diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/__init__.py b/lib/spack/spack/__init__.py
index 4734b4b9909..6cdfd4c72ef 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/__init__.py
@@ -38,18 +38,12 @@
 # TODO: Below code should not import modules other than spack.config
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 import spack.config
-from spack.util.path import canonicalize_path
 
 
 # TODO: get this out of __init__.py
 binary_cache_retrieved_specs = set()
 
 
-#: Directories where to search for templates
-template_dirs = spack.config.get('config:template_dirs')
-template_dirs = [canonicalize_path(x) for x in template_dirs]
-
-
 # If this is True, spack will not clean the environment to remove
 # potentially harmful variables before builds.
 dirty = spack.config.get('config:dirty', False)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/tengine.py b/lib/spack/spack/tengine.py
index d49b4c69b22..731ce787824 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/tengine.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/tengine.py
@@ -22,13 +22,14 @@
 # License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 ##############################################################################
-
 import textwrap
 
 import jinja2
 import llnl.util.lang
 import six
-import spack
+
+import spack.config
+from spack.util.path import canonicalize_path
 
 
 TemplateNotFound = jinja2.TemplateNotFound
@@ -90,7 +91,8 @@ def make_environment(dirs=None):
     """Returns an configured environment for template rendering."""
     if dirs is None:
         # Default directories where to search for templates
-        dirs = spack.template_dirs
+        dirs = [canonicalize_path(d)
+                for d in spack.config.get('config:template_dirs')]
     # Loader for the templates
     loader = jinja2.FileSystemLoader(dirs)
     # Environment of the template engine
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/conftest.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/conftest.py
index 6fb9a4d3681..6cf6f7e1a53 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/conftest.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/conftest.py
@@ -90,14 +90,6 @@ def _impl(spec_str):
     return _impl
 
 
-@pytest.fixture()
-def update_template_dirs(config, monkeypatch):
-    """Mocks the template directories for tests"""
-    dirs = spack.config.get('config:template_dirs')
-    dirs = [spack.util.path.canonicalize_path(x) for x in dirs]
-    monkeypatch.setattr(spack, 'template_dirs', dirs)
-
-
 @pytest.fixture()
 def patch_configuration(monkeypatch, request):
     """Reads a configuration file from the mock ones prepared for tests
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/dotkit.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/dotkit.py
index d471674f27f..71c253b4795 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/dotkit.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/dotkit.py
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ def test_dotkit(self, modulefile_content, patch_configuration):
         assert '#d mpileaks @2.3' in content
         assert len([x for x in content if 'dk_op' in x]) == 2
 
-    @pytest.mark.usefixtures('update_template_dirs')
     def test_override_template_in_package(
             self, modulefile_content, patch_configuration
     ):
@@ -56,7 +55,6 @@ def test_override_template_in_package(
 
         assert 'Override successful!' in content
 
-    @pytest.mark.usefixtures('update_template_dirs')
     def test_override_template_in_modules_yaml(
             self, modulefile_content, patch_configuration
     ):
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/lmod.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/lmod.py
index 11ebf0302a9..9405c68062b 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/lmod.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/lmod.py
@@ -213,7 +213,6 @@ def test_non_virtual_in_hierarchy(self, factory, patch_configuration):
         with pytest.raises(spack.modules.lmod.NonVirtualInHierarchyError):
             module.write()
 
-    @pytest.mark.usefixtures('update_template_dirs')
     def test_override_template_in_package(
             self, modulefile_content, patch_configuration
     ):
@@ -224,7 +223,6 @@ def test_override_template_in_package(
 
         assert 'Override successful!' in content
 
-    @pytest.mark.usefixtures('update_template_dirs')
     def test_override_template_in_modules_yaml(
             self, modulefile_content, patch_configuration
     ):
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/tcl.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/tcl.py
index 753cd57ddcf..8eb9c918dd0 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/tcl.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/tcl.py
@@ -241,7 +241,6 @@ def test_setup_environment(self, modulefile_content, patch_configuration):
             [x for x in content if 'setenv FOOBAR "callpath"' in x]
         ) == 1
 
-    @pytest.mark.usefixtures('update_template_dirs')
     def test_override_template_in_package(
             self, modulefile_content, patch_configuration
     ):
@@ -252,7 +251,6 @@ def test_override_template_in_package(
 
         assert 'Override successful!' in content
 
-    @pytest.mark.usefixtures('update_template_dirs')
     def test_override_template_in_modules_yaml(
             self, modulefile_content, patch_configuration
     ):
@@ -265,7 +263,6 @@ def test_override_template_in_modules_yaml(
         content = modulefile_content('mpileaks arch=x86-linux')
         assert 'Override even better!' in content
 
-    @pytest.mark.usefixtures('update_template_dirs')
     def test_extend_context(
             self, modulefile_content, patch_configuration
     ):