugin_type, collection=collname))
 
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ class DocCLI(CLI):
         # add to plugin paths from command line
         basedir = context.CLIARGS['basedir']
         if basedir:
-            set_collection_playbook_paths(basedir)
+            AnsibleCollectionConfig.playbook_paths = basedir
             loader.add_directory(basedir, with_subdir=True)
         if context.CLIARGS['module_path']:
             for path in context.CLIARGS['module_path']:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/cli/playbook.py b/lib/ansible/cli/playbook.py
index 300d9133492..3429a283964 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/cli/playbook.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/cli/playbook.py
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ from ansible.executor.playbook_executor import PlaybookExecutor
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes
 from ansible.playbook.block import Block
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader, get_collection_name_from_path, set_collection_playbook_paths
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _get_collection_name_from_path
 from ansible.plugins.loader import add_all_plugin_dirs
 
 
@@ -90,13 +91,13 @@ class PlaybookCLI(CLI):
 
             b_playbook_dirs.append(b_playbook_dir)
 
-        set_collection_playbook_paths(b_playbook_dirs)
+        AnsibleCollectionConfig.playbook_paths = b_playbook_dirs
 
-        playbook_collection = get_collection_name_from_path(b_playbook_dirs[0])
+        playbook_collection = _get_collection_name_from_path(b_playbook_dirs[0])
 
         if playbook_collection:
             display.warning("running playbook inside collection {0}".format(playbook_collection))
-            AnsibleCollectionLoader().set_default_collection(playbook_collection)
+            AnsibleCollectionConfig.default_collection = playbook_collection
 
         # don't deal with privilege escalation or passwords when we don't need to
         if not (context.CLIARGS['listhosts'] or context.CLIARGS['listtasks'] or
diff --git a/lib/ansible/collections/list.py b/lib/ansible/collections/list.py
index cd207dafdfb..8e8bc664901 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/collections/list.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/collections/list.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from collections import defaultdict
 
 from ansible.collections import is_collection_path
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
 
 display = Display()
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def list_valid_collection_paths(search_paths=None, warn=False):
     if search_paths is None:
         search_paths = []
 
-    search_paths.extend(AnsibleCollectionLoader().n_collection_paths)
+    search_paths.extend(AnsibleCollectionConfig.collection_paths)
 
     for path in search_paths:
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/config/routing.yml b/lib/ansible/config/ansible_builtin_runtime.yml
similarity index 99%
rename from lib/ansible/config/routing.yml
rename to lib/ansible/config/ansible_builtin_runtime.yml
index cf8f2e49d1f..8064babf80e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/config/routing.yml
+++ b/lib/ansible/config/ansible_builtin_runtime.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2020 Ansible Project
 # GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
-# This file is only for 2.9 backwards compatiblity, expect it to go away in future ansible versions.
 plugin_routing:
   connection:
+    # test entry
+    redirected_local:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.local
     buildah:
       redirect: containers.podman.buildah
     podman:
@@ -48,6 +50,12 @@ plugin_routing:
     persistent:
       redirect: ansible.netcommon.persistent
   modules:
+    # test entry
+    formerly_core_ping:
+      redirect: testns.testcoll.ping
+    # test entry
+    uses_redirected_action:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.ping
     podman_container_info:
       redirect: containers.podman.podman_container_info
     podman_image_info:
@@ -4100,8 +4108,8 @@ plugin_routing:
       redirect: ansible.posix.sysctl
     async_status:
       redirect: ansible.windows.async_status
-    setup:
-      redirect: ansible.windows.setup
+    setup.ps1:
+      redirect: ansible.windows.setup.ps1
     slurp:
       redirect: ansible.windows.slurp
     win_acl:
@@ -7553,6 +7561,10 @@ plugin_routing:
     cpm_user:
       redirect: wti.remote.cpm_user
   module_utils:
+    formerly_core:
+      redirect: ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.module_utils.base
+    sub1.sub2.formerly_core:
+      redirect: ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.module_utils.base
     common:
       redirect: f5networks.f5_modules.common
     frr:
@@ -8052,6 +8064,9 @@ plugin_routing:
     vyos:
       redirect: vyos.vyos.vyos
   action:
+    # test entry, overloaded with module of same name to use a different base action (ie not "normal.py")
+    uses_redirected_action:
+      redirect: testns.testcoll.subclassed_norm
     aireos:
       redirect: community.general.aireos
     aruba:
@@ -8493,6 +8508,11 @@ plugin_routing:
     vyos:
       redirect: vyos.vyos.vyos
   filter:
+    # test entries
+    formerly_core_filter:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.bool
+    formerly_core_masked_filter:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.bool
     gcp_kms_encrypt:
       redirect: google.cloud.gcp_kms_encrypt
     gcp_kms_decrypt:
@@ -8575,6 +8595,9 @@ plugin_routing:
     qradar:
       redirect: ibm.qradar.qradar
   inventory:
+    # test entry
+    formerly_core_inventory:
+      redirect: testns.content_adj.statichost
     cloudscale:
       redirect: community.general.cloudscale
     docker_machine:
@@ -8622,6 +8645,9 @@ plugin_routing:
     azure_rm:
       redirect: azure.azcollection.azure_rm
   lookup:
+    # test entry
+    formerly_core_lookup:
+      redirect: testns.testcoll.mylookup
     avi:
       redirect: community.general.avi
     cartesian:
@@ -8714,7 +8740,29 @@ plugin_routing:
     junos:
       redirect: junipernetworks.junos.junos
   shell:
+    # test entry
+    formerly_core_powershell:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.powershell
     csh:
       redirect: ansible.posix.csh
     fish:
       redirect: ansible.posix.fish
+  test:
+    # test entries
+    formerly_core_test:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.search
+    formerly_core_masked_test:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.search
+import_redirection:
+  # test entry
+  ansible.module_utils.formerly_core:
+    redirect: ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.module_utils.base
+  ansible.module_utils.known_hosts:
+    redirect: ansible_collections.community.general.plugins.module_utils.known_hosts
+  # ansible.builtin synthetic collection redirection hackery
+  ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.modules:
+    redirect: ansible.modules
+  ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.module_utils:
+    redirect: ansible.module_utils
+  ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins:
+    redirect: ansible.plugins
diff --git a/lib/ansible/config/base.yml b/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
index 9c500b7c7df..7029c651894 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
+++ b/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
@@ -215,6 +215,14 @@ CACHE_PLUGIN_TIMEOUT:
   - {key: fact_caching_timeout, section: defaults}
   type: integer
   yaml: {key: facts.cache.timeout}
+COLLECTIONS_SCAN_SYS_PATH:
+  name: enable/disable scanning sys.path for installed collections
+  default: true
+  type: boolean
+  env:
+  - {name: ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_SCAN_SYS_PATH}
+  ini:
+  - {key: collections_scan_sys_path, section: defaults}
 COLLECTIONS_PATHS:
   name: ordered list of root paths for loading installed Ansible collections content
   description: Colon separated paths in which Ansible will search for collections content.
@@ -224,6 +232,16 @@ COLLECTIONS_PATHS:
   - {name: ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_PATHS}
   ini:
   - {key: collections_paths, section: defaults}
+COLLECTIONS_ON_ANSIBLE_VERSION_MISMATCH:
+  name: Defines behavior when loading a collection that does not support the current Ansible version
+  description:
+  - When a collection is loaded that does not support the running Ansible version (via the collection metadata key
+    `requires_ansible`), the default behavior is to issue a warning and continue anyway. Setting this value to `ignore`
+    skips the warning entirely, while setting it to `fatal` will immediately halt Ansible execution.
+  env: [{name: ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_ON_ANSIBLE_VERSION_MISMATCH}]
+  ini: [{key: collections_on_ansible_version_mismatch, section: defaults}]
+  choices: [error, warning, ignore]
+  default: warning
 COLOR_CHANGED:
   name: Color for 'changed' task status
   default: yellow
diff --git a/lib/ansible/errors/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/errors/__init__.py
index 243ce9955a6..93871b9e9ac 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/errors/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/errors/__init__.py
@@ -276,6 +276,21 @@ class AnsibleFileNotFound(AnsibleRuntimeError):
                                                   suppress_extended_error=suppress_extended_error, orig_exc=orig_exc)
 
 
+class AnsiblePluginRemoved(AnsibleRuntimeError):
+    ''' a requested plugin has been removed '''
+    pass
+
+
+class AnsiblePluginCircularRedirect(AnsibleRuntimeError):
+    '''a cycle was detected in plugin redirection'''
+    pass
+
+
+class AnsibleCollectionUnsupportedVersionError(AnsibleRuntimeError):
+    '''a collection is not supported by this version of Ansible'''
+    pass
+
+
 # These Exceptions are temporary, using them as flow control until we can get a better solution.
 # DO NOT USE as they will probably be removed soon.
 # We will port the action modules in our tree to use a context manager instead.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/module_common.py b/lib/ansible/executor/module_common.py
index a29502e5336..fea097cf903 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/module_common.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/module_common.py
@@ -36,9 +36,10 @@ from ansible import constants as C
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError
 from ansible.executor.interpreter_discovery import InterpreterDiscoveryRequiredError
 from ansible.executor.powershell import module_manifest as ps_manifest
-from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes, to_text, to_native
-from ansible.module_utils.compat.importlib import import_module
+from ansible.module_utils.common.text.converters import to_bytes, to_text, to_native
 from ansible.plugins.loader import module_utils_loader
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _get_collection_metadata
+
 # Must import strategy and use write_locks from there
 # If we import write_locks directly then we end up binding a
 # variable to the object and then it never gets updated.
@@ -601,7 +602,8 @@ class ModuleInfo:
         path = None
 
         if imp is None:
-            self._info = info = importlib.machinery.PathFinder.find_spec(name, paths)
+            # don't pretend this is a top-level module, prefix the rest of the namespace
+            self._info = info = importlib.machinery.PathFinder.find_spec('ansible.module_utils.' + name, paths)
             if info is not None:
                 self.py_src = os.path.splitext(info.origin)[1] in importlib.machinery.SOURCE_SUFFIXES
                 self.pkg_dir = info.origin.endswith('/__init__.py')
@@ -632,33 +634,61 @@ class ModuleInfo:
 
 
 class CollectionModuleInfo(ModuleInfo):
-    def __init__(self, name, paths):
+    def __init__(self, name, pkg):
         self._mod_name = name
         self.py_src = True
-        # FIXME: Implement pkg_dir so that we can place __init__.py files
         self.pkg_dir = False
 
-        for path in paths:
-            self._package_name = '.'.join(path.split('/'))
-            try:
-                self.get_source()
-            except FileNotFoundError:
-                pass
-            else:
-                self.path = os.path.join(path, self._mod_name) + '.py'
-                break
-        else:
-            # FIXME (nitz): implement package fallback code
+        split_name = pkg.split('.')
+        split_name.append(name)
+        if len(split_name) < 5 or split_name[0] != 'ansible_collections' or split_name[3] != 'plugins' or split_name[4] != 'module_utils':
+            raise ValueError('must search for something beneath a collection module_utils, not {0}.{1}'.format(to_native(pkg), to_native(name)))
+
+        # NB: we can't use pkgutil.get_data safely here, since we don't want to import/execute package/module code on
+        # the controller while analyzing/assembling the module, so we'll have to manually import the collection's
+        # Python package to locate it (import root collection, reassemble resource path beneath, fetch source)
+
+        # FIXME: handle MU redirection logic here
+
+        collection_pkg_name = '.'.join(split_name[0:3])
+        resource_base_path = os.path.join(*split_name[3:])
+        # look for package_dir first, then module
+
+        self._src = pkgutil.get_data(collection_pkg_name, to_native(os.path.join(resource_base_path, '__init__.py')))
+
+        if self._src is not None:  # empty string is OK
+            return
+
+        self._src = pkgutil.get_data(collection_pkg_name, to_native(resource_base_path + '.py'))
+
+        if not self._src:
             raise ImportError('unable to load collection-hosted module_util'
-                              ' {0}.{1}'.format(to_native(self._package_name),
-                                                to_native(name)))
+                              ' {0}.{1}'.format(to_native(pkg), to_native(name)))
 
     def get_source(self):
-        # FIXME (nitz): need this in py2 for some reason TBD, but we shouldn't (get_data delegates
-        # to wrong loader without it)
-        pkg = import_module(self._package_name)
-        data = pkgutil.get_data(to_native(self._package_name), to_native(self._mod_name + '.py'))
-        return data
+        return self._src
+
+
+class InternalRedirectModuleInfo(ModuleInfo):
+    def __init__(self, name, full_name):
+        self.pkg_dir = None
+        self._original_name = full_name
+        self.path = full_name.replace('.', '/') + '.py'
+        collection_meta = _get_collection_metadata('ansible.builtin')
+        redirect = collection_meta.get('plugin_routing', {}).get('module_utils', {}).get(name, {}).get('redirect', None)
+        if not redirect:
+            raise ImportError('no redirect found for {0}'.format(name))
+        self._redirect = redirect
+        self.py_src = True
+        self._shim_src = """
+import sys
+import {1} as mod
+
+sys.modules['{0}'] = mod
+""".format(self._original_name, self._redirect)
+
+    def get_source(self):
+        return self._shim_src
 
 
 def recursive_finder(name, module_fqn, data, py_module_names, py_module_cache, zf):
@@ -721,8 +751,7 @@ def recursive_finder(name, module_fqn, data, py_module_names, py_module_cache, z
                     break
                 try:
                     # this is a collection-hosted MU; look it up with pkgutil.get_data()
-                    module_info = CollectionModuleInfo(py_module_name[-idx],
-                                                       [os.path.join(*py_module_name[:-idx])])
+                    module_info = CollectionModuleInfo(py_module_name[-idx], '.'.join(py_module_name[:-idx]))
                     break
                 except ImportError:
                     continue
@@ -740,7 +769,13 @@ def recursive_finder(name, module_fqn, data, py_module_names, py_module_cache, z
                                              [os.path.join(p, *relative_module_utils_dir[:-idx]) for p in module_utils_paths])
                     break
                 except ImportError:
-                    continue
+                    # check metadata for redirect, generate stub if present
+                    try:
+                        module_info = InternalRedirectModuleInfo(py_module_name[-idx],
+                                                                 '.'.join(py_module_name[:(None if idx == 1 else -1)]))
+                        break
+                    except ImportError:
+                        continue
         else:
             # If we get here, it's because of a bug in ModuleDepFinder.  If we get a reproducer we
             # should then fix ModuleDepFinder
diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/powershell/module_manifest.py b/lib/ansible/executor/powershell/module_manifest.py
index 321ff83455e..83a1c3a7393 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/powershell/module_manifest.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/powershell/module_manifest.py
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ class PSModuleDepFinder(object):
         if name in self.exec_scripts.keys():
             return
 
-        data = pkgutil.get_data("ansible.executor.powershell", name + ".ps1")
+        data = pkgutil.get_data("ansible.executor.powershell", to_native(name + ".ps1"))
         if data is None:
             raise AnsibleError("Could not find executor powershell script "
                                "for '%s'" % name)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
index 3a5c98dd582..f4a5fd834f1 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from ansible.playbook.conditional import Conditional
 from ansible.playbook.task import Task
 from ansible.plugins.loader import become_loader, cliconf_loader, connection_loader, httpapi_loader, netconf_loader, terminal_loader
 from ansible.template import Templar
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig
 from ansible.utils.listify import listify_lookup_plugin_terms
 from ansible.utils.unsafe_proxy import to_unsafe_text, wrap_var
 from ansible.vars.clean import namespace_facts, clean_facts
@@ -1101,7 +1101,7 @@ def start_connection(play_context, variables, task_uuid):
         # can.
         'ANSIBLE_BECOME_PLUGINS': become_loader.print_paths(),
         'ANSIBLE_CLICONF_PLUGINS': cliconf_loader.print_paths(),
-        'ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_PATHS': os.pathsep.join(AnsibleCollectionLoader().n_collection_paths),
+        'ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_PATHS': to_native(os.pathsep.join(AnsibleCollectionConfig.collection_paths)),
         'ANSIBLE_CONNECTION_PLUGINS': connection_loader.print_paths(),
         'ANSIBLE_HTTPAPI_PLUGINS': httpapi_loader.print_paths(),
         'ANSIBLE_NETCONF_PLUGINS': netconf_loader.print_paths(),
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/collectionsearch.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/collectionsearch.py
index d80b6a1c6a3..fb69519b40d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/collectionsearch.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/collectionsearch.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 
 from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 from ansible.playbook.attribute import FieldAttribute
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig
 from ansible.template import is_template, Environment
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
 
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ display = Display()
 
 
 def _ensure_default_collection(collection_list=None):
-    default_collection = AnsibleCollectionLoader().default_collection
+    default_collection = AnsibleCollectionConfig.default_collection
 
     # Will be None when used as the default
     if collection_list is None:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/helpers.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/helpers.py
index 4eff569943b..2a8c5aecbe5 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/helpers.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/helpers.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ from ansible.errors import AnsibleParserError, AnsibleUndefinedVariable, Ansible
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native
 from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 from ansible.parsing.mod_args import ModuleArgsParser
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
 
 display = Display()
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/role/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/role/__init__.py
index 4b43b3eb644..b7456afcf77 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/role/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/role/__init__.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ from ansible.playbook.helpers import load_list_of_blocks
 from ansible.playbook.role.metadata import RoleMetadata
 from ansible.playbook.taggable import Taggable
 from ansible.plugins.loader import add_all_plugin_dirs
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig
 from ansible.utils.vars import combine_vars
 
 
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ class Role(Base, Conditional, Taggable, CollectionSearch):
         if self._role_collection:  # this is a collection-hosted role
             self.collections.insert(0, self._role_collection)
         else:  # this is a legacy role, but set the default collection if there is one
-            default_collection = AnsibleCollectionLoader().default_collection
+            default_collection = AnsibleCollectionConfig.default_collection
             if default_collection:
                 self.collections.insert(0, default_collection)
             # legacy role, ensure all plugin dirs under the role are added to plugin search path
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/role/definition.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/role/definition.py
index b859f63a956..20d69ebd6b3 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/role/definition.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/role/definition.py
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ from ansible.playbook.collectionsearch import CollectionSearch
 from ansible.playbook.conditional import Conditional
 from ansible.playbook.taggable import Taggable
 from ansible.template import Templar
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import get_collection_role_path, AnsibleCollectionRef
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionRef
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _get_collection_role_path
 from ansible.utils.path import unfrackpath
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
 
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ class RoleDefinition(Base, Conditional, Taggable, CollectionSearch):
 
         # try to load as a collection-based role first
         if self._collection_list or AnsibleCollectionRef.is_valid_fqcr(role_name):
-            role_tuple = get_collection_role_path(role_name, self._collection_list)
+            role_tuple = _get_collection_role_path(role_name, self._collection_list)
 
         if role_tuple:
             # we found it, stash collection data and return the name/path tuple
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
index 972707f5cfe..e9e5d876ef8 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ from ansible.playbook.conditional import Conditional
 from ansible.playbook.loop_control import LoopControl
 from ansible.playbook.role import Role
 from ansible.playbook.taggable import Taggable
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
 from ansible.utils.sentinel import Sentinel
 
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, CollectionSearch):
             new_ds.ansible_pos = ds.ansible_pos
 
         # since this affects the task action parsing, we have to resolve in preprocess instead of in typical validator
-        default_collection = AnsibleCollectionLoader().default_collection
+        default_collection = AnsibleCollectionConfig.default_collection
 
         collections_list = ds.get('collections')
         if collections_list is None:
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, CollectionSearch):
         if self._parent:
             self._parent.post_validate(templar)
 
-        if AnsibleCollectionLoader().default_collection:
+        if AnsibleCollectionConfig.default_collection:
             pass
 
         super(Task, self).post_validate(templar)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/inventory/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/inventory/__init__.py
index fc6046c6288..c0ecb4c1cd1 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/inventory/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/inventory/__init__.py
@@ -216,10 +216,13 @@ class BaseInventoryPlugin(AnsiblePlugin):
         except Exception as e:
             raise AnsibleParserError(to_native(e))
 
+        # a plugin can be loaded via many different names with redirection- if so, we want to accept any of those names
+        valid_names = getattr(self, '_redirected_names') or [self.NAME]
+
         if not config:
             # no data
             raise AnsibleParserError("%s is empty" % (to_native(path)))
-        elif config.get('plugin') != self.NAME:
+        elif config.get('plugin') not in valid_names:
             # this is not my config file
             raise AnsibleParserError("Incorrect plugin name in file: %s" % config.get('plugin', 'none found'))
         elif not isinstance(config, Mapping):
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
index fb61fd2084c..e52eebc49a1 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/loader.py
@@ -16,25 +16,45 @@ import warnings
 from collections import defaultdict
 
 from ansible import constants as C
-from ansible.errors import AnsibleError
+from ansible.errors import AnsibleError, AnsiblePluginCircularRedirect, AnsiblePluginRemoved, AnsibleCollectionUnsupportedVersionError
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes, to_text, to_native
 from ansible.module_utils.compat.importlib import import_module
 from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 from ansible.parsing.utils.yaml import from_yaml
 from ansible.parsing.yaml.loader import AnsibleLoader
 from ansible.plugins import get_plugin_class, MODULE_CACHE, PATH_CACHE, PLUGIN_PATH_CACHE
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader, AnsibleFlatMapLoader, AnsibleCollectionRef
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig, AnsibleCollectionRef
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _AnsibleCollectionFinder, _get_collection_metadata
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
 from ansible.utils.plugin_docs import add_fragments
+from ansible import __version__ as ansible_version
+
+# TODO: take the packaging dep, or vendor SpecifierSet?
+
+try:
+    from packaging.specifiers import SpecifierSet
+    from packaging.version import Version
+except ImportError:
+    SpecifierSet = None
+    Version = None
+
+try:
+    # use C version if possible for speedup
+    from yaml import CSafeLoader as SafeLoader
+except ImportError:
+    from yaml import SafeLoader
 
 try:
     import importlib.util
     imp = None
 except ImportError:
     import imp
+    ModuleNotFoundError = None
 
 display = Display()
 
+_tombstones = None
+
 
 def get_all_plugin_loaders():
     return [(name, obj) for (name, obj) in globals().items() if isinstance(obj, PluginLoader)]
@@ -93,6 +113,61 @@ def add_dirs_to_loader(which_loader, paths):
         loader.add_directory(path, with_subdir=True)
 
 
+class PluginLoadContext(object):
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.original_name = None
+        self.redirect_list = []
+        self.error_list = []
+        self.import_error_list = []
+        self.load_attempts = []
+        self.pending_redirect = None
+        self.exit_reason = None
+        self.plugin_resolved_path = None
+        self.plugin_resolved_name = None
+        self.deprecated = False
+        self.removal_date = None
+        self.deprecation_warnings = []
+        self.resolved = False
+
+    def record_deprecation(self, name, deprecation):
+        if not deprecation:
+            return self
+
+        warning_text = deprecation.get('warning_text', None)
+        removal_date = deprecation.get('removal_date', None)
+        if not warning_text:
+            if removal_date:
+                warning_text = '{0} has been deprecated and will be removed in a release after {1}'.format(name, removal_date)
+            else:
+                warning_text = '{0} has been deprecated and will be removed in a future release'.format(name)
+
+        self.deprecated = True
+        if removal_date:
+            self.removal_date = removal_date
+        self.deprecation_warnings.append(warning_text)
+        return self
+
+    def resolve(self, resolved_name, resolved_path, exit_reason):
+        self.pending_redirect = None
+        self.plugin_resolved_name = resolved_name
+        self.plugin_resolved_path = resolved_path
+        self.exit_reason = exit_reason
+        self.resolved = True
+        return self
+
+    def redirect(self, redirect_name):
+        self.pending_redirect = redirect_name
+        self.exit_reason = 'pending redirect resolution from {0} to {1}'.format(self.original_name, redirect_name)
+        self.resolved = False
+        return self
+
+    def nope(self, exit_reason):
+        self.pending_redirect = None
+        self.exit_reason = exit_reason
+        self.resolved = False
+        return self
+
+
 class PluginLoader:
     '''
     PluginLoader loads plugins from the configured plugin directories.
@@ -136,6 +211,9 @@ class PluginLoader:
 
         self._searched_paths = set()
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return 'PluginLoader(type={0})'.format(AnsibleCollectionRef.legacy_plugin_dir_to_plugin_type(self.subdir))
+
     def _clear_caches(self):
 
         if C.OLD_PLUGIN_CACHE_CLEARING:
@@ -307,15 +385,80 @@ class PluginLoader:
                 self._clear_caches()
                 display.debug('Added %s to loader search path' % (directory))
 
