--- a/cubicweb/cwconfig.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ b/cubicweb/cwconfig.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -181,11 +181,13 @@
 
 __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 
+import importlib
 import logging
 import logging.config
 import os
 from os.path import (exists, join, expanduser, abspath, normpath,
                      basename, isdir, dirname, splitext)
+import pkgutil
 from smtplib import SMTP
 import stat
 import sys
@@ -262,6 +264,7 @@
         prefix = dirname(prefix)
     return prefix
 
+
 # persistent options definition
 PERSISTENT_OPTIONS = (
     ('encoding',
@@ -444,6 +447,7 @@
 
     @classmethod
     def available_cubes(cls):
+        cls.warning('only listing "legacy" cubes found in cubes path')
         import re
         cubes = set()
         for directory in cls.cubes_search_path():
@@ -483,12 +487,18 @@
         """return the cube directory for the given cube id, raise
         `ConfigurationError` if it doesn't exist
         """
+        loader = pkgutil.find_loader('cubicweb_%s' % cube)
+        if loader:
+            return dirname(loader.get_filename())
+        # Legacy cubes.
         for directory in cls.cubes_search_path():
             cubedir = join(directory, cube)
             if exists(cubedir):
                 return cubedir
-        raise ConfigurationError('no cube %r in %s' % (
-            cube, cls.cubes_search_path()))
+        msg = ('no module cubicweb_%(cube)s in search path '
+               'nor cube %(cube)r in %(path)s')
+        raise ConfigurationError(msg % {'cube': cube,
+                                        'path': cls.cubes_search_path()})
 
     @classmethod
     def cube_migration_scripts_dir(cls, cube):
@@ -498,14 +508,17 @@
     @classmethod
     def cube_pkginfo(cls, cube):
         """return the information module for the given cube"""
-        cube = CW_MIGRATION_MAP.get(cube, cube)
         try:
-            parent = __import__('cubes.%s.__pkginfo__' % cube)
-            return getattr(parent, cube).__pkginfo__
-        except Exception as ex:
-            raise ConfigurationError(
-                'unable to find packaging information for cube %s (%s: %s)'
-                % (cube, ex.__class__.__name__, ex))
+            return importlib.import_module('cubicweb_%s.__pkginfo__' % cube)
+        except ImportError:
+            cube = CW_MIGRATION_MAP.get(cube, cube)
+            try:
+                parent = __import__('cubes.%s.__pkginfo__' % cube)
+                return getattr(parent, cube).__pkginfo__
+            except Exception as ex:
+                raise ConfigurationError(
+                    'unable to find packaging information for cube %s (%s: %s)'
+                    % (cube, ex.__class__.__name__, ex))
 
     @classmethod
     def cube_version(cls, cube):
@@ -827,7 +840,11 @@
         self._cubes = self.reorder_cubes(cubes)
         # load cubes'__init__.py file first
         for cube in cubes:
-            __import__('cubes.%s' % cube)
+            try:
+                importlib.import_module('cubicweb_%s' % cube)
+            except ImportError:
+                # Legacy cube.
+                __import__('cubes.%s' % cube)
         self.load_site_cubicweb()
 
     def cubes(self):

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/comment/__init__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
-# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
-#
-# This file is part of CubicWeb.
-#
-# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
-# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
-# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
-# any later version.
-#
-# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
-# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
-# details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
-# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/comment/__pkginfo__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-# pylint: disable=W0622
-# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
-# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
-#
-# This file is part of CubicWeb.
-#
-# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
-# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
-# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
-# any later version.
-#
-# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
-# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
-# details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
-# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-"""cubicweb-comment packaging information"""
-
-distname = "cubicweb-comment"
-modname = distname.split('-', 1)[1]
-
-numversion = (1, 4, 3)
-version = '.'.join(str(num) for num in numversion)

