diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 208a41a9..5f5c52a9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 - py3.5 syntax compatible (see #1353 for details)
 - dropped web shell from admin
 - scheduler new feature: you can now specify intervals with cron
+- tests can only be run with the usual web2py.py --run_system_tests OR with
+  python -m unittest -v gluon.tests on the root dir
 
 
 ## 2.14.6
@@ -12,7 +14,7 @@
 - Fixed some newly discovered security issues in admin:
   CSRF vulnerability in admin that allows disabling apps
   Brute force password attack vulnerability in admin
-  (thanks Narendra and Leonel)  
+  (thanks Narendra and Leonel)
 
 ## 2.14.1-5
 
@@ -129,7 +131,7 @@ Many thanks to Richard and Simone for their work and dedication.
 - Added Portuguese, Catalan, and Burmese translations
 - Allow map_hyphen to work for application names, thanks Tim Nyborg
 - New module appconfig.py, thanks Niphlod
-- Added geospatial support to Teradata adaptor, thanks Andrew Willimott 
+- Added geospatial support to Teradata adaptor, thanks Andrew Willimott
 - Many bug fixes
 
 
diff --git a/gluon/__init__.py b/gluon/__init__.py
index c0e306f2..6a5e25f1 100644
--- a/gluon/__init__.py
+++ b/gluon/__init__.py
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@ __all__ = ['A', 'B', 'BEAUTIFY', 'BODY', 'BR', 'CAT', 'CENTER', 'CLEANUP', 'CODE
 import os
 import sys
 try:
-    sys.path.insert(1,os.path.join(
-            os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "packages", "dal"))
+    pydalpath = os.path.join(
+            os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "packages", "dal")
+    if pydalpath not in sys.path:
+        sys.path.append(pydalpath)
     import pydal
     sys.modules['pydal'] = pydal
 except ImportError:
diff --git a/gluon/sql.py b/gluon/sql.py
index c70d7295..3339ba07 100644
--- a/gluon/sql.py
+++ b/gluon/sql.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Just for backward compatibility
 """
 __all__ = ['DAL', 'Field', 'DRIVERS']
 
-from dal import DAL, Field, SQLCustomType
+from gluon.dal import DAL, Field, SQLCustomType
 from pydal.base import BaseAdapter
 from pydal.drivers import DRIVERS
 from pydal.objects import Table, Query, Set, Expression, Row, Rows
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_appadmin.py b/gluon/tests/test_appadmin.py
index c47ac54f..9d7e0493 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_appadmin.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_appadmin.py
@@ -8,11 +8,6 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 import os
 import sys
 import unittest
-import json
-
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 
 from gluon.compileapp import run_controller_in, run_view_in
@@ -165,6 +160,3 @@ class TestAppAdmin(unittest.TestCase):
         request._vars = data
         self.assertRaises(HTTP, self.run_function)
 
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_cache.py b/gluon/tests/test_cache.py
index 47e11d34..4fcda0fb 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_cache.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_cache.py
@@ -6,10 +6,6 @@
 """
 import os
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
-
 
 from gluon.storage import Storage
 from gluon.cache import CacheInRam, CacheOnDisk, Cache
@@ -147,8 +143,3 @@ class TestCache(unittest.TestCase):
         db.t_a.drop()
         db.close()
 
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    setUpModule()       # pre-python-2.7
-    unittest.main()
-    tearDownModule()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_compileapp.py b/gluon/tests/test_compileapp.py
index 956c28a4..95645012 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_compileapp.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_compileapp.py
@@ -4,19 +4,20 @@
 """ Unit tests for utils.py """
 
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
+import os
+import shutil
 
 from gluon.compileapp import compile_application, remove_compiled_application
 from gluon.fileutils import w2p_pack, w2p_unpack
 from gluon.globals import Request
-from gluon.admin import app_compile, app_create, app_cleanup, check_new_version, app_uninstall
+from gluon.admin import app_compile, app_create, app_cleanup, check_new_version
+from gluon.admin import app_uninstall
 from gluon.main import global_settings
-import os, shutil
+
 
 WEB2PY_VERSION_URL = "http://web2py.com/examples/default/version"
 
+
 class TestPack(unittest.TestCase):
     """ Tests the compileapp.py module """
 
@@ -55,6 +56,3 @@ class TestPack(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(app_uninstall(new_app, request), True)
         self.assertNotEqual(check_new_version(global_settings.web2py_version, WEB2PY_VERSION_URL), -1)
         return
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_contenttype.py b/gluon/tests/test_contenttype.py
index 1a476a62..cb71a8d5 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_contenttype.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_contenttype.py
@@ -6,9 +6,7 @@
 """
 