-    def _find_fq_plugin(self, fq_name, extension):
+    def _query_collection_routing_meta(self, acr, plugin_type, extension=None):
+        collection_pkg = import_module(acr.n_python_collection_package_name)
+        if not collection_pkg:
+            return None
+
+        # FIXME: shouldn't need this...
+        try:
+            # force any type-specific metadata postprocessing to occur
+            import_module(acr.n_python_collection_package_name + '.plugins.{0}'.format(plugin_type))
+        except ImportError:
+            pass
+
+        # this will be created by the collection PEP302 loader
+        collection_meta = getattr(collection_pkg, '_collection_meta', None)
+
+        if not collection_meta:
+            return None
+
+        # TODO: add subdirs support
+        # check for extension-specific entry first (eg 'setup.ps1')
+        # TODO: str/bytes on extension/name munging
+        if acr.subdirs:
+            subdir_qualified_resource = '.'.join([acr.subdirs, acr.resource])
+        else:
+            subdir_qualified_resource = acr.resource
+        entry = collection_meta.get('plugin_routing', {}).get(plugin_type, {}).get(subdir_qualified_resource + extension, None)
+        if not entry:
+            # try for extension-agnostic entry
+            entry = collection_meta.get('plugin_routing', {}).get(plugin_type, {}).get(subdir_qualified_resource, None)
+        return entry
+
+    def _find_fq_plugin(self, fq_name, extension, plugin_load_context):
         """Search builtin paths to find a plugin. No external paths are searched,
         meaning plugins inside roles inside collections will be ignored.
         """
 
+        plugin_load_context.resolved = False
+
         plugin_type = AnsibleCollectionRef.legacy_plugin_dir_to_plugin_type(self.subdir)
 
         acr = AnsibleCollectionRef.from_fqcr(fq_name, plugin_type)
 
+        # check collection metadata to see if any special handling is required for this plugin
+        routing_metadata = self._query_collection_routing_meta(acr, plugin_type, extension=extension)
+
+        # TODO: factor this into a wrapper method
+        if routing_metadata:
+            deprecation = routing_metadata.get('deprecation', None)
+
+            # this will no-op if there's no deprecation metadata for this plugin
+            plugin_load_context.record_deprecation(fq_name, deprecation)
+
+            tombstone = routing_metadata.get('tombstone', None)
+
+            if tombstone:
+                redirect = tombstone.get('redirect', None)
+                removal_date = tombstone.get('removal_date')
+                if removal_date:
+                    removed_msg = '{0} was removed on {1}'.format(fq_name, removal_date)
+                else:
+                    removed_msg = '{0} was removed in a previous release'.format(fq_name)
+                plugin_load_context.removal_date = removal_date
+                plugin_load_context.resolved = True
+                plugin_load_context.exit_reason = removed_msg
+                return plugin_load_context
+
+            redirect = routing_metadata.get('redirect', None)
+
+            if redirect:
+                # FIXME: remove once this is covered in debug or whatever
+                display.vv("redirecting (type: {0}) {1} to {2}".format(plugin_type, fq_name, redirect))
+                return plugin_load_context.redirect(redirect)
+                # TODO: non-FQCN case, do we support `.` prefix for current collection, assume it with no dots, require it for subdirs in current, or ?
+
         n_resource = to_native(acr.resource, errors='strict')
         # we want this before the extension is added
         full_name = '{0}.{1}'.format(acr.n_python_package_name, n_resource)
@@ -326,17 +469,10 @@ class PluginLoader:
         pkg = sys.modules.get(acr.n_python_package_name)
         if not pkg:
             # FIXME: there must be cheaper/safer way to do this
-            pkg = import_module(acr.n_python_package_name)
-
-        # if the package is one of our flatmaps, we need to consult its loader to find the path, since the file could be
-        # anywhere in the tree
-        if hasattr(pkg, '__loader__') and isinstance(pkg.__loader__, AnsibleFlatMapLoader):
             try:
-                file_path = pkg.__loader__.find_file(n_resource)
-                return full_name, to_text(file_path)
-            except IOError:
-                # this loader already takes care of extensionless files, so if we didn't find it, just bail
-                return None, None
+                pkg = import_module(acr.n_python_package_name)
+            except (ImportError, ModuleNotFoundError):
+                return plugin_load_context.nope('Python package {0} not found'.format(acr.n_python_package_name))
 
         pkg_path = os.path.dirname(pkg.__file__)
 
@@ -344,7 +480,11 @@ class PluginLoader:
 
         # FIXME: and is file or file link or ...
         if os.path.exists(n_resource_path):
-            return full_name, to_text(n_resource_path)
+            return plugin_load_context.resolve(full_name, to_text(n_resource_path), 'found exact match for {0} in {1}'.format(full_name, acr.collection))
+
+        if extension:
+            # the request was extension-specific, don't try for an extensionless match
+            return plugin_load_context.nope('no match for {0} in {1}'.format(to_text(n_resource), acr.collection))
 
         # look for any matching extension in the package location (sans filter)
         found_files = [f
@@ -352,24 +492,63 @@ class PluginLoader:
                        if os.path.isfile(f) and not f.endswith(C.MODULE_IGNORE_EXTS)]
 
         if not found_files:
-            return None, None
+            return plugin_load_context.nope('failed fuzzy extension match for {0} in {1}'.format(full_name, acr.collection))
 
         if len(found_files) > 1:
             # TODO: warn?
             pass
 
-        return full_name, to_text(found_files[0])
+        return plugin_load_context.resolve(full_name, to_text(found_files[0]), 'found fuzzy extension match for {0} in {1}'.format(full_name, acr.collection))
 
     def find_plugin(self, name, mod_type='', ignore_deprecated=False, check_aliases=False, collection_list=None):
         ''' Find a plugin named name '''
-        return self.find_plugin_with_name(name, mod_type, ignore_deprecated, check_aliases, collection_list)[1]
+        result = self.find_plugin_with_context(name, mod_type, ignore_deprecated, check_aliases, collection_list)
+        if result.resolved and result.plugin_resolved_path:
+            return result.plugin_resolved_path
 
-    def find_plugin_with_name(self, name, mod_type='', ignore_deprecated=False, check_aliases=False, collection_list=None):
-        ''' Find a plugin named name '''
+        return None
+
+    def find_plugin_with_context(self, name, mod_type='', ignore_deprecated=False, check_aliases=False, collection_list=None):
+        ''' Find a plugin named name, returning contextual info about the load, recursively resolving redirection '''
+        plugin_load_context = PluginLoadContext()
+        plugin_load_context.original_name = name
+        while True:
+            result = self._resolve_plugin_step(name, mod_type, ignore_deprecated, check_aliases, collection_list, plugin_load_context=plugin_load_context)
+            if result.pending_redirect:
+                if result.pending_redirect in result.redirect_list:
+                    raise AnsiblePluginCircularRedirect('plugin redirect loop resolving {0} (path: {1})'.format(result.original_name, result.redirect_list))
+                name = result.pending_redirect
+                result.pending_redirect = None
+                plugin_load_context = result
+            else:
+                break
+
+        # TODO: smuggle these to the controller when we're in a worker, reduce noise from normal things like missing plugin packages during collection search
+        if plugin_load_context.error_list:
+            display.warning("errors were encountered during the plugin load for {0}:\n{1}".format(name, plugin_load_context.error_list))
+
+        # TODO: display/return import_error_list? Only useful for forensics...
+
+        if plugin_load_context.deprecated and C.config.get_config_value('DEPRECATION_WARNINGS'):
+            for dw in plugin_load_context.deprecation_warnings:
+                # TODO: need to smuggle these to the controller if we're in a worker context
+                display.warning('[DEPRECATION WARNING] ' + dw)
+
+        return plugin_load_context
+
+    # FIXME: name bikeshed
+    def _resolve_plugin_step(self, name, mod_type='', ignore_deprecated=False,
+                             check_aliases=False, collection_list=None, plugin_load_context=PluginLoadContext()):
+        if not plugin_load_context:
+            raise ValueError('A PluginLoadContext is required')
+
+        plugin_load_context.redirect_list.append(name)
+        plugin_load_context.resolved = False
 
         global _PLUGIN_FILTERS
         if name in _PLUGIN_FILTERS[self.package]:
-            return None, None
+            plugin_load_context.exit_reason = '{0} matched a defined plugin filter'.format(name)
+            return plugin_load_context
 
         if mod_type:
             suffix = mod_type
@@ -387,37 +566,46 @@ class PluginLoader:
                 candidates = [name]
             else:
                 candidates = ['{0}.{1}'.format(c, name) for c in collection_list]
-            # TODO: keep actual errors, not just assembled messages
-            errors = []
+
             for candidate_name in candidates:
                 try:
+                    plugin_load_context.load_attempts.append(candidate_name)
                     # HACK: refactor this properly
                     if candidate_name.startswith('ansible.legacy'):
                         # 'ansible.legacy' refers to the plugin finding behavior used before collections existed.
                         # They need to search 'library' and the various '*_plugins' directories in order to find the file.
-                        full_name = name
-                        p = self._find_plugin_legacy(name.replace('ansible.legacy.', '', 1), ignore_deprecated, check_aliases, suffix)
+                        plugin_load_context = self._find_plugin_legacy(name.replace('ansible.legacy.', '', 1),
+                                                                       plugin_load_context, ignore_deprecated, check_aliases, suffix)
                     else:
                         # 'ansible.builtin' should be handled here. This means only internal, or builtin, paths are searched.
-                        full_name, p = self._find_fq_plugin(candidate_name, suffix)
-                    if p:
-                        return full_name, p
+                        plugin_load_context = self._find_fq_plugin(candidate_name, suffix, plugin_load_context=plugin_load_context)
+                    if plugin_load_context.resolved or plugin_load_context.pending_redirect:  # if we got an answer or need to chase down a redirect, return
+                        return plugin_load_context
+                except (AnsiblePluginRemoved, AnsiblePluginCircularRedirect, AnsibleCollectionUnsupportedVersionError):
+                    # these are generally fatal, let them fly
+                    raise
+                except ImportError as ie:
+                    plugin_load_context.import_error_list.append(ie)
                 except Exception as ex:
-                    errors.append(to_native(ex))
+                    # FIXME: keep actual errors, not just assembled messages
+                    plugin_load_context.error_list.append(to_native(ex))
+
+            if plugin_load_context.error_list:
+                display.debug(msg='plugin lookup for {0} failed; errors: {1}'.format(name, '; '.join(plugin_load_context.error_list)))
 
-            if errors:
-                display.debug(msg='plugin lookup for {0} failed; errors: {1}'.format(name, '; '.join(errors)))
+            plugin_load_context.exit_reason = 'no matches found for {0}'.format(name)
 
-            return None, None
+            return plugin_load_context
 
         # if we got here, there's no collection list and it's not an FQ name, so do legacy lookup
 
-        return name, self._find_plugin_legacy(name, ignore_deprecated, check_aliases, suffix)
+        return self._find_plugin_legacy(name, plugin_load_context, ignore_deprecated, check_aliases, suffix)
 
-    def _find_plugin_legacy(self, name, ignore_deprecated=False, check_aliases=False, suffix=None):
+    def _find_plugin_legacy(self, name, plugin_load_context, ignore_deprecated=False, check_aliases=False, suffix=None):
         """Search library and various *_plugins paths in order to find the file.
         This was behavior prior to the existence of collections.
         """
+        plugin_load_context.resolved = False
 
         if check_aliases:
             name = self.aliases.get(name, name)
@@ -426,7 +614,10 @@ class PluginLoader:
         # requested mod_type
         pull_cache = self._plugin_path_cache[suffix]
         try:
-            return pull_cache[name]
+            plugin_load_context.plugin_resolved_path = pull_cache[name]
+            plugin_load_context.plugin_resolved_name = name
+            plugin_load_context.resolved = True
+            return plugin_load_context
         except KeyError:
             # Cache miss.  Now let's find the plugin
             pass
@@ -438,6 +629,7 @@ class PluginLoader:
         #       We can use _get_paths() since add_directory() forces a cache refresh.
         for path in (p for p in self._get_paths() if p not in self._searched_paths and os.path.isdir(p)):
             display.debug('trying %s' % path)
+            plugin_load_context.load_attempts.append(path)
             try:
                 full_paths = (os.path.join(path, f) for f in os.listdir(path))
             except OSError as e:
@@ -474,7 +666,10 @@ class PluginLoader:
 
             self._searched_paths.add(path)
             try:
-                return pull_cache[name]
+                plugin_load_context.plugin_resolved_path = pull_cache[name]
+                plugin_load_context.plugin_resolved_name = name
+                plugin_load_context.resolved = True
+                return plugin_load_context
             except KeyError:
                 # Didn't find the plugin in this directory. Load modules from the next one
                 pass
@@ -488,9 +683,17 @@ class PluginLoader:
                     # FIXME: this is not always the case, some are just aliases
                     display.deprecated('%s is kept for backwards compatibility but usage is discouraged. '  # pylint: disable=ansible-deprecated-no-version
                                        'The module documentation details page may explain more about this rationale.' % name.lstrip('_'))
-                return pull_cache[alias_name]
+                plugin_load_context.plugin_resolved_path = pull_cache[alias_name]
+                plugin_load_context.plugin_resolved_name = alias_name
+                plugin_load_context.resolved = True
+                return plugin_load_context
 
-        return None
+        # last ditch, if it's something that can be redirected, look for a builtin redirect before giving up
+        candidate_fqcr = 'ansible.builtin.{0}'.format(name)
+        if '.' not in name and AnsibleCollectionRef.is_valid_fqcr(candidate_fqcr):
+            return self._find_fq_plugin(fq_name=candidate_fqcr, extension=suffix, plugin_load_context=plugin_load_context)
+
+        return plugin_load_context.nope('{0} is not eligible for last-chance resolution'.format(name))
 
     def has_plugin(self, name, collection_list=None):
         ''' Checks if a plugin named name exists '''
@@ -530,11 +733,12 @@ class PluginLoader:
                     module = imp.load_source(to_native(full_name), to_native(path), module_file)
         return module
 
-    def _update_object(self, obj, name, path):
+    def _update_object(self, obj, name, path, redirected_names=None):
 
         # set extra info on the module, in case we want it later
         setattr(obj, '_original_path', path)
         setattr(obj, '_load_name', name)
+        setattr(obj, '_redirected_names', redirected_names or [])
 
     def get(self, name, *args, **kwargs):
         ''' instantiates a plugin of the given name using arguments '''
@@ -544,10 +748,15 @@ class PluginLoader:
         collection_list = kwargs.pop('collection_list', None)
         if name in self.aliases:
             name = self.aliases[name]
-        name, path = self.find_plugin_with_name(name, collection_list=collection_list)
-        if path is None:
+        plugin_load_context = self.find_plugin_with_context(name, collection_list=collection_list)
+        if not plugin_load_context.resolved or not plugin_load_context.plugin_resolved_path:
+            # FIXME: this is probably an error (eg removed plugin)
             return None
 
+        name = plugin_load_context.plugin_resolved_name
+        path = plugin_load_context.plugin_resolved_path
+        redirected_names = plugin_load_context.redirect_list or []
+
         if path not in self._module_cache:
             self._module_cache[path] = self._load_module_source(name, path)
             self._load_config_defs(name, self._module_cache[path], path)
@@ -566,6 +775,7 @@ class PluginLoader:
             if not issubclass(obj, plugin_class):
                 return None
 
+        # FIXME: update this to use the load context
         self._display_plugin_load(self.class_name, name, self._searched_paths, path, found_in_cache=found_in_cache, class_only=class_only)
 
         if not class_only:
@@ -573,7 +783,7 @@ class PluginLoader:
                 # A plugin may need to use its _load_name in __init__ (for example, to set
                 # or get options from config), so update the object before using the constructor
                 instance = object.__new__(obj)
-                self._update_object(instance, name, path)
+                self._update_object(instance, name, path, redirected_names)
                 obj.__init__(instance, *args, **kwargs)
                 obj = instance
             except TypeError as e:
@@ -583,7 +793,7 @@ class PluginLoader:
                     return None
                 raise
 
-        self._update_object(obj, name, path)
+        self._update_object(obj, name, path, redirected_names)
         return obj
 
     def _display_plugin_load(self, class_name, name, searched_paths, path, found_in_cache=None, class_only=None):
@@ -818,9 +1028,52 @@ def _load_plugin_filter():
     return filters
 
 
+# since we don't want the actual collection loader understanding metadata, we'll do it in an event handler
+def _on_collection_load_handler(collection_name, collection_path):
+    display.vvvv(to_text('Loading collection {0} from {1}'.format(collection_name, collection_path)))
+
+    collection_meta = _get_collection_metadata(collection_name)
+
+    try:
+        if not _does_collection_support_ansible_version(collection_meta.get('requires_ansible', ''), ansible_version):
+            mismatch_behavior = C.config.get_config_value('COLLECTIONS_ON_ANSIBLE_VERSION_MISMATCH')
+            message = 'Collection {0} does not support Ansible version {1}'.format(collection_name, ansible_version)
+            if mismatch_behavior == 'warning':
+                display.warning(message)
+            elif mismatch_behavior == 'error':
+                raise AnsibleCollectionUnsupportedVersionError(message)
+    except AnsibleError:
+        raise
+    except Exception as ex:
+        display.warning('Error parsing collection metadata requires_ansible value from collection {0}: {1}'.format(collection_name, ex))
+
+
+def _does_collection_support_ansible_version(requirement_string, ansible_version):
+    if not requirement_string:
+        return True
+
+    if not SpecifierSet:
+        display.warning('packaging Python module unavailable; unable to validate collection Ansible version requirements')
+        return True
+
+    ss = SpecifierSet(requirement_string)
+
+    # ignore prerelease/postrelease/beta/dev flags for simplicity
+    base_ansible_version = Version(ansible_version).base_version
+
+    return ss.contains(base_ansible_version)
+
+
 def _configure_collection_loader():
-    if not any((isinstance(l, AnsibleCollectionLoader) for l in sys.meta_path)):
-        sys.meta_path.insert(0, AnsibleCollectionLoader(C.config))
+    if AnsibleCollectionConfig.collection_finder:
+        display.warning('AnsibleCollectionFinder has already been configured')
+        return
+
+    finder = _AnsibleCollectionFinder(C.config.get_config_value('COLLECTIONS_PATHS'), C.config.get_config_value('COLLECTIONS_SCAN_SYS_PATH'))
+    finder._install()
+
+    # this should succeed now
+    AnsibleCollectionConfig.on_collection_load += _on_collection_load_handler
 
 
 # TODO: All of the following is initialization code   It should be moved inside of an initialization
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py
index 6883c9c1cb4..5a7b9797149 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py
@@ -240,10 +240,28 @@ class StrategyModule(StrategyBase):
                     run_once = False
                     work_to_do = True
 
+                    # check to see if this task should be skipped, due to it being a member of a
+                    # role which has already run (and whether that role allows duplicate execution)
+                    if task._role and task._role.has_run(host):
+                        # If there is no metadata, the default behavior is to not allow duplicates,
+                        # if there is metadata, check to see if the allow_duplicates flag was set to true
+                        if task._role._metadata is None or task._role._metadata and not task._role._metadata.allow_duplicates:
+                            display.debug("'%s' skipped because role has already run" % task)
+                            continue
+
+                    display.debug("getting variables")
+                    task_vars = self._variable_manager.get_vars(play=iterator._play, host=host, task=task,
+                                                                _hosts=self._hosts_cache, _hosts_all=self._hosts_cache_all)
+                    self.add_tqm_variables(task_vars, play=iterator._play)
+                    templar = Templar(loader=self._loader, variables=task_vars)
+                    display.debug("done getting variables")
+
                     # test to see if the task across all hosts points to an action plugin which
                     # sets BYPASS_HOST_LOOP to true, or if it has run_once enabled. If so, we
                     # will only send this task to the first host in the list.
 