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/email/__init__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
-# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
-#
-# This file is part of CubicWeb.
-#
-# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
-# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
-# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
-# any later version.
-#
-# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
-# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
-# details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
-# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/email/__pkginfo__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-# pylint: disable=W0622
-# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
-# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
-#
-# This file is part of CubicWeb.
-#
-# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
-# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
-# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
-# any later version.
-#
-# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
-# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
-# details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
-# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-"""cubicweb-email packaging information"""
-
-distname = "cubicweb-email"
-modname = distname.split('-', 1)[1]
-
-numversion = (1, 4, 3)
-version = '.'.join(str(num) for num in numversion)
-
-
-__depends__ = {'cubicweb': None,
-               'cubicweb-file': None}
-__recommends__ = {'cubicweb-comment': None}

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/email/entities.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,1 +0,0 @@
-"test"

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/email/hooks.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,1 +0,0 @@
-"test"

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/email/views/__init__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,1 +0,0 @@
-"test"

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/file/__init__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
-# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
-#
-# This file is part of CubicWeb.
-#
-# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
-# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
-# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
-# any later version.
-#
-# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
-# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
-# details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
-# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/file/__pkginfo__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-# pylint: disable=W0622
-# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
-# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
-#
-# This file is part of CubicWeb.
-#
-# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
-# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
-# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
-# any later version.
-#
-# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
-# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
-# details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
-# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-"""cubicweb-file packaging information"""
-
-distname = "cubicweb-file"
-modname = distname.split('-', 1)[1]
-
-numversion = (1, 4, 3)
-version = '.'.join(str(num) for num in numversion)

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/file/entities/__init__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,1 +0,0 @@
-"test"

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/file/hooks/__init__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,1 +0,0 @@
-"test"

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/file/views.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,1 +0,0 @@
-"test"

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/forge/__init__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
-# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
-#
-# This file is part of CubicWeb.
-#
-# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
-# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
-# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
-# any later version.
-#
-# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
-# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
-# details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
-# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/forge/__pkginfo__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-# pylint: disable=W0622
-# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
-# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
-#
-# This file is part of CubicWeb.
-#
-# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
-# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
-# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
-# any later version.
-#
-# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
-# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
-# details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
-# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-"""cubicweb-forge packaging information"""
-
-distname = "cubicweb-forge"
-modname = distname.split('-', 1)[1]
-
-numversion = (1, 4, 3)
-version = '.'.join(str(num) for num in numversion)
-
-
-__depends__ = {'cubicweb': None,
-               'cubicweb-file': None,
-               'cubicweb-email': None,
-               'cubicweb-comment': None,
-               }

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/mycube/__init__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
-# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
-#
-# This file is part of CubicWeb.
-#
-# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
-# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
-# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
-# any later version.
-#
-# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
-# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
-# details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
-# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-"""mycube's __init__
-
-"""

--- a/cubicweb/test/data/cubes/mycube/__pkginfo__.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
-# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
-#
-# This file is part of CubicWeb.
-#
-# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
-# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
-# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
-# any later version.
-#
-# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
-# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
-# details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
-# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-"""
-
-"""
-distname = 'cubicweb-mycube'

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/legacy_cubes/comment	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+../libpython/cubicweb_comment
\ No newline at end of file

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/legacy_cubes/email	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+../libpython/cubicweb_email/
\ No newline at end of file

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/legacy_cubes/file	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+../libpython/cubicweb_file
\ No newline at end of file

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/legacy_cubes/forge	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+../libpython/cubicweb_forge
\ No newline at end of file

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/legacy_cubes/mycube	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+../libpython/cubicweb_mycube
\ No newline at end of file

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_comment/__init__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_comment/__pkginfo__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# pylint: disable=W0622
+# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+"""cubicweb-comment packaging information"""
+
+distname = "cubicweb-comment"
+modname = distname.split('-', 1)[1]
+
+numversion = (1, 4, 3)
+version = '.'.join(str(num) for num in numversion)

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_email/__init__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_email/__pkginfo__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# pylint: disable=W0622
+# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+"""cubicweb-email packaging information"""
+
+distname = "cubicweb-email"
+modname = distname.split('-', 1)[1]
+
+numversion = (1, 4, 3)
+version = '.'.join(str(num) for num in numversion)
+
+
+__depends__ = {'cubicweb': None,
+               'cubicweb-file': None}
+__recommends__ = {'cubicweb-comment': None}