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
 
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 from gluon.contenttype import contenttype
 from gluon._compat import iteritems
@@ -37,7 +35,3 @@ class TestContentType(unittest.TestCase):
         # test without dot extension
         rtn = contenttype('png')
         self.assertEqual(rtn, 'text/plain; charset=utf-8')
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_contribs.py b/gluon/tests/test_contribs.py
index 577056e4..633fa08b 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_contribs.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_contribs.py
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@
 
 import unittest
 import os
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
 
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 from gluon._compat import to_bytes
 from gluon.storage import Storage
 from gluon.contrib import fpdf as fpdf
@@ -67,6 +65,3 @@ class TestContribs(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(myappconfig.take('config3.key2'), 2)
 
         current.request = {}
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_dal.py b/gluon/tests/test_dal.py
index 4c7e0b24..d4e09df3 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_dal.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_dal.py
@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@
 import sys
 import os
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 from gluon.dal import DAL, Field
 
@@ -118,8 +115,3 @@ class TestDALAdapters(unittest.TestCase):
             os.environ["DB"] = "postgres:pg8000://postgres:@localhost/pydal"
             result = self._run_tests()
             self.assertTrue(result)
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
-    tearDownModule()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_fileutils.py b/gluon/tests/test_fileutils.py
index cd405b00..5e408796 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_fileutils.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_fileutils.py
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@
 
 import unittest
 import datetime
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 from gluon.fileutils import parse_version
 
@@ -25,7 +22,3 @@ class TestFileUtils(unittest.TestCase):
         # Semantic Beta
         rtn = parse_version('Version 2.14.1-beta+timestamp.2016.03.21.22.35.26')
         self.assertEqual(rtn, (2, 14, 1, 'beta', datetime.datetime(2016, 3, 21, 22, 35, 26)))
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_globals.py b/gluon/tests/test_globals.py
index d2336093..1ad85001 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_globals.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_globals.py
@@ -8,9 +8,6 @@
 
 import re
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 from gluon.globals import Request, Response, Session
 from gluon import URL
@@ -185,6 +182,3 @@ class testResponse(unittest.TestCase):
         current.session._fixup_before_save()
         cookie = str(current.response.cookies)
         self.assertTrue('httponly' not in cookie.lower())
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_html.py b/gluon/tests/test_html.py
index c861e511..d7a75517 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_html.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_html.py
@@ -6,9 +6,7 @@
 """
 
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
 
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 from gluon.html import A, ASSIGNJS, B, BEAUTIFY, P, BODY, BR, BUTTON, CAT, CENTER, CODE, COL, COLGROUP, DIV, SPAN, URL, verifyURL
 from gluon.html import truncate_string, EM, FIELDSET, FORM, H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6, HEAD, HR, HTML, I, IFRAME, IMG, INPUT, EMBED
@@ -706,7 +704,3 @@ class TestData(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_Adata(self):
         self.assertEqual(A('<>', data=dict(abc='<def?asd>', cde='standard'), _a='1', _b='2').xml(),
                          b'<a a="1" b="2" data-abc="&lt;def?asd&gt;" data-cde="standard">&lt;&gt;</a>')
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_http.py b/gluon/tests/test_http.py
index a344743b..7091b0a6 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_http.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_http.py
@@ -4,10 +4,6 @@
 """Unit tests for http.py """
 
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
-
 
 from gluon.http import HTTP, defined_status
 
@@ -39,6 +35,3 @@ class TestHTTP(unittest.TestCase):
                              gen_status_str(code, message))
 
         # test wrong call detection
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_is_url.py b/gluon/tests/test_is_url.py
index d75724c4..d4a3162b 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_is_url.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_is_url.py
@@ -5,10 +5,6 @@ Unit tests for IS_URL()
 """
 