+                    task.action = templar.template(task.action)
+
                     try:
                         action = action_loader.get(task.action, class_only=True)
                     except KeyError:
@@ -251,15 +269,6 @@ class StrategyModule(StrategyBase):
                         # corresponding action plugin
                         action = None
 
-                    # check to see if this task should be skipped, due to it being a member of a
-                    # role which has already run (and whether that role allows duplicate execution)
-                    if task._role and task._role.has_run(host):
-                        # If there is no metadata, the default behavior is to not allow duplicates,
-                        # if there is metadata, check to see if the allow_duplicates flag was set to true
-                        if task._role._metadata is None or task._role._metadata and not task._role._metadata.allow_duplicates:
-                            display.debug("'%s' skipped because role has already run" % task)
-                            continue
-
                     if task.action == 'meta':
                         # for the linear strategy, we run meta tasks just once and for
                         # all hosts currently being iterated over rather than one host
@@ -277,13 +286,6 @@ class StrategyModule(StrategyBase):
                                 skip_rest = True
                                 break
 
-                        display.debug("getting variables")
-                        task_vars = self._variable_manager.get_vars(play=iterator._play, host=host, task=task,
-                                                                    _hosts=self._hosts_cache, _hosts_all=self._hosts_cache_all)
-                        self.add_tqm_variables(task_vars, play=iterator._play)
-                        templar = Templar(loader=self._loader, variables=task_vars)
-                        display.debug("done getting variables")
-
                         run_once = templar.template(task.run_once) or action and getattr(action, 'BYPASS_HOST_LOOP', False)
 
                         if (task.any_errors_fatal or run_once) and not task.ignore_errors:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/template/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/template/__init__.py
index 10fa6e128b1..aa779e82f30 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/template/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/template/__init__.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import time
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 from numbers import Number
+from traceback import format_exc
 
 try:
     from hashlib import sha1
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ from ansible.template.template import AnsibleJ2Template
 from ansible.template.vars import AnsibleJ2Vars
 from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionRef
 from ansible.utils.display import Display
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _get_collection_metadata
 from ansible.utils.unsafe_proxy import wrap_var
 
 display = Display()
@@ -350,52 +352,75 @@ class JinjaPluginIntercept(MutableMapping):
     # FUTURE: we can cache FQ filter/test calls for the entire duration of a run, since a given collection's impl's
     # aren't supposed to change during a run
     def __getitem__(self, key):
-        if not isinstance(key, string_types):
-            raise ValueError('key must be a string')
-
-        key = to_native(key)
+        try:
+            if not isinstance(key, string_types):
+                raise ValueError('key must be a string')
 
-        if '.' not in key:  # might be a built-in value, delegate to base dict
-            return self._delegatee.__getitem__(key)
+            key = to_native(key)
 
-        func = self._collection_jinja_func_cache.get(key)
+            if '.' not in key:  # might be a built-in or legacy, check the delegatee dict first, then try for a last-chance base redirect
+                func = self._delegatee.get(key)
 
-        if func:
-            return func
+                if func:
+                    return func
 
-        acr = AnsibleCollectionRef.try_parse_fqcr(key, self._dirname)
+                ts = _get_collection_metadata('ansible.builtin')
 
-        if not acr:
-            raise KeyError('invalid plugin name: {0}'.format(key))
+                # TODO: implement support for collection-backed redirect (currently only builtin)
+                # TODO: implement cycle detection (unified across collection redir as well)
+                redirect_fqcr = ts.get('plugin_routing', {}).get(self._dirname, {}).get(key, {}).get('redirect', None)
+                if redirect_fqcr:
+                    acr = AnsibleCollectionRef.from_fqcr(ref=redirect_fqcr, ref_type=self._dirname)
+                    display.vvv('redirecting {0} {1} to {2}.{3}'.format(self._dirname, key, acr.collection, acr.resource))
+                    key = redirect_fqcr
+                # TODO: handle recursive forwarding (not necessary for builtin, but definitely for further collection redirs)
 
-        try:
-            pkg = import_module(acr.n_python_package_name)
-        except ImportError:
-            raise KeyError()
+            func = self._collection_jinja_func_cache.get(key)
 
-        parent_prefix = acr.collection
+            if func:
+                return func
 
-        if acr.subdirs:
-            parent_prefix = '{0}.{1}'.format(parent_prefix, acr.subdirs)
+            acr = AnsibleCollectionRef.try_parse_fqcr(key, self._dirname)
 
-        for dummy, module_name, ispkg in pkgutil.iter_modules(pkg.__path__, prefix=parent_prefix + '.'):
-            if ispkg:
-                continue
+            if not acr:
+                raise KeyError('invalid plugin name: {0}'.format(key))
 
             try:
-                plugin_impl = self._pluginloader.get(module_name)
-            except Exception as e:
-                raise TemplateSyntaxError(to_native(e), 0)
+                pkg = import_module(acr.n_python_package_name)
+            except ImportError:
+                raise KeyError()
 
-            method_map = getattr(plugin_impl, self._method_map_name)
+            parent_prefix = acr.collection
 
-            for f in iteritems(method_map()):
-                fq_name = '.'.join((parent_prefix, f[0]))
-                # FIXME: detect/warn on intra-collection function name collisions
-                self._collection_jinja_func_cache[fq_name] = f[1]
+            if acr.subdirs:
+                parent_prefix = '{0}.{1}'.format(parent_prefix, acr.subdirs)
+
+            # TODO: implement collection-level redirect
+
+            for dummy, module_name, ispkg in pkgutil.iter_modules(pkg.__path__, prefix=parent_prefix + '.'):
+                if ispkg:
+                    continue
 
-        function_impl = self._collection_jinja_func_cache[key]
-        return function_impl
+                try:
+                    plugin_impl = self._pluginloader.get(module_name)
+                except Exception as e:
+                    raise TemplateSyntaxError(to_native(e), 0)
+
+                method_map = getattr(plugin_impl, self._method_map_name)
+
+                for f in iteritems(method_map()):
+                    fq_name = '.'.join((parent_prefix, f[0]))
+                    # FIXME: detect/warn on intra-collection function name collisions
+                    self._collection_jinja_func_cache[fq_name] = f[1]
+
+            function_impl = self._collection_jinja_func_cache[key]
+            return function_impl
+        except KeyError:
+            raise
+        except Exception as ex:
+            display.warning('an unexpected error occurred during Jinja2 environment setup: {0}'.format(to_native(ex)))
+            display.vvv('exception during Jinja2 environment setup: {0}'.format(format_exc()))
+            raise
 