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_email/entities.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+"test"

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_email/hooks.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+"test"

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_email/views/__init__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+"test"

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_file/__init__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_file/__pkginfo__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# pylint: disable=W0622
+# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+"""cubicweb-file packaging information"""
+
+distname = "cubicweb-file"
+modname = distname.split('-', 1)[1]
+
+numversion = (1, 4, 3)
+version = '.'.join(str(num) for num in numversion)

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_file/entities/__init__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+"test"

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_file/hooks/__init__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+"test"

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_file/views.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,1 @@
+"test"

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_forge/__init__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_forge/__pkginfo__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# pylint: disable=W0622
+# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+"""cubicweb-forge packaging information"""
+
+distname = "cubicweb-forge"
+modname = distname.split('-', 1)[1]
+
+numversion = (1, 4, 3)
+version = '.'.join(str(num) for num in numversion)
+
+
+__depends__ = {'cubicweb': None,
+               'cubicweb-file': None,
+               'cubicweb-email': None,
+               'cubicweb-comment': None,
+               }

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_mycube/__init__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+"""mycube's __init__
+
+"""

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/cubicweb/test/data/libpython/cubicweb_mycube/__pkginfo__.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# copyright 2003-2010 LOGILAB S.A. (Paris, FRANCE), all rights reserved.
+# contact http://www.logilab.fr/ -- mailto:contact@logilab.fr
+#
+# This file is part of CubicWeb.
+#
+# CubicWeb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# CubicWeb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License along
+# with CubicWeb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+"""
+
+"""
+distname = 'cubicweb-mycube'

--- a/cubicweb/test/unittest_cwconfig.py	Tue Jul 12 16:17:57 2016 +0200
+++ b/cubicweb/test/unittest_cwconfig.py	Tue Jun 07 18:21:13 2016 +0200
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 from os.path import dirname, join, abspath
 import unittest
 
+from six import PY3
+
 from logilab.common.modutils import cleanup_sys_modules
 from logilab.common.testlib import with_tempdir
 from logilab.common.changelog import Version
@@ -30,20 +32,28 @@
 from cubicweb.devtools import ApptestConfiguration, testlib
 from cubicweb.cwconfig import _find_prefix
 
+
 def unabsolutize(path):
     parts = path.split(os.sep)
     for i, part in reversed(tuple(enumerate(parts))):
-        if part.startswith('cubicweb') or part == 'cubes':
-            return '/'.join(parts[i+1:])
+        if part.startswith('cubicweb_'):
+            return os.sep.join([part[len('cubicweb_'):]] + parts[i+1:])
+        if part.startswith('cubicweb') or part == 'legacy_cubes':
+            return os.sep.join(parts[i+1:])
     raise Exception('duh? %s' % path)
 
-CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR = abspath(join(dirname(__file__), 'data', 'cubes'))
-
 
 class CubicWebConfigurationTC(testlib.BaseTestCase):
 
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        sys.path.append(cls.datapath('libpython'))
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(cls):
+        sys.path.remove(cls.datapath('libpython'))
+
     def setUp(self):
-        cleanup_sys_modules([CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR, ApptestConfiguration.CUBES_DIR])
         self.config = ApptestConfiguration('data', __file__)
         self.config._cubes = ('email', 'file')
 
@@ -51,8 +61,6 @@
         ApptestConfiguration.CUBES_PATH = []
 
     def test_reorder_cubes(self):
-        self.config.__class__.CUBES_PATH = [CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR]
-        self.config.adjust_sys_path()
         # forge depends on email and file and comment
         # email depends on file
         self.assertEqual(self.config.reorder_cubes(['file', 'email', 'forge']),
@@ -69,9 +77,10 @@
                           ('forge', 'email', 'file'))
 
     def test_reorder_cubes_recommends(self):
-        self.config.__class__.CUBES_PATH = [CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR]
-        self.config.adjust_sys_path()
-        from cubes.comment import __pkginfo__ as comment_pkginfo
+        from cubicweb_comment import __pkginfo__ as comment_pkginfo
+        self._test_reorder_cubes_recommends(comment_pkginfo)
+
+    def _test_reorder_cubes_recommends(self, comment_pkginfo):
         comment_pkginfo.__recommends_cubes__ = {'file': None}
         try:
             # email recommends comment
@@ -88,35 +97,58 @@
             comment_pkginfo.__recommends_cubes__ = {}
 
