diff --git a/test/__init__.py b/test/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..32c59be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import sys
+from os import path
+
+sys.path.insert(0, path.abspath(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..')))
diff --git a/test/test_client_baseclient.py b/test/test_client_baseclient.py
index ffa9302..02775cc 100644
--- a/test/test_client_baseclient.py
+++ b/test/test_client_baseclient.py
@@ -22,14 +22,10 @@
 """test base client."""
 from __future__ import division, print_function
 
-import sys
 from collections import OrderedDict
-from os import path
 
 import pytest
 
-sys.path.insert(0, path.abspath(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..')))
-
 from secop.client.baseclient import Client
 
 
diff --git a/test/test_datatypes.py b/test/test_datatypes.py
index d9dcfc3..52be19f 100644
--- a/test/test_datatypes.py
+++ b/test/test_datatypes.py
@@ -23,14 +23,9 @@
 
 from __future__ import division, print_function
 
-import sys
-from os import path
-
 # no fixtures needed
 import pytest
 
-sys.path.insert(0, path.abspath(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..')))
-
 from secop.datatypes import (ArrayOf, BLOBType, BoolType, DataType, EnumType,
                              FloatRange, IntRange, ProgrammingError,
                              StringType, StructOf, TupleOf, get_datatype)
diff --git a/test/test_lib_enum.py b/test/test_lib_enum.py
index eb7897f..78ab40a 100644
--- a/test/test_lib_enum.py
+++ b/test/test_lib_enum.py
@@ -23,14 +23,9 @@
 
 from __future__ import division, print_function
 
-import sys
-from os import path
-
 # no fixtures needed
 import pytest
 
-sys.path.insert(0, path.abspath(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..')))
-
 from secop.lib.enum import Enum, EnumMember
 
 
diff --git a/test/test_modules.py b/test/test_modules.py
index 3f33020..1384626 100644
--- a/test/test_modules.py
+++ b/test/test_modules.py
@@ -22,14 +22,9 @@
 """test data types."""
 from __future__ import division, print_function
 
-import sys
-from os import path
-
 # no fixtures needed
 import pytest
 
-sys.path.insert(0, path.abspath(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..')))
-
 from secop.datatypes import BoolType, EnumType
 from secop.metaclass import ModuleMeta
 from secop.modules import Communicator, Drivable, Module, Readable, Writable
diff --git a/test/test_params.py b/test/test_params.py
index dc064fc..fef4fc0 100644
--- a/test/test_params.py
+++ b/test/test_params.py
@@ -23,14 +23,9 @@
 
 from __future__ import division, print_function
 
-import sys
-from os import path
-
 # no fixtures needed
 import pytest
 
-sys.path.insert(0, path.abspath(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..')))
-
 from secop.datatypes import BoolType
 from secop.params import Command, Override, Parameter
 
diff --git a/test/test_parse.py b/test/test_parse.py
index 0a5fcdb..273c0f0 100644
--- a/test/test_parse.py
+++ b/test/test_parse.py
@@ -23,14 +23,10 @@
 
 from __future__ import division, print_function
 
-import sys
 from collections import OrderedDict
-from os import path
 
 import pytest
 
-sys.path.insert(0, path.abspath(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..')))
-
 from secop.parse import Parser