     def __setitem__(self, key, value):
         return self._delegatee.__setitem__(key, value)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader.py b/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e38d4137f07..00000000000
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,603 +0,0 @@
-# (c) 2019 Ansible Project
-# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
-
-from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
-__metaclass__ = type
-
-import os
-import os.path
-import re
-import sys
-
-from types import ModuleType
-
-from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes, to_native, to_text
-from ansible.module_utils.compat.importlib import import_module
-from ansible.module_utils.six import iteritems, string_types, with_metaclass
-from ansible.utils.singleton import Singleton
-
-_SYNTHETIC_PACKAGES = {
-    # these provide fallback package definitions when there are no on-disk paths
-    'ansible_collections': dict(type='pkg_only', allow_external_subpackages=True),
-    'ansible_collections.ansible': dict(type='pkg_only', allow_external_subpackages=True),
-    # these implement the ansible.builtin synthetic collection mapped to the packages inside the ansible distribution
-    'ansible_collections.ansible.builtin': dict(type='pkg_only'),
-    'ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins': dict(type='map', map='ansible.plugins'),
-    'ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.module_utils': dict(type='map', map='ansible.module_utils', graft=True),
-    'ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.modules': dict(type='flatmap', flatmap='ansible.modules', graft=True),
-}
-
-
-# FIXME: exception handling/error logging
-class AnsibleCollectionLoader(with_metaclass(Singleton, object)):
-    def __init__(self, config=None):
-        if config:
-            paths = config.get_config_value('COLLECTIONS_PATHS')
-        else:
-            paths = os.environ.get('ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_PATHS', '').split(os.pathsep)
-
-        if isinstance(paths, string_types):
-            paths = [paths]
-        elif paths is None:
-            paths = []
-
-        # expand any placeholders in configured paths
-        paths = [
-            to_native(os.path.expanduser(p), errors='surrogate_or_strict')
-            for p in paths
-        ]
-
-        # Append all ``ansible_collections`` dirs from sys.path to the end
-        for path in sys.path:
-            if (
-                    path not in paths and
-                    os.path.isdir(to_bytes(
-                        os.path.join(path, 'ansible_collections'),
-                        errors='surrogate_or_strict',
-                    ))
-            ):
-                paths.append(path)
-
-        self._n_configured_paths = paths
-
-        self._n_playbook_paths = []
-        self._default_collection = None
-        # pre-inject grafted package maps so we can force them to use the right loader instead of potentially delegating to a "normal" loader
-        for syn_pkg_def in (p for p in iteritems(_SYNTHETIC_PACKAGES) if p[1].get('graft')):
-            pkg_name = syn_pkg_def[0]
-            pkg_def = syn_pkg_def[1]
-
-            newmod = ModuleType(pkg_name)
-            newmod.__package__ = pkg_name
-            newmod.__file__ = '<ansible_synthetic_collection_package>'
-            pkg_type = pkg_def.get('type')
-
-            # TODO: need to rethink map style so we can just delegate all the loading
-
-            if pkg_type == 'flatmap':
-                newmod.__loader__ = AnsibleFlatMapLoader(import_module(pkg_def['flatmap']))
-            newmod.__path__ = []
-
-            sys.modules[pkg_name] = newmod
-
-    @property
-    def n_collection_paths(self):
-        return self._n_playbook_paths + self._n_configured_paths
-
-    def get_collection_path(self, collection_name):
-        if not AnsibleCollectionRef.is_valid_collection_name(collection_name):
-            raise ValueError('{0} is not a valid collection name'.format(to_native(collection_name)))
-
-        m = import_module('ansible_collections.{0}'.format(collection_name))
-
-        return m.__file__
-
-    def set_playbook_paths(self, b_playbook_paths):
-        if isinstance(b_playbook_paths, string_types):
-            b_playbook_paths = [b_playbook_paths]
-
-        # track visited paths; we have to preserve the dir order as-passed in case there are duplicate collections (first one wins)
-        added_paths = set()
-
-        # de-dupe and ensure the paths are native strings (Python seems to do this for package paths etc, so assume it's safe)
-        self._n_playbook_paths = [os.path.join(to_native(p), 'collections') for p in b_playbook_paths if not (p in added_paths or added_paths.add(p))]
-        # FIXME: only allow setting this once, or handle any necessary cache/package path invalidations internally?
-
-    # FIXME: is there a better place to store this?
-    # FIXME: only allow setting this once
-    def set_default_collection(self, collection_name):
-        self._default_collection = collection_name
-
-    @property
-    def default_collection(self):
-        return self._default_collection
-
-    def find_module(self, fullname, path=None):
-        if self._find_module(fullname, path, load=False)[0]:
-            return self
-
-        return None
-
-    def load_module(self, fullname):
-        mod = self._find_module(fullname, None, load=True)[1]
-
-        if not mod:
-            raise ImportError('module {0} not found'.format(fullname))
-
-        return mod
-
-    def _find_module(self, fullname, path, load):
-        # this loader is only concerned with items under the Ansible Collections namespace hierarchy, ignore others
-        if not fullname.startswith('ansible_collections.') and fullname != 'ansible_collections':
-            return False, None
-
-        if sys.modules.get(fullname):
-            if not load:
-                return True, None
-
-            return True, sys.modules[fullname]
-
-        newmod = None
-
-        # this loader implements key functionality for Ansible collections
-        # * implicit distributed namespace packages for the root Ansible namespace (no pkgutil.extend_path hackery reqd)
-        # * implicit package support for Python 2.7 (no need for __init__.py in collections, except to use standard Py2.7 tooling)
-        # * preventing controller-side code injection during collection loading
-        # * (default loader would execute arbitrary package code from all __init__.py's)
-
-        parent_pkg_name = '.'.join(fullname.split('.')[:-1])
-
-        parent_pkg = sys.modules.get(parent_pkg_name)
-
-        if parent_pkg_name and not parent_pkg:
-            raise ImportError('parent package {0} not found'.format(parent_pkg_name))
-
-        # are we at or below the collection level? eg a.mynamespace.mycollection.something.else
-        # if so, we don't want distributed namespace behavior; first mynamespace.mycollection on the path is where
-        # we'll load everything from (ie, don't fall back to another mynamespace.mycollection lower on the path)
-        sub_collection = fullname.count('.') > 1
-
-        synpkg_def = _SYNTHETIC_PACKAGES.get(fullname)
-        synpkg_remainder = ''
-
-        if not synpkg_def:
-            # if the parent is a grafted package, we have some special work to do, otherwise just look for stuff on disk
-            parent_synpkg_def = _SYNTHETIC_PACKAGES.get(parent_pkg_name)
-            if parent_synpkg_def and parent_synpkg_def.get('graft'):
-                synpkg_def = parent_synpkg_def
-                synpkg_remainder = '.' + fullname.rpartition('.')[2]
-
-        # FUTURE: collapse as much of this back to on-demand as possible (maybe stub packages that get replaced when actually loaded?)
-        if synpkg_def:
-            pkg_type = synpkg_def.get('type')
-            if not pkg_type:
-                raise KeyError('invalid synthetic package type (no package "type" specified)')
-            if pkg_type == 'map':
-                map_package = synpkg_def.get('map')
-
-                if not map_package:
-                    raise KeyError('invalid synthetic map package definition (no target "map" defined)')
-
-                if not load:
-                    return True, None
-
-                mod = import_module(map_package + synpkg_remainder)
-
-                sys.modules[fullname] = mod
-
-                return True, mod
-            elif pkg_type == 'flatmap':
-                raise NotImplementedError()
-            elif pkg_type == 'pkg_only':
-                if not load:
-                    return True, None
-
-                newmod = ModuleType(fullname)
-                newmod.__package__ = fullname
-                newmod.__file__ = '<ansible_synthetic_collection_package>'
-                newmod.__loader__ = self
-                newmod.__path__ = []
-
-                if not synpkg_def.get('allow_external_subpackages'):
-                    # if external subpackages are NOT allowed, we're done
-                    sys.modules[fullname] = newmod
-                    return True, newmod
-
-                # if external subpackages ARE allowed, check for on-disk implementations and return a normal
-                # package if we find one, otherwise return the one we created here
-
-        if not parent_pkg:  # top-level package, look for NS subpackages on all collection paths
-            package_paths = [self._extend_path_with_ns(p, fullname) for p in self.n_collection_paths]
-        else:  # subpackage; search in all subpaths (we'll limit later inside a collection)
-            package_paths = [self._extend_path_with_ns(p, fullname) for p in parent_pkg.__path__]
-
-        for candidate_child_path in package_paths:
-            code_object = None
-            is_package = True
-            location = None
-            # check for implicit sub-package first
-            if os.path.isdir(to_bytes(candidate_child_path)):
-                # Py3.x implicit namespace packages don't have a file location, so they don't support get_data
-                # (which assumes the parent dir or that the loader has an internal mapping); so we have to provide
-                # a bogus leaf file on the __file__ attribute for pkgutil.get_data to strip off
-                location = os.path.join(candidate_child_path, '__synthetic__')
-            else:
-                for source_path in [os.path.join(candidate_child_path, '__init__.py'),
-                                    candidate_child_path + '.py']:
-                    if not os.path.isfile(to_bytes(source_path)):
-                        continue
-
-                    if not load:
-                        return True, None
-
-                    with open(to_bytes(source_path), 'rb') as fd:
-                        source = fd.read()
-
-                    code_object = compile(source=source, filename=source_path, mode='exec', flags=0, dont_inherit=True)
-                    location = source_path
-                    is_package = source_path.endswith('__init__.py')
-                    break
-
-                if not location:
-                    continue
-
-            newmod = ModuleType(fullname)
-            newmod.__file__ = location
-            newmod.__loader__ = self
-
-            if is_package:
-                if sub_collection:  # we never want to search multiple instances of the same collection; use first found
-                    newmod.__path__ = [candidate_child_path]
-                else:
-                    newmod.__path__ = package_paths
-
-                newmod.__package__ = fullname
-            else:
-                newmod.__package__ = parent_pkg_name
-
-            sys.modules[fullname] = newmod
-
-            if code_object:
-                # FIXME: decide cases where we don't actually want to exec the code?
-                exec(code_object, newmod.__dict__)
-
-            return True, newmod
-
-        # even if we didn't find one on disk, fall back to a synthetic package if we have one...
-        if newmod:
-            sys.modules[fullname] = newmod
-            return True, newmod
-
-        # FIXME: need to handle the "no dirs present" case for at least the root and synthetic internal collections like ansible.builtin
-
-        return False, None
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def _extend_path_with_ns(path, ns):
-        ns_path_add = ns.rsplit('.', 1)[-1]
-
-        return os.path.join(path, ns_path_add)
-
-    def get_data(self, filename):
-        with open(filename, 'rb') as fd:
-            return fd.read()
-
-
-class AnsibleFlatMapLoader(object):
-    _extension_blacklist = ['.pyc', '.pyo']
-
-    def __init__(self, root_package):
-        self._root_package = root_package
-        self._dirtree = None
-
-    def _init_dirtree(self):
-        # FIXME: thread safety
-        root_path = os.path.dirname(self._root_package.__file__)
-        flat_files = []
-        # FIXME: make this a dict of filename->dir for faster direct lookup?
-        # FIXME: deal with _ prefixed deprecated files (or require another method for collections?)
-        # FIXME: fix overloaded filenames (eg, rename Windows setup to win_setup)
-        for root, dirs, files in os.walk(root_path):
-            # add all files in this dir that don't have a blacklisted extension
-            flat_files.extend(((root, f) for f in files if not any((f.endswith(ext) for ext in self._extension_blacklist))))
-
-        # HACK: Put Windows modules at the end of the list. This makes collection_loader behave
-        # the same way as plugin loader, preventing '.ps1' from modules being selected before '.py'
-        # modules simply because '.ps1' files may be above '.py' files in the flat_files list.
-        #
-        # The expected sort order is paths in the order they were in 'flat_files'
-        # with paths ending in '/windows' at the end, also in the original order they were
-        # in 'flat_files'. The .sort() method is guaranteed to be stable, so original order is preserved.
-        flat_files.sort(key=lambda p: p[0].endswith('/windows'))
-        self._dirtree = flat_files
-
-    def find_file(self, filename):
-        # FIXME: thread safety
-        if not self._dirtree:
-            self._init_dirtree()
-
-        if '.' not in filename:  # no extension specified, use extension regex to filter
-            extensionless_re = re.compile(r'^{0}(\..+)?$'.format(re.escape(filename)))
-            # why doesn't Python have first()?
-            try:
-                # FIXME: store extensionless in a separate direct lookup?
-                filepath = next(os.path.join(r, f) for r, f in self._dirtree if extensionless_re.match(f))
-            except StopIteration:
-                raise IOError("couldn't find {0}".format(filename))
-        else:  # actual filename, just look it up
-            # FIXME: this case sucks; make it a lookup
-            try:
-                filepath = next(os.path.join(r, f) for r, f in self._dirtree if f == filename)
-            except StopIteration:
-                raise IOError("couldn't find {0}".format(filename))
-
-        return filepath
-
-    def get_data(self, filename):
-        found_file = self.find_file(filename)
-
-        with open(found_file, 'rb') as fd:
-            return fd.read()
-
-
-# TODO: implement these for easier inline debugging?
-#    def get_source(self, fullname):
-#    def get_code(self, fullname):
-#    def is_package(self, fullname):
-
-
-class AnsibleCollectionRef:
-    # FUTURE: introspect plugin loaders to get these dynamically?
-    VALID_REF_TYPES = frozenset(to_text(r) for r in ['action', 'become', 'cache', 'callback', 'cliconf', 'connection',
-                                                     'doc_fragments', 'filter', 'httpapi', 'inventory', 'lookup',
-                                                     'module_utils', 'modules', 'netconf', 'role', 'shell', 'strategy',
-                                                     'terminal', 'test', 'vars'])
-
-    # FIXME: tighten this up to match Python identifier reqs, etc
-    VALID_COLLECTION_NAME_RE = re.compile(to_text(r'^(\w+)\.(\w+)$'))
-    VALID_SUBDIRS_RE = re.compile(to_text(r'^\w+(\.\w+)*$'))
-    VALID_FQCR_RE = re.compile(to_text(r'^\w+\.\w+\.\w+(\.\w+)*$'))  # can have 0-N included subdirs as well
-
-    def __init__(self, collection_name, subdirs, resource, ref_type):
-        """
-        Create an AnsibleCollectionRef from components
-        :param collection_name: a collection name of the form 'namespace.collectionname'
-        :param subdirs: optional subdir segments to be appended below the plugin type (eg, 'subdir1.subdir2')
-        :param resource: the name of the resource being references (eg, 'mymodule', 'someaction', 'a_role')
-        :param ref_type: the type of the reference, eg 'module', 'role', 'doc_fragment'
-        """
-        collection_name = to_text(collection_name, errors='strict')
-        if subdirs is not None:
-            subdirs = to_text(subdirs, errors='strict')
-        resource = to_text(resource, errors='strict')
-        ref_type = to_text(ref_type, errors='strict')
-
-        if not self.is_valid_collection_name(collection_name):
-            raise ValueError('invalid collection name (must be of the form namespace.collection): {0}'.format(to_native(collection_name)))
-
-        if ref_type not in self.VALID_REF_TYPES:
-            raise ValueError('invalid collection ref_type: {0}'.format(ref_type))
-
-        self.collection = collection_name
-        if subdirs:
-            if not re.match(self.VALID_SUBDIRS_RE, subdirs):
-                raise ValueError('invalid subdirs entry: {0} (must be empty/None or of the form subdir1.subdir2)'.format(to_native(subdirs)))
-            self.subdirs = subdirs
-        else:
-            self.subdirs = u''
-
-        self.resource = resource
-        self.ref_type = ref_type
-
-        package_components = [u'ansible_collections', self.collection]
-
-        if self.ref_type == u'role':
-            package_components.append(u'roles')
-        else:
-            # we assume it's a plugin
-            package_components += [u'plugins', self.ref_type]
-
-        if self.subdirs:
-            package_components.append(self.subdirs)
-
-        if self.ref_type == u'role':
-            # roles are their own resource
-            package_components.append(self.resource)
-
-        self.n_python_package_name = to_native('.'.join(package_components))
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def from_fqcr(ref, ref_type):
-        """
-        Parse a string as a fully-qualified collection reference, raises ValueError if invalid
-        :param ref: collection reference to parse (a valid ref is of the form 'ns.coll.resource' or 'ns.coll.subdir1.subdir2.resource')
-        :param ref_type: the type of the reference, eg 'module', 'role', 'doc_fragment'
-        :return: a populated AnsibleCollectionRef object
-        """
-        # assuming the fq_name is of the form (ns).(coll).(optional_subdir_N).(resource_name),
-        # we split the resource name off the right, split ns and coll off the left, and we're left with any optional
-        # subdirs that need to be added back below the plugin-specific subdir we'll add. So:
-        # ns.coll.resource -> ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.(plugintype).resource
-        # ns.coll.subdir1.resource -> ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.subdir1.(plugintype).resource
-        # ns.coll.rolename -> ansible_collections.ns.coll.roles.rolename
-        if not AnsibleCollectionRef.is_valid_fqcr(ref):
-            raise ValueError('{0} is not a valid collection reference'.format(to_native(ref)))
-
-        ref = to_text(ref, errors='strict')
-        ref_type = to_text(ref_type, errors='strict')
-
-        resource_splitname = ref.rsplit(u'.', 1)
-        package_remnant = resource_splitname[0]
-        resource = resource_splitname[1]
-
-        # split the left two components of the collection package name off, anything remaining is plugin-type
-        # specific subdirs to be added back on below the plugin type
-        package_splitname = package_remnant.split(u'.', 2)
-        if len(package_splitname) == 3:
-            subdirs = package_splitname[2]
-        else:
-            subdirs = u''
-
-        collection_name = u'.'.join(package_splitname[0:2])
-
-        return AnsibleCollectionRef(collection_name, subdirs, resource, ref_type)
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def try_parse_fqcr(ref, ref_type):
-        """
-        Attempt to parse a string as a fully-qualified collection reference, returning None on failure (instead of raising an error)
-        :param ref: collection reference to parse (a valid ref is of the form 'ns.coll.resource' or 'ns.coll.subdir1.subdir2.resource')
-        :param ref_type: the type of the reference, eg 'module', 'role', 'doc_fragment'
-        :return: a populated AnsibleCollectionRef object on successful parsing, else None
-        """
-        try:
-            return AnsibleCollectionRef.from_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
-        except ValueError:
-            pass
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def legacy_plugin_dir_to_plugin_type(legacy_plugin_dir_name):
-        """
-        Utility method to convert from a PluginLoader dir name to a plugin ref_type
-        :param legacy_plugin_dir_name: PluginLoader dir name (eg, 'action_plugins', 'library')
-        :return: the corresponding plugin ref_type (eg, 'action', 'role')
-        """
-        legacy_plugin_dir_name = to_text(legacy_plugin_dir_name)
-
-        plugin_type = legacy_plugin_dir_name.replace(u'_plugins', u'')
-
-        if plugin_type == u'library':
-            plugin_type = u'modules'
-
-        if plugin_type not in AnsibleCollectionRef.VALID_REF_TYPES:
-            raise ValueError('{0} cannot be mapped to a valid collection ref type'.format(to_native(legacy_plugin_dir_name)))
-
-        return plugin_type
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def is_valid_fqcr(ref, ref_type=None):
-        """
-        Validates if is string is a well-formed fully-qualified collection reference (does not look up the collection itself)
-        :param ref: candidate collection reference to validate (a valid ref is of the form 'ns.coll.resource' or 'ns.coll.subdir1.subdir2.resource')
-        :param ref_type: optional reference type to enable deeper validation, eg 'module', 'role', 'doc_fragment'
-        :return: True if the collection ref passed is well-formed, False otherwise
-        """
-
-        ref = to_text(ref)
-
-        if not ref_type:
-            return bool(re.match(AnsibleCollectionRef.VALID_FQCR_RE, ref))
-
-        return bool(AnsibleCollectionRef.try_parse_fqcr(ref, ref_type))
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def is_valid_collection_name(collection_name):
-        """
-        Validates if the given string is a well-formed collection name (does not look up the collection itself)
-        :param collection_name: candidate collection name to validate (a valid name is of the form 'ns.collname')
-        :return: True if the collection name passed is well-formed, False otherwise
-        """
-
-        collection_name = to_text(collection_name)
-
-        return bool(re.match(AnsibleCollectionRef.VALID_COLLECTION_NAME_RE, collection_name))
-
-
-def get_collection_role_path(role_name, collection_list=None):
-    acr = AnsibleCollectionRef.try_parse_fqcr(role_name, 'role')
-
-    if acr:
-        # looks like a valid qualified collection ref; skip the collection_list
-        collection_list = [acr.collection]
-        subdirs = acr.subdirs
-        resource = acr.resource
-    elif not collection_list:
-        return None  # not a FQ role and no collection search list spec'd, nothing to do
-    else:
-        resource = role_name  # treat as unqualified, loop through the collection search list to try and resolve
-        subdirs = ''
-
-    for collection_name in collection_list:
-        try:
-            acr = AnsibleCollectionRef(collection_name=collection_name, subdirs=subdirs, resource=resource, ref_type='role')
-            # FIXME: error handling/logging; need to catch any import failures and move along
-
-            # FIXME: this line shouldn't be necessary, but py2 pkgutil.get_data is delegating back to built-in loader when it shouldn't
-            pkg = import_module(acr.n_python_package_name)
-
-            if pkg is not None:
-                # the package is now loaded, get the collection's package and ask where it lives
-                path = os.path.dirname(to_bytes(sys.modules[acr.n_python_package_name].__file__, errors='surrogate_or_strict'))
-                return resource, to_text(path, errors='surrogate_or_strict'), collection_name
-
-        except IOError:
-            continue
-        except Exception as ex:
-            # FIXME: pick out typical import errors first, then error logging
-            continue
-
-    return None
-
-
-_N_COLLECTION_PATH_RE = re.compile(r'/ansible_collections/([^/]+)/([^/]+)')
-
-
-def get_collection_name_from_path(path):
-    """
-    Return the containing collection name for a given path, or None if the path is not below a configured collection, or
-    the collection cannot be loaded (eg, the collection is masked by another of the same name higher in the configured
-    collection roots).
-    :param n_path: native-string path to evaluate for collection containment
-    :return: collection name or None
-    """
-    n_collection_paths = [to_native(os.path.abspath(to_bytes(p))) for p in AnsibleCollectionLoader().n_collection_paths]
-
-    b_path = os.path.abspath(to_bytes(path))
-    n_path = to_native(b_path)
-
-    for coll_path in n_collection_paths:
-        common_prefix = to_native(os.path.commonprefix([b_path, to_bytes(coll_path)]))
-        if common_prefix == coll_path:
-            # strip off the common prefix (handle weird testing cases of nested collection roots, eg)
-            collection_remnant = n_path[len(coll_path):]
-            # commonprefix may include the trailing /, prepend to the remnant if necessary (eg trailing / on root)
-            if collection_remnant and collection_remnant[0] != '/':
-                collection_remnant = '/' + collection_remnant
-            # the path lives under this collection root, see if it maps to a collection
-            found_collection = _N_COLLECTION_PATH_RE.search(collection_remnant)
-            if not found_collection:
-                continue
-            n_collection_name = '{0}.{1}'.format(*found_collection.groups())
-
-            loaded_collection_path = AnsibleCollectionLoader().get_collection_path(n_collection_name)
-
-            if not loaded_collection_path:
-                return None
-
-            # ensure we're using the canonical real path, with the bogus __synthetic__ stripped off
-            b_loaded_collection_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(to_bytes(loaded_collection_path)))
-
-            # if the collection path prefix matches the path prefix we were passed, it's the same collection that's loaded
-            if os.path.commonprefix([b_path, b_loaded_collection_path]) == b_loaded_collection_path:
-                return n_collection_name
-
-            return None  # if not, it's a collection, but not the same collection the loader sees, so ignore it
-
-
-def set_collection_playbook_paths(b_playbook_paths):
-    AnsibleCollectionLoader().set_playbook_paths(b_playbook_paths)
-
-
-def resource_from_fqcr(ref):
-    """
-    Return resource from a fully-qualified collection reference,
-    or from a simple resource name.
-
-    For fully-qualified collection references, this is equivalent to
-    ``AnsibleCollectionRef.from_fqcr(ref).resource``.
-
-    :param ref: collection reference to parse
-    :return: the resource as a unicode string
-    """
-    ref = to_text(ref, errors='strict')
-    return ref.split(u'.')[-1]
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a81f503966a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# (c) 2019 Ansible Project
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+# FIXME: decide what of this we want to actually be public/toplevel, put other stuff on a utility class?
+from ._collection_config import AnsibleCollectionConfig
+from ._collection_finder import AnsibleCollectionRef
+from ansible.module_utils.common.text.converters import to_text
+
+
+def resource_from_fqcr(ref):
+    """
+    Return resource from a fully-qualified collection reference,
+    or from a simple resource name.
+    For fully-qualified collection references, this is equivalent to
+    ``AnsibleCollectionRef.from_fqcr(ref).resource``.
+    :param ref: collection reference to parse
+    :return: the resource as a unicode string
+    """
+    ref = to_text(ref, errors='strict')
+    return ref.split(u'.')[-1]
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/_collection_config.py b/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/_collection_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e717cde9579