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
-
 
 from gluon.validators import IS_URL, IS_HTTP_URL, IS_GENERIC_URL
 from gluon.validators import unicode_to_ascii_authority
@@ -694,6 +690,3 @@ class TestSimple(unittest.TestCase):
         # mode = 'generic' doesn't consider allowed_tlds
         rtn = IS_URL(mode='generic', allowed_tlds=['com', 'net', 'org'])('domain.ninja')
         self.assertEqual(rtn, ('domain.ninja', None))
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_languages.py b/gluon/tests/test_languages.py
index acc621ea..cb2fb6bc 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_languages.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_languages.py
@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@ import os
 import shutil
 import tempfile
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 from gluon import languages
 from gluon._compat import PY2
@@ -182,9 +179,3 @@ def index():
         for key in ['hello', 'world', '%s %%{shop}', 'ahoy']:
             self.assertTrue(key in en_dict)
             self.assertTrue(key in pt_dict)
-
-
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_old_doctests.py b/gluon/tests/test_old_doctests.py
index 2da2ed3e..7fc74d54 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_old_doctests.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_old_doctests.py
@@ -1,18 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-""" Unit tests for old doctests in validators.py, utf8.py, html.py,
-    markmin2html.py.
+""" Unit tests for old doctests in utf8.py, html.py, markmin2html.py.
     Don't abuse doctests, web2py > 2.4.5 will accept only unittests
 """
 import sys
 import os
 import doctest
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
-
 
 def load_tests(loader, tests, ignore):
 
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_recfile.py b/gluon/tests/test_recfile.py
index a2d711d3..03e36382 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_recfile.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_recfile.py
@@ -8,9 +8,7 @@ import unittest
 import os
 import shutil
 import uuid
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
 
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 from gluon import recfile
 
@@ -74,6 +72,3 @@ class TestRecfile(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertRaises(IOError, recfile.remove, filename)
         self.assertRaises(IOError, recfile.open, filename, "r")
 
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_router.py b/gluon/tests/test_router.py
index edec86cd..20b58358 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_router.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_router.py
@@ -3,25 +3,18 @@
 
 """Unit tests for rewrite.py routers option"""
 from __future__ import print_function
-import sys
 import os
 import unittest
 import tempfile
 import logging
 
-if os.path.isdir('gluon'):
-    sys.path.insert(0,os.path.realpath('gluon'))  # running from web2py base
-else:
-    sys.path.insert(0,os.path.realpath('../../'))  # running from gluon/tests/
-    os.environ['web2py_path'] = os.path.realpath('../../')  # for settings
-
 from gluon.rewrite import load, filter_url, filter_err, get_effective_router, map_url_out
 from gluon.html import URL
 from gluon.fileutils import abspath
 from gluon.settings import global_settings
 from gluon.http import HTTP
 from gluon.storage import Storage
-from gluon._compat import to_bytes, to_native, PY2
+from gluon._compat import to_bytes, PY2
 
 logger = None
 oldcwd = None
@@ -1518,8 +1511,3 @@ class TestRouter(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(filter_url('http://welcome.com/welcome/admin/index',
                          domain='welcome', out=True), "/welcome/admin")
 
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    setUpModule()       # pre-2.7
-    unittest.main()
-    tearDownModule()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_routes.py b/gluon/tests/test_routes.py
index 16bb8a09..0fc5f2b8 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_routes.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_routes.py
@@ -9,12 +9,6 @@ import unittest
 import tempfile
 import logging
 
-if os.path.isdir('gluon'):
-    sys.path.insert(0,os.path.realpath('gluon'))  # running from web2py base
-else:
-    sys.path.insert(0,os.path.realpath('../'))  # running from gluon/tests/
-    os.environ['web2py_path'] = os.path.realpath('../../')  # for settings
-
 from gluon.rewrite import load, filter_url, filter_err, get_effective_router, regex_filter_out, regex_select
 from gluon.html import URL
 from gluon.fileutils import abspath
@@ -456,9 +450,3 @@ routes_out = [
         self.assertEqual(
             filter_url('http://domain.com/index/a%20bc', env=True).request_uri,
             "/init/default/index/a bc")
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    setUpModule()       # pre-2.7
-    unittest.main()
-    tearDownModule()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_scheduler.py b/gluon/tests/test_scheduler.py
index 29cd877a..b473fe7b 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_scheduler.py
@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@ import glob
 import datetime
 import sys
 
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
-
 from gluon.storage import Storage
 from gluon.languages import translator
 from gluon.scheduler import JobGraph, Scheduler, CronParser
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_serializers.py b/gluon/tests/test_serializers.py
index 0ae8dcb6..a7f2a44c 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_serializers.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_serializers.py
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
 import datetime
 import decimal
 
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
-
 from gluon.serializers import *
 from gluon.storage import Storage
 # careful with the import path 'cause of isinstance() checks
@@ -61,7 +59,3 @@ class TestSerializers(unittest.TestCase):
         # if unicode_keys is false, the standard behaviour is assumed
         base_load = loads_json(base_enc, unicode_keys=False)
         self.assertFalse(base == base_load)
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_sqlhtml.py b/gluon/tests/test_sqlhtml.py
index 39b3d8fc..d0b519a0 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_sqlhtml.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_sqlhtml.py
@@ -8,11 +8,7 @@ import os
 import sys
 import unittest
 