     def test_expand_cubes(self):
-        self.config.__class__.CUBES_PATH = [CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR]
-        self.config.adjust_sys_path()
         self.assertEqual(self.config.expand_cubes(('email', 'comment')),
                           ['email', 'comment', 'file'])
 
     def test_appobjects_path(self):
-        self.config.__class__.CUBES_PATH = [CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR]
-        self.config.adjust_sys_path()
         path = [unabsolutize(p) for p in self.config.appobjects_path()]
         self.assertEqual(path[0], 'entities')
         self.assertCountEqual(path[1:4], ['web/views', 'sobjects', 'hooks'])
         self.assertEqual(path[4], 'file/entities')
-        self.assertCountEqual(path[5:7], ['file/views.py', 'file/hooks'])
+        self.assertCountEqual(path[5:7],
+                              ['file/views.py', 'file/hooks'])
         self.assertEqual(path[7], 'email/entities.py')
-        self.assertCountEqual(path[8:10], ['email/views', 'email/hooks.py'])
+        self.assertCountEqual(path[8:10],
+                              ['email/views', 'email/hooks.py'])
         self.assertEqual(path[10:], ['test/data/entities.py', 'test/data/views.py'])
 
+
+class CubicWebConfigurationWithLegacyCubesTC(CubicWebConfigurationTC):
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        pass
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(cls):
+        pass
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.custom_cubes_dir = self.datapath('legacy_cubes')
+        cleanup_sys_modules([self.custom_cubes_dir, ApptestConfiguration.CUBES_DIR])
+        super(CubicWebConfigurationWithLegacyCubesTC, self).setUp()
+        self.config.__class__.CUBES_PATH = [self.custom_cubes_dir]
+        self.config.adjust_sys_path()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        ApptestConfiguration.CUBES_PATH = []
+
+    def test_reorder_cubes_recommends(self):
+        from cubes.comment import __pkginfo__ as comment_pkginfo
+        self._test_reorder_cubes_recommends(comment_pkginfo)
+
     def test_cubes_path(self):
         # make sure we don't import the email cube, but the stdlib email package
         import email
         self.assertNotEqual(dirname(email.__file__), self.config.CUBES_DIR)
-        self.config.__class__.CUBES_PATH = [CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR]
+        self.config.__class__.CUBES_PATH = [self.custom_cubes_dir]
         self.assertEqual(self.config.cubes_search_path(),
-                          [CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR, self.config.CUBES_DIR])
-        self.config.__class__.CUBES_PATH = [CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR,
+                          [self.custom_cubes_dir, self.config.CUBES_DIR])
+        self.config.__class__.CUBES_PATH = [self.custom_cubes_dir,
                                             self.config.CUBES_DIR, 'unexistant']
         # filter out unexistant and duplicates
         self.assertEqual(self.config.cubes_search_path(),
-                          [CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR,
+                          [self.custom_cubes_dir,
                            self.config.CUBES_DIR])
         self.assertIn('mycube', self.config.available_cubes())
         # test cubes python path
@@ -125,12 +157,13 @@
         self.assertEqual(cubes.__path__, self.config.cubes_search_path())
         # this import should succeed once path is adjusted
         from cubes import mycube
-        self.assertEqual(mycube.__path__, [join(CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR, 'mycube')])
+        self.assertEqual(mycube.__path__, [join(self.custom_cubes_dir, 'mycube')])
         # file cube should be overriden by the one found in data/cubes
         sys.modules.pop('cubes.file', None)
-        del cubes.file
+        if PY3:
+            del cubes.file
         from cubes import file
-        self.assertEqual(file.__path__, [join(CUSTOM_CUBES_DIR, 'file')])
+        self.assertEqual(file.__path__, [join(self.custom_cubes_dir, 'file')])
 
 
 class FindPrefixTC(unittest.TestCase):