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/_collection_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+# (c) 2019 Ansible Project
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+from ansible.module_utils.common.text.converters import to_text
+from ansible.module_utils.six import with_metaclass
+
+
+class _EventSource:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._handlers = set()
+
+    def __iadd__(self, handler):
+        if not callable(handler):
+            raise ValueError('handler must be callable')
+        self._handlers.add(handler)
+        return self
+
+    def __isub__(self, handler):
+        try:
+            self._handlers.remove(handler)
+        except KeyError:
+            pass
+
+        return self
+
+    def _on_exception(self, handler, exc, *args, **kwargs):
+        # if we return True, we want the caller to re-raise
+        return True
+
+    def fire(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        for h in self._handlers:
+            try:
+                h(*args, **kwargs)
+            except Exception as ex:
+                if self._on_exception(h, ex, *args, **kwargs):
+                    raise
+
+
+class _AnsibleCollectionConfig(type):
+    def __init__(cls, meta, name, bases):
+        cls._collection_finder = None
+        cls._default_collection = None
+        cls._on_collection_load = _EventSource()
+
+    @property
+    def collection_finder(cls):
+        return cls._collection_finder
+
+    @collection_finder.setter
+    def collection_finder(cls, value):
+        if cls._collection_finder:
+            raise ValueError('an AnsibleCollectionFinder has already been configured')
+
+        cls._collection_finder = value
+
+    @property
+    def collection_paths(cls):
+        cls._require_finder()
+        return [to_text(p) for p in cls._collection_finder._n_collection_paths]
+
+    @property
+    def default_collection(cls):
+        return cls._default_collection
+
+    @default_collection.setter
+    def default_collection(cls, value):
+        if cls._default_collection:
+            raise ValueError('default collection {0} has already been configured'.format(value))
+
+        cls._default_collection = value
+
+    @property
+    def on_collection_load(cls):
+        return cls._on_collection_load
+
+    @on_collection_load.setter
+    def on_collection_load(cls, value):
+        if value is not cls._on_collection_load:
+            raise ValueError('on_collection_load is not directly settable (use +=)')
+
+    @property
+    def playbook_paths(cls):
+        cls._require_finder()
+        return [to_text(p) for p in cls._collection_finder._n_playbook_paths]
+
+    @playbook_paths.setter
+    def playbook_paths(cls, value):
+        cls._require_finder()
+        cls._collection_finder.set_playbook_paths(value)
+
+    def _require_finder(cls):
+        if not cls._collection_finder:
+            raise NotImplementedError('an AnsibleCollectionFinder has not been installed in this process')
+
+
+# concrete class of our metaclass type that defines the class properties we want
+class AnsibleCollectionConfig(with_metaclass(_AnsibleCollectionConfig)):
+    pass
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/_collection_finder.py b/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/_collection_finder.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c2366680ace
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/_collection_finder.py
@@ -0,0 +1,953 @@
+# (c) 2019 Ansible Project
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import os
+import os.path
+import pkgutil
+import re
+import sys
+
+
+# DO NOT add new non-stdlib import deps here, this loader is used by external tools (eg ansible-test import sanity)
+# that only allow stdlib and module_utils
+from ansible.module_utils.common.text.converters import to_native, to_text, to_bytes
+from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types, PY3
+from ._collection_config import AnsibleCollectionConfig
+
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from types import ModuleType
+
+try:
+    from importlib import import_module
+except ImportError:
+    def import_module(name):
+        __import__(name)
+        return sys.modules[name]
+
+try:
+    from importlib import reload as reload_module
+except ImportError:
+    # 2.7 has a global reload function instead...
+    reload_module = reload  # pylint:disable=undefined-variable
+
+# NB: this supports import sanity test providing a different impl
+try:
+    from ._collection_meta import _meta_yml_to_dict
+except ImportError:
+    _meta_yml_to_dict = None
+
+
+class _AnsibleCollectionFinder:
+    def __init__(self, paths=None, scan_sys_paths=True):
+        # TODO: accept metadata loader override
+        self._ansible_pkg_path = to_native(os.path.dirname(to_bytes(sys.modules['ansible'].__file__)))
+
+        if isinstance(paths, string_types):
+            paths = [paths]
+        elif paths is None:
+            paths = []
+
+        # expand any placeholders in configured paths
+        paths = [os.path.expanduser(to_native(p, errors='surrogate_or_strict')) for p in paths]
+
+        if scan_sys_paths:
+            # append all sys.path entries with an ansible_collections package
+            for path in sys.path:
+                if (
+                        path not in paths and
+                        os.path.isdir(to_bytes(
+                            os.path.join(path, 'ansible_collections'),
+                            errors='surrogate_or_strict',
+                        ))
+                ):
+                    paths.append(path)
+
+        self._n_configured_paths = paths
+        self._n_cached_collection_paths = None
+        self._n_cached_collection_qualified_paths = None
+
+        self._n_playbook_paths = []
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _remove(cls):
+        for mps in sys.meta_path:
+            if isinstance(mps, _AnsibleCollectionFinder):
+                sys.meta_path.remove(mps)
+
+        # remove any path hooks that look like ours
+        for ph in sys.path_hooks:
+            if hasattr(ph, '__self__') and isinstance(ph.__self__, _AnsibleCollectionFinder):
+                sys.path_hooks.remove(ph)
+
+        # zap any cached path importer cache entries that might refer to us
+        sys.path_importer_cache.clear()
+
+        AnsibleCollectionConfig._collection_finder = None
+
+        # validate via the public property that we really killed it
+        if AnsibleCollectionConfig.collection_finder is not None:
+            raise AssertionError('_AnsibleCollectionFinder remove did not reset AnsibleCollectionConfig.collection_finder')
+
+    def _install(self):
+        self._remove()
+        sys.meta_path.insert(0, self)
+
+        sys.path_hooks.insert(0, self._ansible_collection_path_hook)
+
+        AnsibleCollectionConfig.collection_finder = self
+
+    def _ansible_collection_path_hook(self, path):
+        path = to_native(path)
+        interesting_paths = self._n_cached_collection_qualified_paths
+        if not interesting_paths:
+            interesting_paths = [os.path.join(p, 'ansible_collections') for p in
+                                 self._n_collection_paths]
+            interesting_paths.insert(0, self._ansible_pkg_path)
+            self._n_cached_collection_qualified_paths = interesting_paths
+
+        if any(path.startswith(p) for p in interesting_paths):
+            return _AnsiblePathHookFinder(self, path)
+
+        raise ImportError('not interested')
+
+    @property
+    def _n_collection_paths(self):
+        paths = self._n_cached_collection_paths
+        if not paths:
+            self._n_cached_collection_paths = paths = self._n_playbook_paths + self._n_configured_paths
+        return paths
+
+    def set_playbook_paths(self, playbook_paths):
+        if isinstance(playbook_paths, string_types):
+            playbook_paths = [playbook_paths]
+
+        # track visited paths; we have to preserve the dir order as-passed in case there are duplicate collections (first one wins)
+        added_paths = set()
+
+        # de-dupe
+        self._n_playbook_paths = [os.path.join(to_native(p), 'collections') for p in playbook_paths if not (p in added_paths or added_paths.add(p))]
+        self._n_cached_collection_paths = None
+        # HACK: playbook CLI sets this relatively late, so we've already loaded some packages whose paths might depend on this. Fix those up.
+        # NB: this should NOT be used for late additions; ideally we'd fix the playbook dir setup earlier in Ansible init
+        # to prevent this from occurring
+        for pkg in ['ansible_collections', 'ansible_collections.ansible']:
+            self._reload_hack(pkg)
+
+    def _reload_hack(self, fullname):
+        m = sys.modules.get(fullname)
+        if not m:
+            return
+        reload_module(m)
+
+    def find_module(self, fullname, path=None):
+        # Figure out what's being asked for, and delegate to a special-purpose loader
+
+        split_name = fullname.split('.')
+        toplevel_pkg = split_name[0]
+        module_to_find = split_name[-1]
+        part_count = len(split_name)
+
+        if toplevel_pkg not in ['ansible', 'ansible_collections']:
+            # not interested in anything other than ansible_collections (and limited cases under ansible)
+            return None
+
+        # sanity check what we're getting from import, canonicalize path values
+        if part_count == 1:
+            if path:
+                raise ValueError('path should not be specified for top-level packages (trying to find {0})'.format(fullname))
+            else:
+                # seed the path to the configured collection roots
+                path = self._n_collection_paths
+
+        if part_count > 1 and path is None:
+            raise ValueError('path must be specified for subpackages (trying to find {0})'.format(fullname))
+
+        # NB: actual "find"ing is delegated to the constructors on the various loaders; they'll ImportError if not found
+        try:
+            if toplevel_pkg == 'ansible':
+                # something under the ansible package, delegate to our internal loader in case of redirections
+                return _AnsibleInternalRedirectLoader(fullname=fullname, path_list=path)
+            if part_count == 1:
+                return _AnsibleCollectionRootPkgLoader(fullname=fullname, path_list=path)
+            if part_count == 2:  # ns pkg eg, ansible_collections, ansible_collections.somens
+                return _AnsibleCollectionNSPkgLoader(fullname=fullname, path_list=path)
+            elif part_count == 3:  # collection pkg eg, ansible_collections.somens.somecoll
+                return _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader(fullname=fullname, path_list=path)
+            # anything below the collection
+            return _AnsibleCollectionLoader(fullname=fullname, path_list=path)
+        except ImportError:
+            # TODO: log attempt to load context
+            return None
+
+
+# Implements a path_hook finder for iter_modules (since it's only path based). This finder does not need to actually
+# function as a finder in most cases, since our meta_path finder is consulted first for *almost* everything, except
+# pkgutil.iter_modules, and under py2, pkgutil.get_data if the parent package passed has not been loaded yet.
+class _AnsiblePathHookFinder:
+    def __init__(self, collection_finder, pathctx):
+        # when called from a path_hook, find_module doesn't usually get the path arg, so this provides our context
+        self._pathctx = to_native(pathctx)
+        self._collection_finder = collection_finder
+        if PY3:
+            # cache the native FileFinder (take advantage of its filesystem cache for future find/load requests)
+            self._file_finder = None
+
+    # class init is fun- this method has a self arg that won't get used
+    def _get_filefinder_path_hook(self=None):
+        _file_finder_hook = None
+        if PY3:
+            # try to find the FileFinder hook to call for fallback path-based imports in Py3
+            _file_finder_hook = [ph for ph in sys.path_hooks if 'FileFinder' in repr(ph)]
+            if len(_file_finder_hook) != 1:
+                raise Exception('need exactly one FileFinder import hook (found {0})'.format(len(_file_finder_hook)))
+            _file_finder_hook = _file_finder_hook[0]
+
+        return _file_finder_hook
+
+    _filefinder_path_hook = _get_filefinder_path_hook()
+
+    def find_module(self, fullname, path=None):
+        # we ignore the passed in path here- use what we got from the path hook init
+        split_name = fullname.split('.')
+        toplevel_pkg = split_name[0]
+
+        if toplevel_pkg == 'ansible_collections':
+            # collections content? delegate to the collection finder
+            return self._collection_finder.find_module(fullname, path=[self._pathctx])
+        else:
+            # Something else; we'd normally restrict this to `ansible` descendent modules so that any weird loader
+            # behavior that arbitrary Python modules have can be serviced by those loaders. In some dev/test
+            # scenarios (eg a venv under a collection) our path_hook signs us up to load non-Ansible things, and
+            # it's too late by the time we've reached this point, but also too expensive for the path_hook to figure
+            # out what we *shouldn't* be loading with the limited info it has. So we'll just delegate to the
+            # normal path-based loader as best we can to service it. This also allows us to take advantage of Python's
+            # built-in FS caching and byte-compilation for most things.
+            if PY3:
+                # create or consult our cached file finder for this path
+                if not self._file_finder:
+                    self._file_finder = _AnsiblePathHookFinder._filefinder_path_hook(self._pathctx)
+
+                spec = self._file_finder.find_spec(fullname)
+                if not spec:
+                    return None
+                return spec.loader
+            else:
+                # call py2's internal loader
+                return pkgutil.ImpImporter(self._pathctx).find_module(fullname)
+
+    def iter_modules(self, prefix):
+        # NB: this currently represents only what's on disk, and does not handle package redirection
+        return _iter_modules_impl([self._pathctx], prefix)
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "{0}(path='{1}')".format(self.__class__.__name__, self._pathctx)
+
+
+class _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoaderBase:
+    _allows_package_code = False
+
+    def __init__(self, fullname, path_list=None):
+        self._fullname = fullname
+        self._redirect_module = None
+        self._split_name = fullname.split('.')
+        self._rpart_name = fullname.rpartition('.')
+        self._parent_package_name = self._rpart_name[0]  # eg ansible_collections for ansible_collections.somens, '' for toplevel
+        self._package_to_load = self._rpart_name[2]  # eg somens for ansible_collections.somens
+
+        self._source_code_path = None
+        self._decoded_source = None
+        self._compiled_code = None
+
+        self._validate_args()
+
+        self._candidate_paths = self._get_candidate_paths([to_native(p) for p in path_list])
+        self._subpackage_search_paths = self._get_subpackage_search_paths(self._candidate_paths)
+
+        self._validate_final()
+
+    # allow subclasses to validate args and sniff split values before we start digging around
+    def _validate_args(self):
+        if self._split_name[0] != 'ansible_collections':
+            raise ImportError('this loader can only load packages from the ansible_collections package, not {0}'.format(self._fullname))
+
+    # allow subclasses to customize candidate path filtering
+    def _get_candidate_paths(self, path_list):
+        return [os.path.join(p, self._package_to_load) for p in path_list]
+
+    # allow subclasses to customize finding paths
+    def _get_subpackage_search_paths(self, candidate_paths):
+        # filter candidate paths for existence (NB: silently ignoring package init code and same-named modules)
+        return [p for p in candidate_paths if os.path.isdir(to_bytes(p))]
+
+    # allow subclasses to customize state validation/manipulation before we return the loader instance
+    def _validate_final(self):
+        return
+
+    @staticmethod
+    @contextmanager
+    def _new_or_existing_module(name, **kwargs):
+        # handle all-or-nothing sys.modules creation/use-existing/delete-on-exception-if-created behavior
+        created_module = False
+        module = sys.modules.get(name)
+        try:
+            if not module:
+                module = ModuleType(name)
+                created_module = True
+                sys.modules[name] = module
+            # always override the values passed, except name (allow reference aliasing)
+            for attr, value in kwargs.items():
+                setattr(module, attr, value)
+            yield module
+        except Exception:
+            if created_module:
+                if sys.modules.get(name):
+                    sys.modules.pop(name)
+            raise
+
+    # basic module/package location support
+    # NB: this does not support distributed packages!
+    @staticmethod
+    def _module_file_from_path(leaf_name, path):
+        has_code = True
+        package_path = os.path.join(to_native(path), to_native(leaf_name))
+        module_path = None
+
+        # if the submodule is a package, assemble valid submodule paths, but stop looking for a module
+        if os.path.isdir(to_bytes(package_path)):
+            # is there a package init?
+            module_path = os.path.join(package_path, '__init__.py')
+            if not os.path.isfile(to_bytes(module_path)):
+                module_path = os.path.join(package_path, '__synthetic__')
+                has_code = False
+        else:
+            module_path = package_path + '.py'
+            package_path = None
+            if not os.path.isfile(to_bytes(module_path)):
+                raise ImportError('{0} not found at {1}'.format(leaf_name, path))
+
+        return module_path, has_code, package_path
+
+    def load_module(self, fullname):
+        # short-circuit redirect; we've already imported the redirected module, so just alias it and return it
+        if self._redirect_module:
+            sys.modules[self._fullname] = self._redirect_module
+            return self._redirect_module
+
+        # we're actually loading a module/package
+        module_attrs = dict(
+            __loader__=self,
+            __file__=self.get_filename(fullname),
+            __package__=self._parent_package_name  # sane default for non-packages
+        )
+
+        # eg, I am a package
+        if self._subpackage_search_paths is not None:  # empty is legal
+            module_attrs['__path__'] = self._subpackage_search_paths
+            module_attrs['__package__'] = fullname  # per PEP366
+
+        with self._new_or_existing_module(fullname, **module_attrs) as module:
+            # execute the module's code in its namespace
+            exec(self.get_code(fullname), module.__dict__)
+
+            return module
+
+    def is_package(self, fullname):
+        if fullname != self._fullname:
+            raise ValueError('this loader cannot answer is_package for {0}, only {1}'.format(fullname, self._fullname))
+        return self._subpackage_search_paths is not None
+
+    def get_source(self, fullname):
+        if self._decoded_source:
+            return self._decoded_source
+        if fullname != self._fullname:
+            raise ValueError('this loader cannot load source for {0}, only {1}'.format(fullname, self._fullname))
+        if not self._source_code_path:
+            return None
+        # FIXME: what do we want encoding/newline requirements to be?
+        self._decoded_source = self.get_data(self._source_code_path)
+        return self._decoded_source
+
+    def get_data(self, path):
+        if not path:
+            raise ValueError('a path must be specified')
+
+        # TODO: ensure we're being asked for a path below something we own
+        # TODO: try to handle redirects internally?
+
+        if not path[0] == '/':
+            # relative to current package, search package paths if possible (this may not be necessary)
+            # candidate_paths = [os.path.join(ssp, path) for ssp in self._subpackage_search_paths]
+            raise ValueError('relative resource paths not supported')
+        else:
+            candidate_paths = [path]
+
+        for p in candidate_paths:
+            b_path = to_bytes(p)
+            if os.path.isfile(b_path):
+                with open(b_path, 'rb') as fd:
+                    return fd.read()
+
+        return None
+
+    def _synthetic_filename(self, fullname):
+        return '<ansible_synthetic_collection_package>'
+
+    def get_filename(self, fullname):
+        if fullname != self._fullname:
+            raise ValueError('this loader cannot find files for {0}, only {1}'.format(fullname, self._fullname))
+
+        filename = self._source_code_path
+
+        if not filename and self.is_package(fullname):
+            if len(self._subpackage_search_paths) == 1:
+                filename = os.path.join(self._subpackage_search_paths[0], '__synthetic__')
+            else:
+                filename = self._synthetic_filename(fullname)
+
+        return filename
+
+    def get_code(self, fullname):
+        if self._compiled_code:
+            return self._compiled_code
+
+        # this may or may not be an actual filename, but it's the value we'll use for __file__
+        filename = self.get_filename(fullname)
+        if not filename:
+            filename = '<string>'
+
+        source_code = self.get_source(fullname)
+        if not source_code:
+            source_code = ''
+
+        self._compiled_code = compile(source=source_code, filename=filename, mode='exec', flags=0, dont_inherit=True)
+
+        return self._compiled_code
+
+    def iter_modules(self, prefix):
+        return _iter_modules_impl(self._subpackage_search_paths, prefix)
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return '{0}(path={1})'.format(self.__class__.__name__, self._subpackage_search_paths or self._source_code_path)
+
+
+class _AnsibleCollectionRootPkgLoader(_AnsibleCollectionPkgLoaderBase):
+    def _validate_args(self):
+        super(_AnsibleCollectionRootPkgLoader, self)._validate_args()
+        if len(self._split_name) != 1:
+            raise ImportError('this loader can only load the ansible_collections toplevel package, not {0}'.format(self._fullname))
+
+
+# Implements Ansible's custom namespace package support.
+# The ansible_collections package and one level down (collections namespaces) are Python namespace packages
+# that search across all configured collection roots. The collection package (two levels down) is the first one found
+# on the configured collection root path, and Python namespace package aggregation is not allowed at or below
+# the collection. Implements implicit package (package dir) support for both Py2/3. Package init code is ignored
+# by this loader.
+class _AnsibleCollectionNSPkgLoader(_AnsibleCollectionPkgLoaderBase):
+    def _validate_args(self):
+        super(_AnsibleCollectionNSPkgLoader, self)._validate_args()
+        if len(self._split_name) != 2:
+            raise ImportError('this loader can only load collections namespace packages, not {0}'.format(self._fullname))
+
+    def _validate_final(self):
+        # special-case the `ansible` namespace, since `ansible.builtin` is magical
+        if not self._subpackage_search_paths and self._package_to_load != 'ansible':
+            raise ImportError('no {0} found in {1}'.format(self._package_to_load, self._candidate_paths))
+
+
+# handles locating the actual collection package and associated metadata
+class _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader(_AnsibleCollectionPkgLoaderBase):
+    def _validate_args(self):
+        super(_AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader, self)._validate_args()
+        if len(self._split_name) != 3:
+            raise ImportError('this loader can only load collection packages, not {0}'.format(self._fullname))
+
+    def _validate_final(self):
+        if self._split_name[1:3] == ['ansible', 'builtin']:
+            # we don't want to allow this one to have on-disk search capability
+            self._subpackage_search_paths = []
+        elif not self._subpackage_search_paths:
+            raise ImportError('no {0} found in {1}'.format(self._package_to_load, self._candidate_paths))
+        else:
+            # only search within the first collection we found
+            self._subpackage_search_paths = [self._subpackage_search_paths[0]]
+
+    def load_module(self, fullname):
+        if not _meta_yml_to_dict:
+            raise ValueError('ansible.utils.collection_loader._meta_yml_to_dict is not set')
+
+        module = super(_AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader, self).load_module(fullname)
+
+        module._collection_meta = {}
+        # TODO: load collection metadata, cache in __loader__ state
+
+        collection_name = '.'.join(self._split_name[1:3])
+
+        if collection_name == 'ansible.builtin':
+            # ansible.builtin is a synthetic collection, get its routing config from the Ansible distro
+            raw_routing = pkgutil.get_data('ansible.config', 'ansible_builtin_runtime.yml')
+        else:
+            b_routing_meta_path = to_bytes(os.path.join(module.__path__[0], 'meta/runtime.yml'))
+            if os.path.isfile(b_routing_meta_path):
+                with open(b_routing_meta_path, 'rb') as fd:
+                    raw_routing = fd.read()
+            else:
+                raw_routing = ''
+        try:
+            if raw_routing:
+                routing_dict = _meta_yml_to_dict(raw_routing, (collection_name, 'runtime.yml'))
+                module._collection_meta = self._canonicalize_meta(routing_dict)
+        except Exception as ex:
+            raise ValueError('error parsing collection metadata: {0}'.format(to_native(ex)))
+
+        AnsibleCollectionConfig.on_collection_load.fire(collection_name=collection_name, collection_path=os.path.dirname(module.__file__))
+
+        return module
+
+    def _canonicalize_meta(self, meta_dict):
+        # TODO: rewrite import keys and all redirect targets that start with .. (current namespace) and . (current collection)
+        # OR we could do it all on the fly?
+        # if not meta_dict:
+        #     return {}
+        #
+        # ns_name = '.'.join(self._split_name[0:2])
+        # collection_name = '.'.join(self._split_name[0:3])
+        #
+        # #
+        # for routing_type, routing_type_dict in iteritems(meta_dict.get('plugin_routing', {})):
+        #     for plugin_key, plugin_dict in iteritems(routing_type_dict):
+        #         redirect = plugin_dict.get('redirect', '')
+        #         if redirect.startswith('..'):
+        #             redirect =  redirect[2:]
+
+        return meta_dict
+
+
+# loads everything under a collection, including handling redirections defined by the collection
+class _AnsibleCollectionLoader(_AnsibleCollectionPkgLoaderBase):
+    # HACK: stash this in a better place
+    _redirected_package_map = {}
+    _allows_package_code = True
+
+    def _validate_args(self):
+        super(_AnsibleCollectionLoader, self)._validate_args()
+        if len(self._split_name) < 4:
+            raise ValueError('this loader is only for sub-collection modules/packages, not {0}'.format(self._fullname))
+
+    def _get_candidate_paths(self, path_list):
+        if len(path_list) != 1 and self._split_name[1:3] != ['ansible', 'builtin']:
+            raise ValueError('this loader requires exactly one path to search')
+
+        return path_list
+
+    def _get_subpackage_search_paths(self, candidate_paths):
+        collection_meta = _get_collection_metadata('.'.join(self._split_name[1:3]))
+
+        # check for explicit redirection, as well as ancestor package-level redirection (only load the actual code once!)
+        redirect = None
+        explicit_redirect = False
+
+        routing_entry = _nested_dict_get(collection_meta, ['import_redirection', self._fullname])
+        if routing_entry:
+            redirect = routing_entry.get('redirect')
+
+        if redirect:
+            explicit_redirect = True
+        else:
+            redirect = _get_ancestor_redirect(self._redirected_package_map, self._fullname)
+
+        # NB: package level redirection requires hooking all future imports beneath the redirected source package
+        # in order to ensure sanity on future relative imports. We always import everything under its "real" name,
+        # then add a sys.modules entry with the redirected name using the same module instance. If we naively imported
+        # the source for each redirection, most submodules would import OK, but we'd have N runtime copies of the module