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
-
-from sqlhtml import safe_int, SQLFORM, SQLTABLE
+from gluon.sqlhtml import safe_int, SQLFORM, SQLTABLE
 
 DEFAULT_URI = os.getenv('DB', 'sqlite:memory')
 
@@ -440,7 +436,3 @@ class TestSQLTABLE(unittest.TestCase):
 
 #     def test_represented(self):
 #         pass
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_storage.py b/gluon/tests/test_storage.py
index 48adce2e..6af22d19 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_storage.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_storage.py
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@
 """ Unit tests for storage.py """
 
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 from gluon.storage import Storage, StorageList, List
 from gluon.http import HTTP
@@ -152,7 +149,3 @@ class TestList(unittest.TestCase):
         a = List((1, 2, 3))
         self.assertEqual(a[0], 1)
         self.assertEqual(a[::-1], [3, 2, 1])
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_template.py b/gluon/tests/test_template.py
index 47ac8d44..9d21d775 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_template.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_template.py
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@
 """
 
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 from gluon import template
 from gluon.template import render
@@ -136,7 +133,3 @@ class TestTemplate(unittest.TestCase):
                 render(filename=pjoin('views', 'default', 'noescape.html'),
                        context={'NOESCAPE': template.NOESCAPE}),
                 '<script></script>')
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_tools.py b/gluon/tests/test_tools.py
index 91a9de6d..1fdf80f1 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_tools.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_tools.py
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@ import smtplib
 import datetime
 import unittest
 
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
-
 DEFAULT_URI = os.getenv('DB', 'sqlite:memory')
 
 from gluon.dal import DAL, Field
@@ -1362,6 +1358,3 @@ class TestExpose(unittest.TestCase):
         with self.assertRaises(HTTP):
             self.make_expose(base='inside', show='link_to_file3')
 
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_utils.py b/gluon/tests/test_utils.py
index fde8d54f..8b94844f 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -4,17 +4,12 @@
 """ Unit tests for utils.py """
 
 import unittest
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
+import pickle
+from hashlib import md5
 
 from gluon.utils import md5_hash, compare, is_valid_ip_address, web2py_uuid
-
-import pickle
-import hashlib
 import gluon.utils
-from hashlib import md5, sha1, sha224, sha256, sha384, sha512
-from gluon.utils import simple_hash, get_digest, secure_dumps, secure_loads, basestring
+from gluon.utils import simple_hash, get_digest, secure_dumps, secure_loads
 
 
 class TestUtils(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -182,7 +177,3 @@ class TestUtils(unittest.TestCase):
         # TODO: def test_is_loopback_ip_address(self):
 
         # TODO: def test_getipaddrinfo(self):
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_validators.py b/gluon/tests/test_validators.py
index 19a18e16..c98b4c26 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_validators.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_validators.py
@@ -7,10 +7,6 @@ import unittest
 import datetime
 import decimal
 import re
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
-
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
-
 
 from gluon.validators import *
 from gluon._compat import PY2, to_bytes
@@ -1122,7 +1118,3 @@ this is the content of the fake file
         self.assertEqual(rtn, ('2001::8ffa:fe22:b3af', None))
         rtn = IS_IPADDRESS(subnets='invalidsubnet')('2001::8ffa:fe22:b3af')
         self.assertEqual(rtn, ('2001::8ffa:fe22:b3af', 'invalid subnet provided'))
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_web.py b/gluon/tests/test_web.py
index f7e9ddf3..4a3ef3bf 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_web.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_web.py
@@ -9,11 +9,8 @@ import os
 import unittest
 import subprocess
 import time
-import signal
 
-from .fix_path import fix_sys_path
 
-fix_sys_path(__file__)
 
 from gluon.contrib.webclient import WebClient
 from gluon._compat import urllib2, PY2
@@ -32,7 +29,7 @@ def startwebserver():
                 break
             path = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(path, '..'))
     web2py_exec = os.path.join(path, 'web2py.py')
-    webserverprocess = subprocess.Popen([sys.executable, web2py_exec, '-a',  'testpass'])
+    webserverprocess = subprocess.Popen([sys.executable, web2py_exec, '-a', 'testpass'])
     print('Sleeping before web2py starts...')
     for a in range(1, 11):
         time.sleep(1)
@@ -141,7 +138,3 @@ class TestWeb(LiveTest):
         # check internal server error returned (issue 153)
         assert(s.status == 500)
         assert(s.text == xml_response)
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    unittest.main()