+        # (one for each name), and relative imports that ascend above the redirected package would break (since they'd
+        # see the redirected ancestor package contents instead of the package where they actually live).
+        if redirect:
+            # FIXME: wrap this so we can be explicit about a failed redirection
+            self._redirect_module = import_module(redirect)
+            if explicit_redirect and hasattr(self._redirect_module, '__path__') and self._redirect_module.__path__:
+                # if the import target looks like a package, store its name so we can rewrite future descendent loads
+                # FIXME: shouldn't this be in a shared location? This is currently per loader instance, so
+                self._redirected_package_map[self._fullname] = redirect
+
+            # if we redirected, don't do any further custom package logic
+            return None
+
+        # we're not doing a redirect- try to find what we need to actually load a module/package
+
+        # this will raise ImportError if we can't find the requested module/package at all
+        if not candidate_paths:
+            # noplace to look, just ImportError
+            raise ImportError('package has no paths')
+
+        found_path, has_code, package_path = self._module_file_from_path(self._package_to_load, candidate_paths[0])
+
+        # still here? we found something to load...
+        if has_code:
+            self._source_code_path = found_path
+
+        if package_path:
+            return [package_path]  # always needs to be a list
+
+        return None
+
+
+# This loader only answers for intercepted Ansible Python modules. Normal imports will fail here and be picked up later
+# by our path_hook importer (which proxies the built-in import mechanisms, allowing normal caching etc to occur)
+class _AnsibleInternalRedirectLoader:
+    def __init__(self, fullname, path_list):
+        self._redirect = None
+
+        split_name = fullname.split('.')
+        toplevel_pkg = split_name[0]
+        module_to_load = split_name[-1]
+
+        if toplevel_pkg != 'ansible':
+            raise ImportError('not interested')
+
+        builtin_meta = _get_collection_metadata('ansible.builtin')
+
+        routing_entry = _nested_dict_get(builtin_meta, ['import_redirection', fullname])
+        if routing_entry:
+            self._redirect = routing_entry.get('redirect')
+
+        if not self._redirect:
+            raise ImportError('not redirected, go ask path_hook')
+
+    def load_module(self, fullname):
+        # since we're delegating to other loaders, this should only be called for internal redirects where we answered
+        # find_module with this loader, in which case we'll just directly import the redirection target, insert it into
+        # sys.modules under the name it was requested by, and return the original module.
+
+        # should never see this
+        if not self._redirect:
+            raise ValueError('no redirect found for {0}'.format(fullname))
+
+        # FIXME: smuggle redirection context, provide warning/error that we tried and failed to redirect
+        mod = import_module(self._redirect)
+        sys.modules[fullname] = mod
+        return mod
+
+
+class AnsibleCollectionRef:
+    # FUTURE: introspect plugin loaders to get these dynamically?
+    VALID_REF_TYPES = frozenset(to_text(r) for r in ['action', 'become', 'cache', 'callback', 'cliconf', 'connection',
+                                                     'doc_fragments', 'filter', 'httpapi', 'inventory', 'lookup',
+                                                     'module_utils', 'modules', 'netconf', 'role', 'shell', 'strategy',
+                                                     'terminal', 'test', 'vars'])
+
+    # FIXME: tighten this up to match Python identifier reqs, etc
+    VALID_COLLECTION_NAME_RE = re.compile(to_text(r'^(\w+)\.(\w+)$'))
+    VALID_SUBDIRS_RE = re.compile(to_text(r'^\w+(\.\w+)*$'))
+    VALID_FQCR_RE = re.compile(to_text(r'^\w+\.\w+\.\w+(\.\w+)*$'))  # can have 0-N included subdirs as well
+
+    def __init__(self, collection_name, subdirs, resource, ref_type):
+        """
+        Create an AnsibleCollectionRef from components
+        :param collection_name: a collection name of the form 'namespace.collectionname'
+        :param subdirs: optional subdir segments to be appended below the plugin type (eg, 'subdir1.subdir2')
+        :param resource: the name of the resource being references (eg, 'mymodule', 'someaction', 'a_role')
+        :param ref_type: the type of the reference, eg 'module', 'role', 'doc_fragment'
+        """
+        collection_name = to_text(collection_name, errors='strict')
+        if subdirs is not None:
+            subdirs = to_text(subdirs, errors='strict')
+        resource = to_text(resource, errors='strict')
+        ref_type = to_text(ref_type, errors='strict')
+
+        if not self.is_valid_collection_name(collection_name):
+            raise ValueError('invalid collection name (must be of the form namespace.collection): {0}'.format(to_native(collection_name)))
+
+        if ref_type not in self.VALID_REF_TYPES:
+            raise ValueError('invalid collection ref_type: {0}'.format(ref_type))
+
+        self.collection = collection_name
+        if subdirs:
+            if not re.match(self.VALID_SUBDIRS_RE, subdirs):
+                raise ValueError('invalid subdirs entry: {0} (must be empty/None or of the form subdir1.subdir2)'.format(to_native(subdirs)))
+            self.subdirs = subdirs
+        else:
+            self.subdirs = u''
+
+        self.resource = resource
+        self.ref_type = ref_type
+
+        package_components = [u'ansible_collections', self.collection]
+        fqcr_components = [self.collection]
+
+        self.n_python_collection_package_name = to_native('.'.join(package_components))
+
+        if self.ref_type == u'role':
+            package_components.append(u'roles')
+        else:
+            # we assume it's a plugin
+            package_components += [u'plugins', self.ref_type]
+
+        if self.subdirs:
+            package_components.append(self.subdirs)
+            fqcr_components.append(self.subdirs)
+
+        if self.ref_type == u'role':
+            # roles are their own resource
+            package_components.append(self.resource)
+
+        fqcr_components.append(self.resource)
+
+        self.n_python_package_name = to_native('.'.join(package_components))
+        self._fqcr = u'.'.join(fqcr_components)
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return 'AnsibleCollectionRef(collection={0!r}, subdirs={1!r}, resource={2!r})'.format(self.collection, self.subdirs, self.resource)
+
+    @property
+    def fqcr(self):
+        return self._fqcr
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def from_fqcr(ref, ref_type):
+        """
+        Parse a string as a fully-qualified collection reference, raises ValueError if invalid
+        :param ref: collection reference to parse (a valid ref is of the form 'ns.coll.resource' or 'ns.coll.subdir1.subdir2.resource')
+        :param ref_type: the type of the reference, eg 'module', 'role', 'doc_fragment'
+        :return: a populated AnsibleCollectionRef object
+        """
+        # assuming the fq_name is of the form (ns).(coll).(optional_subdir_N).(resource_name),
+        # we split the resource name off the right, split ns and coll off the left, and we're left with any optional
+        # subdirs that need to be added back below the plugin-specific subdir we'll add. So:
+        # ns.coll.resource -> ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.(plugintype).resource
+        # ns.coll.subdir1.resource -> ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.subdir1.(plugintype).resource
+        # ns.coll.rolename -> ansible_collections.ns.coll.roles.rolename
+        if not AnsibleCollectionRef.is_valid_fqcr(ref):
+            raise ValueError('{0} is not a valid collection reference'.format(to_native(ref)))
+
+        ref = to_text(ref, errors='strict')
+        ref_type = to_text(ref_type, errors='strict')
+
+        resource_splitname = ref.rsplit(u'.', 1)
+        package_remnant = resource_splitname[0]
+        resource = resource_splitname[1]
+
+        # split the left two components of the collection package name off, anything remaining is plugin-type
+        # specific subdirs to be added back on below the plugin type
+        package_splitname = package_remnant.split(u'.', 2)
+        if len(package_splitname) == 3:
+            subdirs = package_splitname[2]
+        else:
+            subdirs = u''
+
+        collection_name = u'.'.join(package_splitname[0:2])
+
+        return AnsibleCollectionRef(collection_name, subdirs, resource, ref_type)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def try_parse_fqcr(ref, ref_type):
+        """
+        Attempt to parse a string as a fully-qualified collection reference, returning None on failure (instead of raising an error)
+        :param ref: collection reference to parse (a valid ref is of the form 'ns.coll.resource' or 'ns.coll.subdir1.subdir2.resource')
+        :param ref_type: the type of the reference, eg 'module', 'role', 'doc_fragment'
+        :return: a populated AnsibleCollectionRef object on successful parsing, else None
+        """
+        try:
+            return AnsibleCollectionRef.from_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
+        except ValueError:
+            pass
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def legacy_plugin_dir_to_plugin_type(legacy_plugin_dir_name):
+        """
+        Utility method to convert from a PluginLoader dir name to a plugin ref_type
+        :param legacy_plugin_dir_name: PluginLoader dir name (eg, 'action_plugins', 'library')
+        :return: the corresponding plugin ref_type (eg, 'action', 'role')
+        """
+        legacy_plugin_dir_name = to_text(legacy_plugin_dir_name)
+
+        plugin_type = legacy_plugin_dir_name.replace(u'_plugins', u'')
+
+        if plugin_type == u'library':
+            plugin_type = u'modules'
+
+        if plugin_type not in AnsibleCollectionRef.VALID_REF_TYPES:
+            raise ValueError('{0} cannot be mapped to a valid collection ref type'.format(to_native(legacy_plugin_dir_name)))
+
+        return plugin_type
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_valid_fqcr(ref, ref_type=None):
+        """
+        Validates if is string is a well-formed fully-qualified collection reference (does not look up the collection itself)
+        :param ref: candidate collection reference to validate (a valid ref is of the form 'ns.coll.resource' or 'ns.coll.subdir1.subdir2.resource')
+        :param ref_type: optional reference type to enable deeper validation, eg 'module', 'role', 'doc_fragment'
+        :return: True if the collection ref passed is well-formed, False otherwise
+        """
+
+        ref = to_text(ref)
+
+        if not ref_type:
+            return bool(re.match(AnsibleCollectionRef.VALID_FQCR_RE, ref))
+
+        return bool(AnsibleCollectionRef.try_parse_fqcr(ref, ref_type))
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_valid_collection_name(collection_name):
+        """
+        Validates if the given string is a well-formed collection name (does not look up the collection itself)
+        :param collection_name: candidate collection name to validate (a valid name is of the form 'ns.collname')
+        :return: True if the collection name passed is well-formed, False otherwise
+        """
+
+        collection_name = to_text(collection_name)
+
+        return bool(re.match(AnsibleCollectionRef.VALID_COLLECTION_NAME_RE, collection_name))
+
+
+def _get_collection_role_path(role_name, collection_list=None):
+    acr = AnsibleCollectionRef.try_parse_fqcr(role_name, 'role')
+
+    if acr:
+        # looks like a valid qualified collection ref; skip the collection_list
+        collection_list = [acr.collection]
+        subdirs = acr.subdirs
+        resource = acr.resource
+    elif not collection_list:
+        return None  # not a FQ role and no collection search list spec'd, nothing to do
+    else:
+        resource = role_name  # treat as unqualified, loop through the collection search list to try and resolve
+        subdirs = ''
+
+    for collection_name in collection_list:
+        try:
+            acr = AnsibleCollectionRef(collection_name=collection_name, subdirs=subdirs, resource=resource, ref_type='role')
+            # FIXME: error handling/logging; need to catch any import failures and move along
+            pkg = import_module(acr.n_python_package_name)
+
+            if pkg is not None:
+                # the package is now loaded, get the collection's package and ask where it lives
+                path = os.path.dirname(to_bytes(sys.modules[acr.n_python_package_name].__file__, errors='surrogate_or_strict'))
+                return resource, to_text(path, errors='surrogate_or_strict'), collection_name
+
+        except IOError:
+            continue
+        except Exception as ex:
+            # FIXME: pick out typical import errors first, then error logging
+            continue
+
+    return None
+
+
+def _get_collection_name_from_path(path):
+    """
+    Return the containing collection name for a given path, or None if the path is not below a configured collection, or
+    the collection cannot be loaded (eg, the collection is masked by another of the same name higher in the configured
+    collection roots).
+    :param path: path to evaluate for collection containment
+    :return: collection name or None
+    """
+
+    # FIXME: mess with realpath canonicalization or not?
+    path = to_native(path)
+
+    path_parts = path.split('/')
+    if path_parts.count('ansible_collections') != 1:
+        return None
+
+    ac_pos = path_parts.index('ansible_collections')
+
+    # make sure it's followed by at least a namespace and collection name
+    if len(path_parts) < ac_pos + 3:
+        return None
+
+    candidate_collection_name = '.'.join(path_parts[ac_pos + 1:ac_pos + 3])
+
+    try:
+        # we've got a name for it, now see if the path prefix matches what the loader sees
+        imported_pkg_path = to_native(os.path.dirname(to_bytes(import_module('ansible_collections.' + candidate_collection_name).__file__)))
+    except ImportError:
+        return None
+
+    # reassemble the original path prefix up the collection name, and it should match what we just imported. If not
+    # this is probably a collection root that's not configured.
+
+    original_path_prefix = os.path.join('/', *path_parts[0:ac_pos + 3])
+
+    if original_path_prefix != imported_pkg_path:
+        return None
+
+    return candidate_collection_name
+
+
+def _get_import_redirect(collection_meta_dict, fullname):
+    if not collection_meta_dict:
+        return None
+
+    return _nested_dict_get(collection_meta_dict, ['import_redirection', fullname, 'redirect'])
+
+
+def _get_ancestor_redirect(redirected_package_map, fullname):
+    # walk the requested module's ancestor packages to see if any have been previously redirected
+    cur_pkg = fullname
+    while cur_pkg:
+        cur_pkg = cur_pkg.rpartition('.')[0]
+        ancestor_redirect = redirected_package_map.get(cur_pkg)
+        if ancestor_redirect:
+            # rewrite the prefix on fullname so we import the target first, then alias it
+            redirect = ancestor_redirect + fullname[len(cur_pkg):]
+            return redirect
+    return None
+
+
+def _nested_dict_get(root_dict, key_list):
+    cur_value = root_dict
+    for key in key_list:
+        cur_value = cur_value.get(key)
+        if not cur_value:
+            return None
+
+    return cur_value
+
+
+def _iter_modules_impl(paths, prefix=''):
+    # NB: this currently only iterates what's on disk- redirected modules are not considered
+    if not prefix:
+        prefix = ''
+    else:
+        prefix = to_native(prefix)
+    # yield (module_loader, name, ispkg) for each module/pkg under path
+    # TODO: implement ignore/silent catch for unreadable?
+    for b_path in map(to_bytes, paths):
+        if not os.path.isdir(b_path):
+            continue
+        for b_basename in sorted(os.listdir(b_path)):
+            b_candidate_module_path = os.path.join(b_path, b_basename)
+            if os.path.isdir(b_candidate_module_path):
+                # exclude things that obviously aren't Python package dirs
+                # FIXME: this dir is adjustable in py3.8+, check for it
+                if b'.' in b_basename or b_basename == b'__pycache__':
+                    continue
+
+                # TODO: proper string handling?
+                yield prefix + to_native(b_basename), True
+            else:
+                # FIXME: match builtin ordering for package/dir/file, support compiled?
+                if b_basename.endswith(b'.py') and b_basename != b'__init__.py':
+                    yield prefix + to_native(os.path.splitext(b_basename)[0]), False
+
+
+def _get_collection_metadata(collection_name):
+    collection_name = to_native(collection_name)
+    if not collection_name or not isinstance(collection_name, string_types) or len(collection_name.split('.')) != 2:
+        raise ValueError('collection_name must be a non-empty string of the form namespace.collection')
+
+    try:
+        collection_pkg = import_module('ansible_collections.' + collection_name)
+    except ImportError:
+        raise ValueError('unable to locate collection {0}'.format(collection_name))
+
+    _collection_meta = getattr(collection_pkg, '_collection_meta', None)
+
+    if _collection_meta is None:
+        raise ValueError('collection metadata was not loaded for collection {0}'.format(collection_name))
+
+    return _collection_meta
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/_collection_meta.py b/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/_collection_meta.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..979a921cab7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/collection_loader/_collection_meta.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# (c) 2019 Ansible Project
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+from yaml import safe_load
+
+
+def _meta_yml_to_dict(yaml_string_data, content_id):
+    routing_dict = safe_load(yaml_string_data)
+    if not routing_dict:
+        routing_dict = {}
+    # TODO: change this to Mapping abc?
+    if not isinstance(routing_dict, dict):
+        raise ValueError('collection metadata must be a dictionary')
+    return routing_dict
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 2b77e2f8806..44689bb54eb 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@
 jinja2
 PyYAML
 cryptography
+packaging
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/ansible-doc/aliases b/test/integration/targets/ansible-doc/aliases
index a6dafcf8cd8..268da2c7020 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/ansible-doc/aliases
+++ b/test/integration/targets/ansible-doc/aliases
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 shippable/posix/group1
+disabled
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/meta/runtime.yml b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/meta/runtime.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cb21fee66fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/meta/runtime.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+plugin_routing:
+  action:
+    uses_redirected_action:
+      redirect: testns.testcoll.subclassed_normal
+  connection:
+    redirected_local:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.local
+  modules:
+    multilevel1:
+      redirect: testns.testcoll.multilevel2
+    multilevel2:
+      redirect: testns.testcoll.multilevel3
+    multilevel3:
+      redirect: testns.testcoll.ping
+    uses_redirected_action:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.ping
+    setup.ps1: ansible.windows.setup
+    looped_ping:
+      redirect: testns.testcoll.looped_ping2
+    looped_ping2:
+      redirect: testns.testcoll.looped_ping
+    bogus_redirect:
+      redirect: bogus.collection.shouldbomb
+    deprecated_ping:
+      deprecation:
+        removal_date: 2020-12-31
+        warning_text: old_ping will be removed in a future release of this collection. Use new_ping instead.
+    foobar_facts:
+      redirect: foobar_info
+    aliased_ping:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.ping
+    dead_ping:
+      tombstone:
+        removal_date: 2019-12-31
+        warning_text: dead_ping has been removed
+  module_utils:
+    moved_out_root:
+      redirect: testns.content_adj.sub1.foomodule
+requires_ansible: '>=2.11'
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/subclassed_normal.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/subclassed_normal.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f0eff30bf30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/subclassed_normal.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+from ansible.plugins.action.normal import ActionModule as NormalAction
+
+
+class ActionModule(NormalAction):
+    def run(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        result = super(ActionModule, self).run(*args, **kwargs)
+        result['hacked'] = 'I got run under a subclassed normal, yay'
+        return result
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/uses_redirected_import.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/uses_redirected_import.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..701d7b468eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/uses_redirected_import.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+from ansible.plugins.action import ActionBase
+from ansible.module_utils.formerly_core import thingtocall
+
+
+class ActionModule(ActionBase):
+    TRANSFERS_FILES = False
+    _VALID_ARGS = frozenset()
+
+    def run(self, tmp=None, task_vars=None):
+        if task_vars is None:
+            task_vars = dict()
+
+        result = super(ActionModule, self).run(None, task_vars)
+
+        result = dict(changed=False, ttc_res=thingtocall())
+
+        return result
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/nested_same/nested_same/nested_same.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/nested_same/nested_same/nested_same.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..774075646ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/nested_same/nested_same/nested_same.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+def nested_same():
+    return 'hello from nested_same'
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/subpkg_with_init.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/subpkg_with_init.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b48a717caeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/subpkg_with_init.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# NB: this module should never be loaded, since we'll see the subpkg_with_init package dir first
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+def thingtocall():
+    raise Exception('this should never be called (loaded discrete module instead of package module)')
+
+
+def anotherthingtocall():
+    raise Exception('this should never be called (loaded discrete module instead of package module)')
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/deprecated_ping.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/deprecated_ping.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9698ba6f071
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/deprecated_ping.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import json
+
+
+def main():
+    print(json.dumps(dict(changed=False, source='user', is_deprecated=True)))
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_collection_redirected_mu.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_collection_redirected_mu.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..736eb400f06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_collection_redirected_mu.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import json
+import sys
+
+from ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.module_utils.moved_out_root import importme
+
+
+def main():
+    mu_result = importme()
+    print(json.dumps(dict(changed=False, source='user', mu_result=mu_result)))
+
+    sys.exit()
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_core_redirected_mu.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_core_redirected_mu.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..28a077293ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_core_redirected_mu.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import json
+import sys
+
+from ansible.module_utils.formerly_core import thingtocall
+
+
+def main():
+    mu_result = thingtocall()
+    print(json.dumps(dict(changed=False, source='user', mu_result=mu_result)))
+
+    sys.exit()
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_nested_same_as_func.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_nested_same_as_func.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..26fa53c0779
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_nested_same_as_func.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import json
+import sys
+
+from ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.module_utils.nested_same.nested_same.nested_same import nested_same
+
+
+def main():
+    mu_result = nested_same()
+    print(json.dumps(dict(changed=False, source='user', mu_result=mu_result)))
+
+    sys.exit()
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_nested_same_as_module.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_nested_same_as_module.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e017c14f8ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/uses_nested_same_as_module.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import json
+import sys
+
+from ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.module_utils.nested_same.nested_same import nested_same
+
+
+def main():
+    mu_result = nested_same.nested_same()
+    print(json.dumps(dict(changed=False, source='user', mu_result=mu_result)))
+
+    sys.exit()
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/collections/ansible_collections/testns/content_adj/plugins/module_utils/sub1/foomodule.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/collections/ansible_collections/testns/content_adj/plugins/module_utils/sub1/foomodule.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..eeffe01e298
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/collections/ansible_collections/testns/content_adj/plugins/module_utils/sub1/foomodule.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+def importme():
+    return "hello from {0}".format(__name__)
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/filter_plugins/override_formerly_core_masked_filter.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/filter_plugins/override_formerly_core_masked_filter.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..600b1fd8c2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/filter_plugins/override_formerly_core_masked_filter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+def override_formerly_core_masked_filter(*args, **kwargs):
+    return 'hello from overridden formerly_core_masked_filter'
+
+
+class FilterModule(object):
+    def filters(self):
+        return {
+            'formerly_core_masked_filter': override_formerly_core_masked_filter
+        }
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/inventory_test.yml b/test/integration/targets/collections/inventory_test.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b50892788da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/inventory_test.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+- name: test a collection-hosted connection plugin against hosts from collection-hosted inventory plugins
+  hosts: dynamic_host_a, dynamic_host_redirected
+  gather_facts: no
+  vars:
+    ansible_connection: testns.testcoll.localconn
+    ansible_localconn_connectionvar: from_play
+  tasks:
+  - raw: echo 'hello world'
+    register: connection_out
+
+  - assert:
+      that:
+      - connection_out.stdout == "localconn ran echo 'hello world'"
+      # ensure that the connection var we overrode above made it into the running config
+      - connection_out.stderr == "connectionvar is from_play"
+
+
+- hosts: localhost
+  gather_facts: no
+  tasks:
+  - assert:
+      that:
+      - hostvars['dynamic_host_a'] is defined
+      - hostvars['dynamic_host_a'].connection_out.stdout == "localconn ran echo 'hello world'"
+      - hostvars['dynamic_host_redirected'] is defined
+      - hostvars['dynamic_host_redirected'].connection_out.stdout == "localconn ran echo 'hello world'"
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/posix.yml b/test/integration/targets/collections/posix.yml
index 61f950f50bf..ab74aedb237 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/collections/posix.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/posix.yml
@@ -63,6 +63,16 @@
     testns.testcoll.uses_leaf_mu_module_import_from:
     register: from_out
 
+  # module with multiple levels of the same nested package name and imported as a function
+  - name: exec module with multiple levels of the same nested package name imported as a function
+    testns.testcoll.uses_nested_same_as_func:
+    register: from_nested_func
+
+  # module with multiple levels of the same nested package name and imported as a module
+  - name: exec module with multiple levels of the same nested package name imported as a module
+    testns.testcoll.uses_nested_same_as_module:
+    register: from_nested_module
+
   - assert:
       that:
       - testmodule_out.source == 'user'
@@ -79,6 +89,8 @@
       - flat_out.mu_result == 'thingtocall in leaf'
       - from_out.mu_result == 'thingtocall in leaf'
       - from_out.mu2_result == 'thingtocall in secondary'
+      - from_nested_func.mu_result == 'hello from nested_same'
+      - from_nested_module.mu_result == 'hello from nested_same'
 
 - hosts: testhost
   tasks:
@@ -373,28 +385,7 @@
   - include_tasks: includeme.yml
 
 
-- name: test a collection-hosted connection plugin against a host from a collection-hosted inventory plugin
-  hosts: dynamic_host_a
-  vars:
-    ansible_connection: testns.testcoll.localconn
-    ansible_localconn_connectionvar: from_play
-  tasks:
-  - raw: echo 'hello world'
-    register: connection_out
-
-  - assert:
-      that:
-      - connection_out.stdout == "localconn ran echo 'hello world'"
-      # ensure that the connection var we overrode above made it into the running config
-      - connection_out.stderr == "connectionvar is from_play"
-
-- hosts: testhost
-  tasks:
-  - assert:
-      that:
-      - hostvars['dynamic_host_a'] is defined
-      - hostvars['dynamic_host_a'].connection_out.stdout == "localconn ran echo 'hello world'"
-
+- import_playbook: test_collection_meta.yml
 - name: Test FQCN handlers
   hosts: testhost
   vars:
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/redirected.statichost.yml b/test/integration/targets/collections/redirected.statichost.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9fd2c2d87b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/redirected.statichost.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# use a plugin redirected by core to a collection to ensure inventory redirection and redirected config names are working
+plugin: formerly_core_inventory  # this is defined in the ansible-base runtime.yml routing to point at testns.content_adj.statichost
+hostname: dynamic_host_redirected
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/runme.sh b/test/integration/targets/collections/runme.sh
index 98471b2761e..e0c7ef0319c 100755
--- a/test/integration/targets/collections/runme.sh
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/runme.sh
@@ -38,19 +38,22 @@ else
   export TEST_PLAYBOOK=posix.yml
 
   echo "testing default collection support"
-  ansible-playbook -i "${INVENTORY_PATH}" collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/playbooks/default_collection_playbook.yml
+  ansible-playbook -i "${INVENTORY_PATH}" collection_root_user/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/playbooks/default_collection_playbook.yml "$@"
 fi
 
 # run test playbooks
-ansible-playbook -i "${INVENTORY_PATH}"  -i ./a.statichost.yml -v "${TEST_PLAYBOOK}" "$@"
+ansible-playbook -i "${INVENTORY_PATH}" -v "${TEST_PLAYBOOK}" "$@"
 
 if [[ ${INVENTORY_PATH} != *.winrm ]]; then
-	ansible-playbook -i "${INVENTORY_PATH}"  -i ./a.statichost.yml -v invocation_tests.yml "$@"
+	ansible-playbook -i "${INVENTORY_PATH}" -v invocation_tests.yml "$@"
 fi
 
+# test collection inventories
+ansible-playbook inventory_test.yml -i a.statichost.yml -i redirected.statichost.yml "$@"
+
 # test adjacent with --playbook-dir
 export ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_PATHS=''
-ANSIBLE_INVENTORY_ANY_UNPARSED_IS_FAILED=1 ansible-inventory -i a.statichost.yml --list --export --playbook-dir=. -v "$@"
+ANSIBLE_INVENTORY_ANY_UNPARSED_IS_FAILED=1 ansible-inventory --list --export --playbook-dir=. -v "$@"
 
 # use an inventory source with caching enabled
 ansible-playbook -i a.statichost.yml -i ./cache.statichost.yml -v check_populated_inventory.yml
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/test_collection_meta.yml b/test/integration/targets/collections/test_collection_meta.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..22a00b2197c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/test_collection_meta.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+- hosts: localhost
+  gather_facts: no
+  collections:
+  - testns.testcoll
+  vars:
+    # redirect connection
+    ansible_connection: testns.testcoll.redirected_local
+  tasks:
+  - assert:
+      that: ('data' | testns.testcoll.testfilter) == 'data_via_testfilter_from_userdir'
+
+  # redirect module (multiple levels)
+  - multilevel1:
+  # redirect action
+  - uses_redirected_action:
+  # redirect import (consumed via action)
+  - uses_redirected_import:
+  # redirect lookup
+  - assert:
+      that: lookup('formerly_core_lookup') == 'mylookup_from_user_dir'
+  # redirect filter
+  - assert:
+      that: ('yes' | formerly_core_filter) == True
+  # legacy filter should mask redirected
+  - assert:
+      that: ('' | formerly_core_masked_filter) == 'hello from overridden formerly_core_masked_filter'
+  # redirect test
+  - assert:
+      that:
+      - "'stuff' is formerly_core_test('tuf')"
+      - "'hello override' is formerly_core_masked_test"
+  # redirect module (formerly internal)
+  - formerly_core_ping:
+  # redirect module from collection (with subdir)
+  - testns.testcoll.module_subdir.subdir_ping_module:
+  # redirect module_utils plugin (consumed via module)
+  - uses_core_redirected_mu:
+  # deprecated module (issues warning)
+  - deprecated_ping:
+  # redirect module (internal alias)
+  - aliased_ping:
+  # redirect module (cycle detection, fatal)
+#  - looped_ping:
+
+  # removed module (fatal)
+#  - dead_ping:
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/collections/test_plugins/override_formerly_core_masked_test.py b/test/integration/targets/collections/test_plugins/override_formerly_core_masked_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..11c7f7a7e31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/collections/test_plugins/override_formerly_core_masked_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+def override_formerly_core_masked_test(value, *args, **kwargs):
+    if value != 'hello override':
+        raise Exception('expected "hello override" only...')
+
+    return True
+
+
+class TestModule(object):
+    def tests(self):
+        return {
+            'formerly_core_masked_test': override_formerly_core_masked_test
+        }
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/pytest/plugins/ansible_pytest_collections.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/pytest/plugins/ansible_pytest_collections.py
index 91e20478786..906fdc7c704 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/pytest/plugins/ansible_pytest_collections.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/pytest/plugins/ansible_pytest_collections.py
@@ -26,10 +26,11 @@ def pytest_configure():
     except AttributeError:
         pytest_configure.executed = True
 
-    from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader
+    from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _AnsibleCollectionFinder
 
     # allow unit tests to import code from collections
-    sys.meta_path.insert(0, AnsibleCollectionLoader())
+
+    _AnsibleCollectionFinder(paths=[os.path.dirname(ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_PATH)])._install()  # pylint: disable=protected-access
 
     # noinspection PyProtectedMember
     import py._path.local
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/integration.txt b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/integration.txt
index 469d21f9984..2c562615a82 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/integration.txt
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/integration.txt
@@ -2,4 +2,5 @@ cryptography
 jinja2
 junit-xml
 ordereddict ; python_version < '2.7'
+packaging
 pyyaml
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/network-integration.txt b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/network-integration.txt
index f5a45ebe882..726d29438fa 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/network-integration.txt
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/network-integration.txt
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@ cryptography
 jinja2
 junit-xml
 ordereddict ; python_version < '2.7' # ansible-test junit callback plugin requirement
+packaging
 paramiko
 pyyaml
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/windows-integration.txt b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/windows-integration.txt
index 1c56a8d1783..86de35eee82 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/windows-integration.txt
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/windows-integration.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ ntlm-auth
 ordereddict ; python_version < '2.7' # ansible-test junit callback plugin requirement
 requests-ntlm
 requests-credssp
+packaging
 pypsrp
 pywinrm[credssp]
 pyyaml
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/import/importer.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/import/importer.py
index 2b81190c5e7..80b5fc9026e 100755
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/import/importer.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/import/importer.py
@@ -9,17 +9,20 @@ def main():
     Main program function used to isolate globals from imported code.
     Changes to globals in imported modules on Python 2.x will overwrite our own globals.
     """
+    import ansible
     import contextlib
+    import json
     import os
     import re
     import runpy
+    import subprocess
     import sys
     import traceback
-    import types
     import warnings
 
-    ansible_path = os.environ['PYTHONPATH']
+    ansible_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(ansible.__file__))
     temp_path = os.environ['SANITY_TEMP_PATH'] + os.path.sep
+    external_python = os.environ.get('SANITY_EXTERNAL_PYTHON')
     collection_full_name = os.environ.get('SANITY_COLLECTION_FULL_NAME')
     collection_root = os.environ.get('ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_PATHS')
 
@@ -37,63 +40,45 @@ def main():
     except ImportError:
         from io import StringIO
 
-    # pre-load an empty ansible package to prevent unwanted code in __init__.py from loading
-    # without this the ansible.release import there would pull in many Python modules which Ansible modules should not have access to
-    ansible_module = types.ModuleType('ansible')
-    ansible_module.__file__ = os.path.join(os.environ['PYTHONPATH'], 'ansible', '__init__.py')
-    ansible_module.__path__ = [os.path.dirname(ansible_module.__file__)]
-    ansible_module.__package__ = 'ansible'
-
-    sys.modules['ansible'] = ansible_module
-
     if collection_full_name:
         # allow importing code from collections when testing a collection
-        from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader
-        from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes
-
-        def get_source(self, fullname):
-            with open(to_bytes(self.get_filename(fullname)), 'rb') as mod_file:
-                return mod_file.read()
-
-        def get_code(self, fullname):
-            return compile(source=self.get_source(fullname), filename=self.get_filename(fullname), mode='exec', flags=0, dont_inherit=True)
+        from ansible.module_utils.common.text.converters import to_bytes, to_text, to_native
+        from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig
+        from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _AnsibleCollectionFinder
+        from ansible.utils.collection_loader import _collection_finder
 
-        def is_package(self, fullname):
-            return os.path.basename(self.get_filename(fullname)) in ('__init__.py', '__synthetic__')
+        yaml_to_json_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'yaml_to_json.py')
+        yaml_to_dict_cache = {}
 
-        def get_filename(self, fullname):
-            if fullname in sys.modules:
-                return sys.modules[fullname].__file__
-
-            # find the module without importing it
-            # otherwise an ImportError during module load will prevent us from getting the filename of the module
-            loader = self.find_module(fullname)
+        def yaml_to_dict(yaml, content_id):
+            """
+            Return a Python dict version of the provided YAML.
+            Conversion is done in a subprocess since the current Python interpreter does not have access to PyYAML.
+            """
+            if content_id in yaml_to_dict_cache:
+                return yaml_to_dict_cache[content_id]
 
-            if not loader:
-                raise ImportError('module {0} not found'.format(fullname))
+            try:
+                cmd = [external_python, yaml_to_json_path]
+                proc = subprocess.Popen([to_bytes(c) for c in cmd], stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+                stdout_bytes, stderr_bytes = proc.communicate(to_bytes(yaml))
 
-            # determine the filename of the module that was found
-            filename = os.path.join(collection_root, fullname.replace('.', os.path.sep))
+                if proc.returncode != 0:
+                    raise Exception('command %s failed with return code %d: %s' % ([to_native(c) for c in cmd], proc.returncode, to_native(stderr_bytes)))
 
-            if os.path.isdir(filename):
-                init_filename = os.path.join(filename, '__init__.py')
-                filename = init_filename if os.path.exists(init_filename) else os.path.join(filename, '__synthetic__')
-            else:
-                filename += '.py'
+                data = yaml_to_dict_cache[content_id] = json.loads(to_text(stdout_bytes))
 
-            return filename
+                return data
+            except Exception as ex:
+                raise Exception('internal importer error - failed to parse yaml: %s' % to_native(ex))
 
-        # monkeypatch collection loader to work with runpy
-        # remove this (and the associated code above) once implemented natively in the collection loader
-        AnsibleCollectionLoader.get_source = get_source
-        AnsibleCollectionLoader.get_code = get_code
-        AnsibleCollectionLoader.is_package = is_package
-        AnsibleCollectionLoader.get_filename = get_filename
+        _collection_finder._meta_yml_to_dict = yaml_to_dict  # pylint: disable=protected-access
 
-        collection_loader = AnsibleCollectionLoader()
+        collection_loader = _AnsibleCollectionFinder(paths=[collection_root])
+        collection_loader._install()  # pylint: disable=protected-access
+        nuke_modules = list(m for m in sys.modules if m.partition('.')[0] == 'ansible')
+        map(sys.modules.pop, nuke_modules)
 
-        # noinspection PyCallingNonCallable
-        sys.meta_path.insert(0, collection_loader)
     else:
         # do not support collection loading when not testing a collection
         collection_loader = None
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/import/yaml_to_json.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/import/yaml_to_json.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..00269bd80b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/import/yaml_to_json.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+"""Read YAML from stdin and write JSON to stdout."""
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import json
+import sys
+
+from yaml import load
+
+try:
+    from yaml import CSafeLoader as SafeLoader
+except ImportError:
+    from yaml import SafeLoader
+
+
+json.dump(load(sys.stdin, Loader=SafeLoader), sys.stdout)
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/validate-modules/validate_modules/main.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/validate-modules/validate_modules/main.py
index 2e24095c6d8..52a6017edd8 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/validate-modules/validate_modules/main.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/sanity/validate-modules/validate_modules/main.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ from ansible.executor.module_common import REPLACER_WINDOWS
 from ansible.module_utils.common._collections_compat import Mapping
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes
 from ansible.plugins.loader import fragment_loader
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import _AnsibleCollectionFinder
 from ansible.utils.plugin_docs import BLACKLIST, add_fragments, get_docstring
 from ansible.utils.version import SemanticVersion
 
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@ class ModuleValidator(Validator):
         else:
             # We are testing a collection
             if self.routing and self.routing.get('plugin_routing', {}).get('modules', {}).get(self.name, {}).get('deprecation', {}):
-                # meta/routing.yml says this is deprecated
+                # meta/runtime.yml says this is deprecated
                 routing_says_deprecated = True
                 deprecated = True
 
@@ -1118,15 +1118,15 @@ class ModuleValidator(Validator):
                 self.reporter.error(
                     path=self.object_path,
                     code='collections-no-underscore-on-deprecation',
-                    msg='Deprecated content in collections MUST NOT start with "_", update meta/routing.yml instead',
+                    msg='Deprecated content in collections MUST NOT start with "_", update meta/runtime.yml instead',
                 )
 
             if not (doc_deprecated == routing_says_deprecated):
-                # DOCUMENTATION.deprecated and meta/routing.yml disagree
+                # DOCUMENTATION.deprecated and meta/runtime.yml disagree
                 self.reporter.error(
                     path=self.object_path,
                     code='deprecation-mismatch',
-                    msg='"meta/routing.yml" and DOCUMENTATION.deprecation do not agree.'
+                    msg='"meta/runtime.yml" and DOCUMENTATION.deprecation do not agree.'
                 )
 
             # In the future we should error if ANSIBLE_METADATA exists in a collection
@@ -2140,39 +2140,8 @@ class PythonPackageValidator(Validator):
 
 
 def setup_collection_loader():
-    def get_source(self, fullname):
-        mod = sys.modules.get(fullname)
-        if not mod:
-            mod = self.load_module(fullname)
-
-        with open(to_bytes(mod.__file__), 'rb') as mod_file:
-            source = mod_file.read()
-
-        return source
-
-    def get_code(self, fullname):
-        return compile(source=self.get_source(fullname), filename=self.get_filename(fullname), mode='exec', flags=0, dont_inherit=True)
-
-    def is_package(self, fullname):
-        return self.get_filename(fullname).endswith('__init__.py')
-
-    def get_filename(self, fullname):
-        mod = sys.modules.get(fullname) or self.load_module(fullname)
-
-        return mod.__file__
-
-    # monkeypatch collection loader to work with runpy
-    # remove this (and the associated code above) once implemented natively in the collection loader
-    AnsibleCollectionLoader.get_source = get_source
-    AnsibleCollectionLoader.get_code = get_code
-    AnsibleCollectionLoader.is_package = is_package
-    AnsibleCollectionLoader.get_filename = get_filename
-
-    collection_loader = AnsibleCollectionLoader()
-
-    # allow importing code from collections when testing a collection
-    # noinspection PyCallingNonCallable
-    sys.meta_path.insert(0, collection_loader)
+    collections_paths = os.environ.get('ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_PATHS', '').split(os.pathsep)
+    _AnsibleCollectionFinder(collections_paths)
 
 
 def re_compile(value):
@@ -2228,8 +2197,8 @@ def run():
     routing = None
     if args.collection:
         setup_collection_loader()
-        routing_file = 'meta/routing.yml'
-        # Load meta/routing.yml if it exists, as it may contain deprecation information
+        routing_file = 'meta/runtime.yml'
+        # Load meta/runtime.yml if it exists, as it may contain deprecation information
         if os.path.isfile(routing_file):
             try:
                 with open(routing_file) as f:
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/sanity/import.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/sanity/import.py
index 7d566fd9ee0..b6e4a0a08a0 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/sanity/import.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/sanity/import.py
@@ -76,10 +76,12 @@ class ImportTest(SanityMultipleVersion):
         """
         capture_pip = args.verbosity < 2
 
+        python = find_python(python_version)
+
         if python_version.startswith('2.') and args.requirements:
             # hack to make sure that virtualenv is available under Python 2.x
             # on Python 3.x we can use the built-in venv
-            pip = generate_pip_command(find_python(python_version))
+            pip = generate_pip_command(python)
             run_command(args, generate_pip_install(pip, 'sanity.import', packages=['virtualenv']), capture=capture_pip)
 
         settings = self.load_processor(args, python_version)
@@ -102,8 +104,10 @@ class ImportTest(SanityMultipleVersion):
 
         # add the importer to our virtual environment so it can be accessed through the coverage injector
         importer_path = os.path.join(virtual_environment_bin, 'importer.py')
+        yaml_to_json_path = os.path.join(virtual_environment_bin, 'yaml_to_json.py')
         if not args.explain:
             os.symlink(os.path.abspath(os.path.join(SANITY_ROOT, 'import', 'importer.py')), importer_path)
+            os.symlink(os.path.abspath(os.path.join(SANITY_ROOT, 'import', 'yaml_to_json.py')), yaml_to_json_path)
 
         # activate the virtual environment
         env['PATH'] = '%s:%s' % (virtual_environment_bin, env['PATH'])
@@ -115,6 +119,7 @@ class ImportTest(SanityMultipleVersion):
         if data_context().content.collection:
             env.update(
                 SANITY_COLLECTION_FULL_NAME=data_context().content.collection.full_name,
+                SANITY_EXTERNAL_PYTHON=python,
             )
 
         virtualenv_python = os.path.join(virtual_environment_bin, 'python')
diff --git a/test/sanity/code-smell/no-unwanted-files.py b/test/sanity/code-smell/no-unwanted-files.py
index 93260623b39..bff09152772 100755
--- a/test/sanity/code-smell/no-unwanted-files.py
+++ b/test/sanity/code-smell/no-unwanted-files.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def main():
     )
 
     skip_paths = set([
-        'lib/ansible/config/routing.yml',  # not included in the sanity ignore file since it won't exist until after migration
+        'lib/ansible/config/ansible_builtin_runtime.yml',  # not included in the sanity ignore file since it won't exist until after migration
     ])
 
     skip_directories = (
diff --git a/test/sanity/ignore.txt b/test/sanity/ignore.txt
index 8e7cbb9b418..bb5981ae605 100644
--- a/test/sanity/ignore.txt
+++ b/test/sanity/ignore.txt
@@ -550,12 +550,19 @@ test/units/plugins/test_plugins.py pylint:blacklisted-name
 test/units/template/test_templar.py pylint:blacklisted-name
 test/units/test_constants.py future-import-boilerplate
 test/units/test_context.py future-import-boilerplate
-test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/action/my_action.py future-import-boilerplate
-test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/action/my_action.py metaclass-boilerplate
-test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/my_other_util.py future-import-boilerplate
-test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/my_other_util.py metaclass-boilerplate
-test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/my_util.py future-import-boilerplate
-test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/my_util.py metaclass-boilerplate
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/my_action.py future-import-boilerplate
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/my_action.py metaclass-boilerplate
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/my_action.py pylint:relative-beyond-top-level
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/my_other_util.py future-import-boilerplate
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/my_other_util.py metaclass-boilerplate
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/my_util.py future-import-boilerplate
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/my_util.py metaclass-boilerplate
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/__init__.py empty-init  # testing that collections don't need inits
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/__init__.py empty-init  # testing that collections don't need inits
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/ansible/__init__.py empty-init  # testing that collections don't need inits
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/testns/__init__.py empty-init  # testing that collections don't need inits
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/__init__.py empty-init  # testing that collections don't need inits
+test/units/utils/collection_loader/test_collection_loader.py pylint:undefined-variable  # magic runtime local var splatting
 test/units/utils/test_cleanup_tmp_file.py future-import-boilerplate
 test/units/utils/test_encrypt.py future-import-boilerplate
 test/units/utils/test_encrypt.py metaclass-boilerplate
diff --git a/test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/__init__.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/__init__.py
similarity index 100%
rename from test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/__init__.py
rename to test/units/utils/collection_loader/__init__.py
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/ansible/builtin/plugins/modules/shouldnotload.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/ansible/builtin/plugins/modules/shouldnotload.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4041a338ba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/ansible/builtin/plugins/modules/shouldnotload.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+raise Exception('this module should never be loaded')
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/meta/runtime.yml b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/meta/runtime.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f2e2fdec2ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/meta/runtime.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+plugin_routing:
+  modules:
+    rerouted_module:
+      redirect: ansible.builtin.ping
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/my_action.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/my_action.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5b19fa1a508
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/action/my_action.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from ..module_utils.my_util import question
+
+
+def action_code():
+    return "hello from my_action.py"
diff --git a/test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/action/__init__.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/__init__.py
similarity index 100%
rename from test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/action/__init__.py
rename to test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/__init__.py
diff --git a/test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/my_other_util.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/my_other_util.py
similarity index 100%
rename from test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/my_other_util.py
rename to test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/my_other_util.py
diff --git a/test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/my_util.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/my_util.py
similarity index 100%
rename from test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/my_util.py
rename to test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/my_util.py
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/__init__.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6d697034538
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+raise Exception('this should never run')
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/amodule.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/amodule.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..99320a0c371
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules/amodule.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+def module_code():
+    return "hello from amodule.py"
diff --git a/test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/__init__.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/roles/some_role/.gitkeep
similarity index 100%
rename from test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/__init__.py
rename to test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/roles/some_role/.gitkeep
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/__init__.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6068ac1a2b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+raise Exception('this code should never execute')
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/ansible/__init__.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/ansible/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6068ac1a2b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/ansible/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+raise Exception('this code should never execute')
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/testns/__init__.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/testns/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6068ac1a2b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/testns/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+raise Exception('this code should never execute')
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/__init__.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6068ac1a2b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+
+raise Exception('this code should never execute')
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/playbook_path/collections/ansible_collections/ansible/playbook_adj_other/.gitkeep b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/playbook_path/collections/ansible_collections/ansible/playbook_adj_other/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/playbook_path/collections/ansible_collections/freshns/playbook_adj_other/.gitkeep b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/playbook_path/collections/ansible_collections/freshns/playbook_adj_other/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/playbook_path/collections/ansible_collections/testns/playbook_adj_other/.gitkeep b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/fixtures/playbook_path/collections/ansible_collections/testns/playbook_adj_other/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/test/units/utils/collection_loader/test_collection_loader.py b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/test_collection_loader.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fccc3a77986
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/utils/collection_loader/test_collection_loader.py
@@ -0,0 +1,809 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import os
+import pkgutil
+import pytest
+import re
+import sys
+
+from ansible.module_utils.six import PY3, string_types
+from ansible.module_utils.compat.importlib import import_module
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionConfig, AnsibleCollectionRef
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder import (
+    _AnsibleCollectionFinder, _AnsibleCollectionLoader, _AnsibleCollectionNSPkgLoader, _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader,
+    _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoaderBase, _AnsibleCollectionRootPkgLoader, _AnsiblePathHookFinder,
+    _get_collection_name_from_path, _get_collection_role_path, _get_collection_metadata, _iter_modules_impl
+)
+from ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_config import _EventSource
+from units.compat.mock import MagicMock, NonCallableMagicMock, patch
+
+
+# fixture to ensure we always clean up the import stuff when we're done
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True, scope='function')
+def teardown(*args, **kwargs):
+    yield
+    reset_collections_loader_state()
+
+# BEGIN STANDALONE TESTS - these exercise behaviors of the individual components without the import machinery
+
+
+def test_finder_setup():
+    # ensure scalar path is listified
+    f = _AnsibleCollectionFinder(paths='/bogus/bogus')
+    assert isinstance(f._n_collection_paths, list)
+
+    # ensure sys.path paths that have an ansible_collections dir are added to the end of the collections paths
+    with patch.object(sys, 'path', ['/bogus', default_test_collection_paths[1], '/morebogus', default_test_collection_paths[0]]):
+        f = _AnsibleCollectionFinder(paths=['/explicit', '/other'])
+        assert f._n_collection_paths == ['/explicit', '/other', default_test_collection_paths[1], default_test_collection_paths[0]]
+
+    configured_paths = ['/bogus']
+    playbook_paths = ['/playbookdir']
+    f = _AnsibleCollectionFinder(paths=configured_paths)
+    assert f._n_collection_paths == configured_paths
+    f.set_playbook_paths(playbook_paths)
+    assert f._n_collection_paths == extend_paths(playbook_paths, 'collections') + configured_paths
+
+    # ensure scalar playbook_paths gets listified
+    f.set_playbook_paths(playbook_paths[0])
+    assert f._n_collection_paths == extend_paths(playbook_paths, 'collections') + configured_paths
+
+
+def test_finder_not_interested():
+    f = get_default_finder()
+    assert f.find_module('nothanks') is None
+    assert f.find_module('nothanks.sub', path=['/bogus/dir']) is None
+
+
+def test_finder_ns():
+    # ensure we can still load ansible_collections and ansible_collections.ansible when they don't exist on disk
+    f = _AnsibleCollectionFinder(paths=['/bogus/bogus'])
+    loader = f.find_module('ansible_collections')
+    assert isinstance(loader, _AnsibleCollectionRootPkgLoader)
+
+    loader = f.find_module('ansible_collections.ansible', path=['/bogus/bogus'])
+    assert isinstance(loader, _AnsibleCollectionNSPkgLoader)
+
+    f = get_default_finder()
+    loader = f.find_module('ansible_collections')
+    assert isinstance(loader, _AnsibleCollectionRootPkgLoader)
+
+    # path is not allowed for top-level
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        f.find_module('ansible_collections', path=['whatever'])
+
+    # path is required for subpackages
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        f.find_module('ansible_collections.whatever', path=None)
+
+    paths = [os.path.join(p, 'ansible_collections/nonexistns') for p in default_test_collection_paths]
+
+    # test missing
+    loader = f.find_module('ansible_collections.nonexistns', paths)
+    assert loader is None
+
+
+# keep these up top to make sure the loader install/remove are working, since we rely on them heavily in the tests
+def test_loader_remove():
+    fake_mp = [MagicMock(), _AnsibleCollectionFinder(), MagicMock(), _AnsibleCollectionFinder()]
+    fake_ph = [MagicMock().m1, MagicMock().m2, _AnsibleCollectionFinder()._ansible_collection_path_hook, NonCallableMagicMock]
+    # must nest until 2.6 compilation is totally donezo
+    with patch.object(sys, 'meta_path', fake_mp):
+        with patch.object(sys, 'path_hooks', fake_ph):
+            _AnsibleCollectionFinder()._remove()
+            assert len(sys.meta_path) == 2
+            # no AnsibleCollectionFinders on the meta path after remove is called
+            assert all((not isinstance(mpf, _AnsibleCollectionFinder) for mpf in sys.meta_path))
+            assert len(sys.path_hooks) == 3
+            # none of the remaining path hooks should point at an AnsibleCollectionFinder
+            assert all((not isinstance(ph.__self__, _AnsibleCollectionFinder) for ph in sys.path_hooks if hasattr(ph, '__self__')))
+            assert AnsibleCollectionConfig.collection_finder is None
+
+
+def test_loader_install():
+    fake_mp = [MagicMock(), _AnsibleCollectionFinder(), MagicMock(), _AnsibleCollectionFinder()]
+    fake_ph = [MagicMock().m1, MagicMock().m2, _AnsibleCollectionFinder()._ansible_collection_path_hook, NonCallableMagicMock]
+    # must nest until 2.6 compilation is totally donezo
+    with patch.object(sys, 'meta_path', fake_mp):
+        with patch.object(sys, 'path_hooks', fake_ph):
+            f = _AnsibleCollectionFinder()
+            f._install()
+            assert len(sys.meta_path) == 3  # should have removed the existing ACFs and installed a new one
+            assert sys.meta_path[0] is f  # at the front
+            # the rest of the meta_path should not be AnsibleCollectionFinders
+            assert all((not isinstance(mpf, _AnsibleCollectionFinder) for mpf in sys.meta_path[1:]))
+            assert len(sys.path_hooks) == 4  # should have removed the existing ACF path hooks and installed a new one
+            # the first path hook should be ours, make sure it's pointing at the right instance
+            assert hasattr(sys.path_hooks[0], '__self__') and sys.path_hooks[0].__self__ is f
+            # the rest of the path_hooks should not point at an AnsibleCollectionFinder
+            assert all((not isinstance(ph.__self__, _AnsibleCollectionFinder) for ph in sys.path_hooks[1:] if hasattr(ph, '__self__')))
+            assert AnsibleCollectionConfig.collection_finder is f
+            with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+                AnsibleCollectionConfig.collection_finder = f
+
+
+def test_finder_coll():
+    f = get_default_finder()
+
+    tests = [
+        {'name': 'ansible_collections.testns.testcoll', 'test_paths': [default_test_collection_paths]},
+        {'name': 'ansible_collections.ansible.builtin', 'test_paths': [['/bogus'], default_test_collection_paths]},
+    ]
+    # ensure finder works for legit paths and bogus paths
+    for test_dict in tests:
+        # splat the dict values to our locals
+        globals().update(test_dict)
+        parent_pkg = name.rpartition('.')[0]
+        for paths in test_paths:
+            paths = [os.path.join(p, parent_pkg.replace('.', '/')) for p in paths]
+            loader = f.find_module(name, path=paths)
+            assert isinstance(loader, _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader)
+
+
+def test_root_loader_not_interested():
+    with pytest.raises(ImportError):
+        _AnsibleCollectionRootPkgLoader('not_ansible_collections_toplevel', path_list=[])
+
+    with pytest.raises(ImportError):
+        _AnsibleCollectionRootPkgLoader('ansible_collections.somens', path_list=['/bogus'])
+
+
+def test_root_loader():
+    name = 'ansible_collections'
+    # ensure this works even when ansible_collections doesn't exist on disk
+    for paths in [], default_test_collection_paths:
+        if name in sys.modules:
+            del sys.modules[name]
+        loader = _AnsibleCollectionRootPkgLoader(name, paths)
+        assert repr(loader).startswith('_AnsibleCollectionRootPkgLoader(path=')
+        module = loader.load_module(name)
+        assert module.__name__ == name
+        assert module.__path__ == [p for p in extend_paths(paths, name) if os.path.isdir(p)]
+        # even if the dir exists somewhere, this loader doesn't support get_data, so make __file__ a non-file
+        assert module.__file__ == '<ansible_synthetic_collection_package>'
+        assert module.__package__ == name
+        assert sys.modules.get(name) == module
+
+
+def test_nspkg_loader_not_interested():
+    with pytest.raises(ImportError):
+        _AnsibleCollectionNSPkgLoader('not_ansible_collections_toplevel.something', path_list=[])
+
+    with pytest.raises(ImportError):
+        _AnsibleCollectionNSPkgLoader('ansible_collections.somens.somecoll', path_list=[])
+
+
+def test_nspkg_loader_load_module():
+    # ensure the loader behaves on the toplevel and ansible packages for both legit and missing/bogus paths
+    for name in ['ansible_collections.ansible', 'ansible_collections.testns']:
+        parent_pkg = name.partition('.')[0]
+        module_to_load = name.rpartition('.')[2]
+        paths = extend_paths(default_test_collection_paths, parent_pkg)
+        existing_child_paths = [p for p in extend_paths(paths, module_to_load) if os.path.exists(p)]
+        if name in sys.modules:
+            del sys.modules[name]
+        loader = _AnsibleCollectionNSPkgLoader(name, path_list=paths)
+        assert repr(loader).startswith('_AnsibleCollectionNSPkgLoader(path=')
+        module = loader.load_module(name)
+        assert module.__name__ == name
+        assert isinstance(module.__loader__, _AnsibleCollectionNSPkgLoader)
+        assert module.__path__ == existing_child_paths
+        assert module.__package__ == name
+        assert module.__file__ == '<ansible_synthetic_collection_package>'
+        assert sys.modules.get(name) == module
+
+
+def test_collpkg_loader_not_interested():
+    with pytest.raises(ImportError):
+        _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader('not_ansible_collections', path_list=[])
+
+    with pytest.raises(ImportError):
+        _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader('ansible_collections.ns', path_list=['/bogus/bogus'])
+
+
+def test_collpkg_loader_load_module():
+    reset_collections_loader_state()
+    with patch('ansible.utils.collection_loader.AnsibleCollectionConfig') as p:
+        for name in ['ansible_collections.ansible.builtin', 'ansible_collections.testns.testcoll']:
+            parent_pkg = name.rpartition('.')[0]
+            module_to_load = name.rpartition('.')[2]
+            paths = extend_paths(default_test_collection_paths, parent_pkg)
+            existing_child_paths = [p for p in extend_paths(paths, module_to_load) if os.path.exists(p)]
+            is_builtin = 'ansible.builtin' in name
+            if name in sys.modules:
+                del sys.modules[name]
+            loader = _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader(name, path_list=paths)
+            assert repr(loader).startswith('_AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader(path=')
+            module = loader.load_module(name)
+            assert module.__name__ == name
+            assert isinstance(module.__loader__, _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader)
+            if is_builtin:
+                assert module.__path__ == []
+            else:
+                assert module.__path__ == [existing_child_paths[0]]
+
+            assert module.__package__ == name
+            if is_builtin:
+                assert module.__file__ == '<ansible_synthetic_collection_package>'
+            else:
+                assert module.__file__.endswith('__synthetic__') and os.path.isdir(os.path.dirname(module.__file__))
+            assert sys.modules.get(name) == module
+
+            assert hasattr(module, '_collection_meta') and isinstance(module._collection_meta, dict)
+
+            # FIXME: validate _collection_meta contents match what's on disk (or not)
+
+            # if the module has metadata, try loading it with busted metadata
+            if module._collection_meta:
+                _collection_finder = import_module('ansible.utils.collection_loader._collection_finder')
+                with patch.object(_collection_finder, '_meta_yml_to_dict', side_effect=Exception('bang')):
+                    with pytest.raises(Exception) as ex:
+                        _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoader(name, path_list=paths).load_module(name)
+                    assert 'error parsing collection metadata' in str(ex.value)
+
+
+def test_coll_loader():
+    with patch('ansible.utils.collection_loader.AnsibleCollectionConfig'):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            # not a collection
+            _AnsibleCollectionLoader('ansible_collections')
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            # bogus paths
+            _AnsibleCollectionLoader('ansible_collections.testns.testcoll', path_list=[])
+
+    # FIXME: more
+
+
+def test_path_hook_setup():
+    with patch.object(sys, 'path_hooks', []):
+        found_hook = None
+        pathhook_exc = None
+        try:
+            found_hook = _AnsiblePathHookFinder._get_filefinder_path_hook()
+        except Exception as phe:
+            pathhook_exc = phe
+
+        if PY3:
+            assert str(pathhook_exc) == 'need exactly one FileFinder import hook (found 0)'
+        else:
+            assert found_hook is None
+
+    assert repr(_AnsiblePathHookFinder(object(), '/bogus/path')) == "_AnsiblePathHookFinder(path='/bogus/path')"
+
+
+def test_new_or_existing_module():
+    module_name = 'blar.test.module'
+    pkg_name = module_name.rpartition('.')[0]
+
+    # create new module case
+    nuke_module_prefix(module_name)
+    with _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoaderBase._new_or_existing_module(module_name, __package__=pkg_name) as new_module:
+        # the module we just created should now exist in sys.modules
+        assert sys.modules.get(module_name) is new_module
+        assert new_module.__name__ == module_name
+
+    # the module should stick since we didn't raise an exception in the contextmgr
+    assert sys.modules.get(module_name) is new_module
+
+    # reuse existing module case
+    with _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoaderBase._new_or_existing_module(module_name, __attr1__=42, blar='yo') as existing_module:
+        assert sys.modules.get(module_name) is new_module  # should be the same module we created earlier
+        assert hasattr(existing_module, '__package__') and existing_module.__package__ == pkg_name
+        assert hasattr(existing_module, '__attr1__') and existing_module.__attr1__ == 42
+        assert hasattr(existing_module, 'blar') and existing_module.blar == 'yo'
+
+    # exception during update existing shouldn't zap existing module from sys.modules
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as ve:
+        with _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoaderBase._new_or_existing_module(module_name) as existing_module:
+            err_to_raise = ValueError('bang')
+            raise err_to_raise
+    # make sure we got our error
+    assert ve.value is err_to_raise
+    # and that the module still exists
+    assert sys.modules.get(module_name) is existing_module
+
+    # test module removal after exception during creation
+    nuke_module_prefix(module_name)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as ve:
+        with _AnsibleCollectionPkgLoaderBase._new_or_existing_module(module_name) as new_module:
+            err_to_raise = ValueError('bang')
+            raise err_to_raise
+    # make sure we got our error
+    assert ve.value is err_to_raise
+    # and that the module was removed
+    assert sys.modules.get(module_name) is None
+
+
+def test_iter_modules_impl():
+    modules_trailer = 'ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins'
+    modules_pkg_prefix = modules_trailer.replace('/', '.') + '.'
+    modules_path = os.path.join(default_test_collection_paths[0], modules_trailer)
+    modules = list(_iter_modules_impl([modules_path], modules_pkg_prefix))
+
+    assert modules
+    assert set([('ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.action', True),
+                ('ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.module_utils', True),
+                ('ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.modules', True)]) == set(modules)
+
+    modules_trailer = 'ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/modules'
+    modules_pkg_prefix = modules_trailer.replace('/', '.') + '.'
+    modules_path = os.path.join(default_test_collection_paths[0], modules_trailer)
+    modules = list(_iter_modules_impl([modules_path], modules_pkg_prefix))
+
+    assert modules
+    assert len(modules) == 1
+    assert modules[0][0] == 'ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.modules.amodule'  # name
+    assert modules[0][1] is False  # is_pkg
+
+    # FIXME: more
+
+
+# BEGIN IN-CIRCUIT TESTS - these exercise behaviors of the loader when wired up to the import machinery
+
+
+def test_import_from_collection(monkeypatch):
+    collection_root = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures', 'collections')
+    collection_path = os.path.join(collection_root, 'ansible_collections/testns/testcoll/plugins/module_utils/my_util.py')
+
+    # THIS IS UNSTABLE UNDER A DEBUGGER
+    # the trace we're expecting to be generated when running the code below:
+    # answer = question()
+    expected_trace_log = [
+        (collection_path, 5, 'call'),
+        (collection_path, 6, 'line'),
+        (collection_path, 6, 'return'),
+    ]
+
+    # define the collection root before any ansible code has been loaded
+    # otherwise config will have already been loaded and changing the environment will have no effect
+    monkeypatch.setenv('ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_PATHS', collection_root)
+
+    finder = _AnsibleCollectionFinder(paths=[collection_root])
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+
+    from ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.module_utils.my_util import question
+
+    original_trace_function = sys.gettrace()
+    trace_log = []
+
+    if original_trace_function:
+        # enable tracing while preserving the existing trace function (coverage)
+        def my_trace_function(frame, event, arg):
+            trace_log.append((frame.f_code.co_filename, frame.f_lineno, event))
+
+            # the original trace function expects to have itself set as the trace function
+            sys.settrace(original_trace_function)
+            # call the original trace function
+            original_trace_function(frame, event, arg)
+            # restore our trace function
+            sys.settrace(my_trace_function)
+
+            return my_trace_function
+    else:
+        # no existing trace function, so our trace function is much simpler
+        def my_trace_function(frame, event, arg):
+            trace_log.append((frame.f_code.co_filename, frame.f_lineno, event))
+
+            return my_trace_function
+
+    sys.settrace(my_trace_function)
+
+    try:
+        # run a minimal amount of code while the trace is running
+        # adding more code here, including use of a context manager, will add more to our trace
+        answer = question()
+    finally:
+        sys.settrace(original_trace_function)
+
+    # make sure 'import ... as ...' works on builtin synthetic collections
+    # the following import is not supported (it tries to find module_utils in ansible.plugins)
+    # import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.module_utils as c1
+    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.action as c2
+    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins as c3
+    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin as c4
+    import ansible_collections.ansible as c5
+    import ansible_collections as c6
+
+    # make sure 'import ...' works on builtin synthetic collections
+    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.module_utils
+
+    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.action
+    assert ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.action == c3.action == c2
+
+    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins
+    assert ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins == c4.plugins == c3
+
+    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin
+    assert ansible_collections.ansible.builtin == c5.builtin == c4
+
+    import ansible_collections.ansible
+    assert ansible_collections.ansible == c6.ansible == c5
+
+    import ansible_collections
+    assert ansible_collections == c6
+
+    # make sure 'from ... import ...' works on builtin synthetic collections
+    from ansible_collections.ansible import builtin
+    from ansible_collections.ansible.builtin import plugins
+    assert builtin.plugins == plugins
+
+    from ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins import action
+    from ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.action import command
+    assert action.command == command
+
+    from ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.module_utils import basic
+    from ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
+    assert basic.AnsibleModule == AnsibleModule
+
+    # make sure relative imports work from collections code
+    # these require __package__ to be set correctly
+    import ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.module_utils.my_other_util
+    import ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.plugins.action.my_action
+
+    # verify that code loaded from a collection does not inherit __future__ statements from the collection loader
+    if sys.version_info[0] == 2:
+        # if the collection code inherits the division future feature from the collection loader this will fail
+        assert answer == 1
+    else:
+        assert answer == 1.5
+
+    # verify that the filename and line number reported by the trace is correct
+    # this makes sure that collection loading preserves file paths and line numbers
+    assert trace_log == expected_trace_log
+
+
+def test_eventsource():
+    es = _EventSource()
+    # fire when empty should succeed
+    es.fire(42)
+    handler1 = MagicMock()
+    handler2 = MagicMock()
+    es += handler1
+    es.fire(99, my_kwarg='blah')
+    handler1.assert_called_with(99, my_kwarg='blah')
+    es += handler2
+    es.fire(123, foo='bar')
+    handler1.assert_called_with(123, foo='bar')
+    handler2.assert_called_with(123, foo='bar')
+    es -= handler2
+    handler1.reset_mock()
+    handler2.reset_mock()
+    es.fire(123, foo='bar')
+    handler1.assert_called_with(123, foo='bar')
+    handler2.assert_not_called()
+    es -= handler1
+    handler1.reset_mock()
+    es.fire('blah', kwarg=None)
+    handler1.assert_not_called()
+    handler2.assert_not_called()
+    es -= handler1  # should succeed silently
+    handler_bang = MagicMock(side_effect=Exception('bang'))
+    es += handler_bang
+    with pytest.raises(Exception) as ex:
+        es.fire(123)
+    assert 'bang' in str(ex.value)
+    handler_bang.assert_called_with(123)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        es += 42
+
+
+def test_on_collection_load():
+    finder = get_default_finder()
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+
+    load_handler = MagicMock()
+    AnsibleCollectionConfig.on_collection_load += load_handler
+
+    m = import_module('ansible_collections.testns.testcoll')
+    load_handler.assert_called_once_with(collection_name='testns.testcoll', collection_path=os.path.dirname(m.__file__))
+
+    _meta = _get_collection_metadata('testns.testcoll')
+    assert _meta
+    # FIXME: compare to disk
+
+    finder = get_default_finder()
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+
+    AnsibleCollectionConfig.on_collection_load += MagicMock(side_effect=Exception('bang'))
+    with pytest.raises(Exception) as ex:
+        import_module('ansible_collections.testns.testcoll')
+    assert 'bang' in str(ex.value)
+
+
+def test_default_collection_config():
+    finder = get_default_finder()
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+    assert AnsibleCollectionConfig.default_collection is None
+    AnsibleCollectionConfig.default_collection = 'foo.bar'
+    assert AnsibleCollectionConfig.default_collection == 'foo.bar'
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        AnsibleCollectionConfig.default_collection = 'bar.baz'
+
+
+def test_default_collection_detection():
+    finder = get_default_finder()
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+
+    # we're clearly not under a collection path
+    assert _get_collection_name_from_path('/') is None
+
+    # something that looks like a collection path but isn't importable by our finder
+    assert _get_collection_name_from_path('/foo/ansible_collections/bogusns/boguscoll/bar') is None
+
+    # legit, at the top of the collection
+    live_collection_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll')
+    assert _get_collection_name_from_path(live_collection_path) == 'testns.testcoll'
+
+    # legit, deeper inside the collection
+    live_collection_deep_path = os.path.join(live_collection_path, 'plugins/modules')
+    assert _get_collection_name_from_path(live_collection_deep_path) == 'testns.testcoll'
+
+    # this one should be hidden by the real testns.testcoll, so should not resolve
+    masked_collection_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures/collections_masked/ansible_collections/testns/testcoll')
+    assert _get_collection_name_from_path(masked_collection_path) is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'role_name,collection_list,expected_collection_name,expected_path_suffix',
+    [
+        ('some_role', ['testns.testcoll', 'ansible.bogus'], 'testns.testcoll', 'testns/testcoll/roles/some_role'),
+        ('testns.testcoll.some_role', ['ansible.bogus', 'testns.testcoll'], 'testns.testcoll', 'testns/testcoll/roles/some_role'),
+        ('testns.testcoll.some_role', [], 'testns.testcoll', 'testns/testcoll/roles/some_role'),
+        ('testns.testcoll.some_role', None, 'testns.testcoll', 'testns/testcoll/roles/some_role'),
+        ('some_role', [], None, None),
+        ('some_role', None, None, None),
+    ])
+def test_collection_role_name_location(role_name, collection_list, expected_collection_name, expected_path_suffix):
+    finder = get_default_finder()
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+
+    expected_path = None
+    if expected_path_suffix:
+        expected_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures/collections/ansible_collections', expected_path_suffix)
+
+    found = _get_collection_role_path(role_name, collection_list)
+
+    if found:
+        assert found[0] == role_name.rpartition('.')[2]
+        assert found[1] == expected_path
+        assert found[2] == expected_collection_name
+    else:
+        assert expected_collection_name is None and expected_path_suffix is None
+
+
+def test_bogus_imports():
+    finder = get_default_finder()
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+
+    # ensure ImportError on known-bogus imports
+    bogus_imports = ['bogus_toplevel', 'ansible_collections.bogusns', 'ansible_collections.testns.boguscoll',
+                     'ansible_collections.testns.testcoll.bogussub', 'ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.bogussub']
+    for bogus_import in bogus_imports:
+        with pytest.raises(ImportError):
+            import_module(bogus_import)
+
+
+def test_finder_playbook_paths():
+    finder = get_default_finder()
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+
+    import ansible_collections
+    import ansible_collections.ansible
+    import ansible_collections.testns
+
+    # ensure the package modules look like we expect
+    assert hasattr(ansible_collections, '__path__') and len(ansible_collections.__path__) > 0
+    assert hasattr(ansible_collections.ansible, '__path__') and len(ansible_collections.ansible.__path__) > 0
+    assert hasattr(ansible_collections.testns, '__path__') and len(ansible_collections.testns.__path__) > 0
+
+    # these shouldn't be visible yet, since we haven't added the playbook dir
+    with pytest.raises(ImportError):
+        import ansible_collections.ansible.playbook_adj_other
+
+    with pytest.raises(ImportError):
+        import ansible_collections.testns.playbook_adj_other
+
+    assert AnsibleCollectionConfig.playbook_paths == []
+    playbook_path_fixture_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures/playbook_path')
+
+    # configure the playbook paths
+    AnsibleCollectionConfig.playbook_paths = [playbook_path_fixture_dir]
+
+    # playbook paths go to the front of the line
+    assert AnsibleCollectionConfig.collection_paths[0] == os.path.join(playbook_path_fixture_dir, 'collections')
+
+    # playbook paths should be updated on the existing root ansible_collections path, as well as on the 'ansible' namespace (but no others!)
+    assert ansible_collections.__path__[0] == os.path.join(playbook_path_fixture_dir, 'collections/ansible_collections')
+    assert ansible_collections.ansible.__path__[0] == os.path.join(playbook_path_fixture_dir, 'collections/ansible_collections/ansible')
+    assert all('playbook_path' not in p for p in ansible_collections.testns.__path__)
+
+    # should succeed since we fixed up the package path
+    import ansible_collections.ansible.playbook_adj_other
+    # should succeed since we didn't import freshns before hacking in the path
+    import ansible_collections.freshns.playbook_adj_other
+    # should fail since we've already imported something from this path and didn't fix up its package path
+    with pytest.raises(ImportError):
+        import ansible_collections.testns.playbook_adj_other
+
+
+def test_toplevel_iter_modules():
+    finder = get_default_finder()
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+
+    modules = list(pkgutil.iter_modules(default_test_collection_paths, ''))
+    assert len(modules) == 1
+    assert modules[0][1] == 'ansible_collections'
+
+
+def test_iter_modules_namespaces():
+    finder = get_default_finder()
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+
+    paths = extend_paths(default_test_collection_paths, 'ansible_collections')
+    modules = list(pkgutil.iter_modules(paths, 'ansible_collections.'))
+    assert len(modules) == 2
+    assert all(m[2] is True for m in modules)
+    assert all(isinstance(m[0], _AnsiblePathHookFinder) for m in modules)
+    assert set(['ansible_collections.testns', 'ansible_collections.ansible']) == set(m[1] for m in modules)
+
+
+def test_collection_get_data():
+    finder = get_default_finder()
+    reset_collections_loader_state(finder)
+
+    # something that's there
+    d = pkgutil.get_data('ansible_collections.testns.testcoll', 'plugins/action/my_action.py')
+    assert b'hello from my_action.py' in d
+
+    # something that's not there
+    d = pkgutil.get_data('ansible_collections.testns.testcoll', 'bogus/bogus')
+    assert d is None
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        plugins_pkg = import_module('ansible_collections.ansible.builtin')
+        assert not os.path.exists(os.path.dirname(plugins_pkg.__file__))
+        d = pkgutil.get_data('ansible_collections.ansible.builtin', 'plugins/connection/local.py')
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'ref,ref_type,expected_collection,expected_subdirs,expected_resource,expected_python_pkg_name',
+    [
+        ('ns.coll.myaction', 'action', 'ns.coll', '', 'myaction', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.action'),
+        ('ns.coll.subdir1.subdir2.myaction', 'action', 'ns.coll', 'subdir1.subdir2', 'myaction', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.action.subdir1.subdir2'),
+        ('ns.coll.myrole', 'role', 'ns.coll', '', 'myrole', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.roles.myrole'),
+        ('ns.coll.subdir1.subdir2.myrole', 'role', 'ns.coll', 'subdir1.subdir2', 'myrole', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.roles.subdir1.subdir2.myrole'),
+    ])
+def test_fqcr_parsing_valid(ref, ref_type, expected_collection,
+                            expected_subdirs, expected_resource, expected_python_pkg_name):
+    assert AnsibleCollectionRef.is_valid_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
+
+    r = AnsibleCollectionRef.from_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
+    assert r.collection == expected_collection
+    assert r.subdirs == expected_subdirs
+    assert r.resource == expected_resource
+    assert r.n_python_package_name == expected_python_pkg_name
+
+    r = AnsibleCollectionRef.try_parse_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
+    assert r.collection == expected_collection
+    assert r.subdirs == expected_subdirs
+    assert r.resource == expected_resource
+    assert r.n_python_package_name == expected_python_pkg_name
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'ref,ref_type,expected_error_type,expected_error_expression',
+    [
+        ('no_dots_at_all_action', 'action', ValueError, 'is not a valid collection reference'),
+        ('no_nscoll.myaction', 'action', ValueError, 'is not a valid collection reference'),
+        ('ns.coll.myaction', 'bogus', ValueError, 'invalid collection ref_type'),
+    ])
+def test_fqcr_parsing_invalid(ref, ref_type, expected_error_type, expected_error_expression):
+    assert not AnsibleCollectionRef.is_valid_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
+
+    with pytest.raises(expected_error_type) as curerr:
+        AnsibleCollectionRef.from_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
+
+    assert re.search(expected_error_expression, str(curerr.value))
+
+    r = AnsibleCollectionRef.try_parse_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
+    assert r is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'name,subdirs,resource,ref_type,python_pkg_name',
+    [
+        ('ns.coll', None, 'res', 'doc_fragments', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.doc_fragments'),
+        ('ns.coll', 'subdir1', 'res', 'doc_fragments', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.doc_fragments.subdir1'),
+        ('ns.coll', 'subdir1.subdir2', 'res', 'action', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.action.subdir1.subdir2'),
+    ])
+def test_collectionref_components_valid(name, subdirs, resource, ref_type, python_pkg_name):
+    x = AnsibleCollectionRef(name, subdirs, resource, ref_type)
+
+    assert x.collection == name
+    if subdirs:
+        assert x.subdirs == subdirs
+    else:
+        assert x.subdirs == ''
+
+    assert x.resource == resource
+    assert x.ref_type == ref_type
+    assert x.n_python_package_name == python_pkg_name
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'dirname,expected_result',
+    [
+        ('become_plugins', 'become'),
+        ('cache_plugins', 'cache'),
+        ('connection_plugins', 'connection'),
+        ('library', 'modules'),
+        ('filter_plugins', 'filter'),
+        ('bogus_plugins', ValueError),
+        (None, ValueError)
+    ]
+)
+def test_legacy_plugin_dir_to_plugin_type(dirname, expected_result):
+    if isinstance(expected_result, string_types):
+        assert AnsibleCollectionRef.legacy_plugin_dir_to_plugin_type(dirname) == expected_result
+    else:
+        with pytest.raises(expected_result):
+            AnsibleCollectionRef.legacy_plugin_dir_to_plugin_type(dirname)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'name,subdirs,resource,ref_type,expected_error_type,expected_error_expression',
+    [
+        ('bad_ns', '', 'resource', 'action', ValueError, 'invalid collection name'),
+        ('ns.coll.', '', 'resource', 'action', ValueError, 'invalid collection name'),
+        ('ns.coll', 'badsubdir#', 'resource', 'action', ValueError, 'invalid subdirs entry'),
+        ('ns.coll', 'badsubdir.', 'resource', 'action', ValueError, 'invalid subdirs entry'),
+        ('ns.coll', '.badsubdir', 'resource', 'action', ValueError, 'invalid subdirs entry'),
+        ('ns.coll', '', 'resource', 'bogus', ValueError, 'invalid collection ref_type'),
+    ])
+def test_collectionref_components_invalid(name, subdirs, resource, ref_type, expected_error_type, expected_error_expression):
+    with pytest.raises(expected_error_type) as curerr:
+        AnsibleCollectionRef(name, subdirs, resource, ref_type)
+
+    assert re.search(expected_error_expression, str(curerr.value))
+
+
+# BEGIN TEST SUPPORT
+
+default_test_collection_paths = [
+    os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures', 'collections'),
+    os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures', 'collections_masked'),
+    '/bogus/bogussub'
+]
+
+
+def get_default_finder():
+    return _AnsibleCollectionFinder(paths=default_test_collection_paths)
+
+
+def extend_paths(path_list, suffix):
+    suffix = suffix.replace('.', '/')
+    return [os.path.join(p, suffix) for p in path_list]
+
+
+def nuke_module_prefix(prefix):
+    for module_to_nuke in [m for m in sys.modules if m.startswith(prefix)]:
+        sys.modules.pop(module_to_nuke)
+
+
+def reset_collections_loader_state(metapath_finder=None):
+    _AnsibleCollectionFinder._remove()
+
+    nuke_module_prefix('ansible_collections')
+    nuke_module_prefix('ansible.modules')
+    nuke_module_prefix('ansible.plugins')
+
+    # FIXME: better to move this someplace else that gets cleaned up automatically?
+    _AnsibleCollectionLoader._redirected_package_map = {}
+
+    AnsibleCollectionConfig._default_collection = None
+    AnsibleCollectionConfig._on_collection_load = _EventSource()
+
+    if metapath_finder:
+        metapath_finder._install()
diff --git a/test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/action/my_action.py b/test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/action/my_action.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 085f54f1115..00000000000
--- a/test/units/utils/fixtures/collections/ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/action/my_action.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-from ..module_utils.my_util import question
diff --git a/test/units/utils/test_collection_loader.py b/test/units/utils/test_collection_loader.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 7800f960071..00000000000
--- a/test/units/utils/test_collection_loader.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,215 +0,0 @@
-from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
-__metaclass__ = type
-
-import os
-import pytest
-import re
-import sys
-
-from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionRef
-
-
-def test_import_from_collection(monkeypatch):
-    collection_root = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures', 'collections')
-    collection_path = os.path.join(collection_root, 'ansible_collections/my_namespace/my_collection/plugins/module_utils/my_util.py')
-
-    # the trace we're expecting to be generated when running the code below:
-    # answer = question()
-    expected_trace_log = [
-        (collection_path, 5, 'call'),
-        (collection_path, 6, 'line'),
-        (collection_path, 6, 'return'),
-    ]
-
-    # define the collection root before any ansible code has been loaded
-    # otherwise config will have already been loaded and changing the environment will have no effect
-    monkeypatch.setenv('ANSIBLE_COLLECTIONS_PATHS', collection_root)
-
-    from ansible.utils.collection_loader import AnsibleCollectionLoader
-
-    # zap the singleton collection loader instance if it exists
-    AnsibleCollectionLoader._Singleton__instance = None
-
-    for index in [idx for idx, obj in enumerate(sys.meta_path) if isinstance(obj, AnsibleCollectionLoader)]:
-        # replace any existing collection loaders that may exist
-        # since these were loaded during unit test collection
-        # they will not have the correct configuration
-        sys.meta_path[index] = AnsibleCollectionLoader()
-
-    # make sure the collection loader is installed
-    # this will be a no-op if the collection loader is already installed
-    # which will depend on whether or not any tests being run imported ansible.plugins.loader during unit test collection
-    from ansible.plugins.loader import _configure_collection_loader
-    _configure_collection_loader()  # currently redundant, the import above already calls this
-
-    from ansible_collections.my_namespace.my_collection.plugins.module_utils.my_util import question
-
-    original_trace_function = sys.gettrace()
-    trace_log = []
-
-    if original_trace_function:
-        # enable tracing while preserving the existing trace function (coverage)
-        def my_trace_function(frame, event, arg):
-            trace_log.append((frame.f_code.co_filename, frame.f_lineno, event))
-
-            # the original trace function expects to have itself set as the trace function
-            sys.settrace(original_trace_function)
-            # call the original trace function
-            original_trace_function(frame, event, arg)
-            # restore our trace function
-            sys.settrace(my_trace_function)
-
-            return my_trace_function
-    else:
-        # no existing trace function, so our trace function is much simpler
-        def my_trace_function(frame, event, arg):
-            trace_log.append((frame.f_code.co_filename, frame.f_lineno, event))
-
-            return my_trace_function
-
-    sys.settrace(my_trace_function)
-
-    try:
-        # run a minimal amount of code while the trace is running
-        # adding more code here, including use of a context manager, will add more to our trace
-        answer = question()
-    finally:
-        sys.settrace(original_trace_function)
-
-    # make sure 'import ... as ...' works on builtin synthetic collections
-    # the following import is not supported (it tries to find module_utils in ansible.plugins)
-    # import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.module_utils as c1
-    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.action as c2
-    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins as c3
-    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin as c4
-    import ansible_collections.ansible as c5
-    import ansible_collections as c6
-
-    # make sure 'import ...' works on builtin synthetic collections
-    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.module_utils
-
-    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.action
-    assert ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.action == c3.action == c2
-
-    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins
-    assert ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins == c4.plugins == c3
-
-    import ansible_collections.ansible.builtin
-    assert ansible_collections.ansible.builtin == c5.builtin == c4
-
-    import ansible_collections.ansible
-    assert ansible_collections.ansible == c6.ansible == c5
-
-    import ansible_collections
-    assert ansible_collections == c6
-
-    # make sure 'from ... import ...' works on builtin synthetic collections
-    from ansible_collections.ansible import builtin
-    from ansible_collections.ansible.builtin import plugins
-    assert builtin.plugins == plugins
-
-    from ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins import action
-    from ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.action import command
-    assert action.command == command
-
-    from ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.module_utils import basic
-    from ansible_collections.ansible.builtin.plugins.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
-    assert basic.AnsibleModule == AnsibleModule
-
-    # make sure relative imports work from collections code
-    # these require __package__ to be set correctly
-    import ansible_collections.my_namespace.my_collection.plugins.module_utils.my_other_util
-    import ansible_collections.my_namespace.my_collection.plugins.action.my_action
-
-    # verify that code loaded from a collection does not inherit __future__ statements from the collection loader
-    if sys.version_info[0] == 2:
-        # if the collection code inherits the division future feature from the collection loader this will fail
-        assert answer == 1
-    else:
-        assert answer == 1.5
-
-    # verify that the filename and line number reported by the trace is correct
-    # this makes sure that collection loading preserves file paths and line numbers
-    assert trace_log == expected_trace_log
-
-
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    'ref,ref_type,expected_collection,expected_subdirs,expected_resource,expected_python_pkg_name',
-    [
-        ('ns.coll.myaction', 'action', 'ns.coll', '', 'myaction', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.action'),
-        ('ns.coll.subdir1.subdir2.myaction', 'action', 'ns.coll', 'subdir1.subdir2', 'myaction', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.action.subdir1.subdir2'),
-        ('ns.coll.myrole', 'role', 'ns.coll', '', 'myrole', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.roles.myrole'),
-        ('ns.coll.subdir1.subdir2.myrole', 'role', 'ns.coll', 'subdir1.subdir2', 'myrole', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.roles.subdir1.subdir2.myrole'),
-    ])
-def test_fqcr_parsing_valid(ref, ref_type, expected_collection,
-                            expected_subdirs, expected_resource, expected_python_pkg_name):
-    assert AnsibleCollectionRef.is_valid_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
-
-    r = AnsibleCollectionRef.from_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
-    assert r.collection == expected_collection
-    assert r.subdirs == expected_subdirs
-    assert r.resource == expected_resource
-    assert r.n_python_package_name == expected_python_pkg_name
-
-    r = AnsibleCollectionRef.try_parse_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
-    assert r.collection == expected_collection
-    assert r.subdirs == expected_subdirs
-    assert r.resource == expected_resource
-    assert r.n_python_package_name == expected_python_pkg_name
-
-
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    'ref,ref_type,expected_error_type,expected_error_expression',
-    [
-        ('no_dots_at_all_action', 'action', ValueError, 'is not a valid collection reference'),
-        ('no_nscoll.myaction', 'action', ValueError, 'is not a valid collection reference'),
-        ('ns.coll.myaction', 'bogus', ValueError, 'invalid collection ref_type'),
-    ])
-def test_fqcr_parsing_invalid(ref, ref_type, expected_error_type, expected_error_expression):
-    assert not AnsibleCollectionRef.is_valid_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
-
-    with pytest.raises(expected_error_type) as curerr:
-        AnsibleCollectionRef.from_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
-
-    assert re.search(expected_error_expression, str(curerr.value))
-
-    r = AnsibleCollectionRef.try_parse_fqcr(ref, ref_type)
-    assert r is None
-
-
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    'name,subdirs,resource,ref_type,python_pkg_name',
-    [
-        ('ns.coll', None, 'res', 'doc_fragments', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.doc_fragments'),
-        ('ns.coll', 'subdir1', 'res', 'doc_fragments', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.doc_fragments.subdir1'),
-        ('ns.coll', 'subdir1.subdir2', 'res', 'action', 'ansible_collections.ns.coll.plugins.action.subdir1.subdir2'),
-    ])
-def test_collectionref_components_valid(name, subdirs, resource, ref_type, python_pkg_name):
-    x = AnsibleCollectionRef(name, subdirs, resource, ref_type)
-
-    assert x.collection == name
-    if subdirs:
-        assert x.subdirs == subdirs
-    else:
-        assert x.subdirs == ''
-
-    assert x.resource == resource
-    assert x.ref_type == ref_type
-    assert x.n_python_package_name == python_pkg_name
-
-
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    'name,subdirs,resource,ref_type,expected_error_type,expected_error_expression',
-    [
-        ('bad_ns', '', 'resource', 'action', ValueError, 'invalid collection name'),
-        ('ns.coll.', '', 'resource', 'action', ValueError, 'invalid collection name'),
-        ('ns.coll', 'badsubdir#', 'resource', 'action', ValueError, 'invalid subdirs entry'),
-        ('ns.coll', 'badsubdir.', 'resource', 'action', ValueError, 'invalid subdirs entry'),
-        ('ns.coll', '.badsubdir', 'resource', 'action', ValueError, 'invalid subdirs entry'),
-        ('ns.coll', '', 'resource', 'bogus', ValueError, 'invalid collection ref_type'),
-    ])
-def test_collectionref_components_invalid(name, subdirs, resource, ref_type, expected_error_type, expected_error_expression):
-    with pytest.raises(expected_error_type) as curerr:
-        AnsibleCollectionRef(name, subdirs, resource, ref_type)
-
-    assert re.search(expected_error_expression, str(curerr.value))