diff --git a/app/templates/server/.jshintrc b/app/templates/server/.jshintrc
index 79a89d230..1af7f7d69 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/.jshintrc
+++ b/app/templates/server/.jshintrc
@@ -11,5 +11,8 @@
   "undef": true,
   "smarttabs": true,
   "asi": true,
-  "debug": true
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+  "debug": true,
+  "globals": {
+    "rootRequire": false
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/templates/server/api/user(auth)/index.js b/app/templates/server/api/user(auth)/index.js
index 48567e485..52a0013ed 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/api/user(auth)/index.js
+++ b/app/templates/server/api/user(auth)/index.js
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 var express = require('express');
 var controller = require('./user.controller');
-var config = require('../../config/environment');
-var auth = require('../../auth/auth.service');
+var config = rootRequire('config/environment');
+var auth = rootRequire('auth/auth.service');
 
 var router = express.Router();
 
diff --git a/app/templates/server/api/user(auth)/user.controller.js b/app/templates/server/api/user(auth)/user.controller.js
index f4cd10c29..e1d4bfbf2 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/api/user(auth)/user.controller.js
+++ b/app/templates/server/api/user(auth)/user.controller.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 var User = require('./user.model');
 var passport = require('passport');
-var config = require('../../config/environment');
+var config = rootRequire('config/environment');
 var jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
 
 var validationError = function(res, err) {
diff --git a/app/templates/server/app.js b/app/templates/server/app.js
index 02593347b..bda5f9e14 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/app.js
+++ b/app/templates/server/app.js
@@ -4,6 +4,14 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var path = require('path');
+
+// a better require statement starting from `server/`
+global.rootRequire = function (name) {
+  return require(path.normalize(__dirname + '/' + name));
+};
+
+
 // Set default node environment to development
 process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development';
 
@@ -31,4 +39,4 @@ server.listen(config.port, config.ip, function () {
 });
 
 // Expose app
-exports = module.exports = app;
\ No newline at end of file
+exports = module.exports = app;
diff --git a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/auth.service.js b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/auth.service.js
index 38ec34302..18539efdb 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/auth.service.js
+++ b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/auth.service.js
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 
 var mongoose = require('mongoose');
 var passport = require('passport');
-var config = require('../config/environment');
+var config = rootRequire('config/environment');
 var jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
 var expressJwt = require('express-jwt');
 var compose = require('composable-middleware');
-var User = require('../api/user/user.model');
+var User = rootRequire('api/user/user.model');
 var validateJwt = expressJwt({ secret: config.secrets.session });
 
 /**
@@ -73,4 +73,4 @@ function setTokenCookie(req, res) {
 exports.isAuthenticated = isAuthenticated;
 exports.hasRole = hasRole;
 exports.signToken = signToken;
-exports.setTokenCookie = setTokenCookie;
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.setTokenCookie = setTokenCookie;
diff --git a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/facebook(facebookAuth)/index.js b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/facebook(facebookAuth)/index.js
index 4a6f87886..174b838d8 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/facebook(facebookAuth)/index.js
+++ b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/facebook(facebookAuth)/index.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 var express = require('express');
 var passport = require('passport');
-var auth = require('../auth.service');
+var auth = rootRequire('auth/auth.service');
 
 var router = express.Router();
 
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ router
     session: false
   }), auth.setTokenCookie);
 
-module.exports = router;
\ No newline at end of file
+module.exports = router;
diff --git a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/google(googleAuth)/index.js b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/google(googleAuth)/index.js
index 9b1ce39fe..136fc18e9 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/google(googleAuth)/index.js
+++ b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/google(googleAuth)/index.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 var express = require('express');
 var passport = require('passport');
-var auth = require('../auth.service');
+var auth = rootRequire('auth/auth.service');
 
 var router = express.Router();
 
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ router
     session: false
   }), auth.setTokenCookie);
 
-module.exports = router;
\ No newline at end of file
+module.exports = router;
diff --git a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/index.js b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/index.js
index e3e6c87ad..7d53250a5 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/index.js
+++ b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/index.js
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 var express = require('express');
 var passport = require('passport');
-var config = require('../config/environment');
-var User = require('../api/user/user.model');
+var config = rootRequire('config/environment');
+var User = rootRequire('api/user/user.model');
 
 // Passport Configuration
 require('./local/passport').setup(User, config);<% if (filters.facebookAuth) { %>
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ router.use('/facebook', require('./facebook'));<% } %><% if (filters.twitterAuth
 router.use('/twitter', require('./twitter'));<% } %><% if (filters.googleAuth) { %>
 router.use('/google', require('./google'));<% } %>
 
-module.exports = router;
\ No newline at end of file
+module.exports = router;
diff --git a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/local/index.js b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/local/index.js
index 8bf88a046..03e1630ed 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/local/index.js
+++ b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/local/index.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 var express = require('express');
 var passport = require('passport');
-var auth = require('../auth.service');
+var auth = rootRequire('auth/auth.service');
 
 var router = express.Router();
 
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ router.post('/', function(req, res, next) {
   })(req, res, next)
 });
 
-module.exports = router;
\ No newline at end of file
+module.exports = router;
diff --git a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/twitter(twitterAuth)/index.js b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/twitter(twitterAuth)/index.js
index 8360247b8..ff9fdf734 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/twitter(twitterAuth)/index.js
+++ b/app/templates/server/auth(auth)/twitter(twitterAuth)/index.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 var express = require('express');
 var passport = require('passport');
-var auth = require('../auth.service');
+var auth = rootRequire('auth/auth.service');
 
 var router = express.Router();
 
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ router
     session: false
   }), auth.setTokenCookie);
 
-module.exports = router;
\ No newline at end of file
+module.exports = router;
diff --git a/app/templates/server/config/seed(mongoose).js b/app/templates/server/config/seed(mongoose).js
index 27ab19417..ab1b0182c 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/config/seed(mongoose).js
+++ b/app/templates/server/config/seed(mongoose).js
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Thing = require('../api/thing/thing.model');
-<% if (filters.auth) { %>var User = require('../api/user/user.model');<% } %>
+var Thing = rootRequire('api/thing/thing.model');
+<% if (filters.auth) { %>var User = rootRequire('api/user/user.model');<% } %>
 
 Thing.find({}).remove(function() {
   Thing.create({
@@ -46,4 +46,4 @@ User.find({}).remove(function() {
       console.log('finished populating users');
     }
   );
-});<% } %>
\ No newline at end of file
+});<% } %>
diff --git a/app/templates/server/config/socketio(socketio).js b/app/templates/server/config/socketio(socketio).js
index 2fbbc07d6..a0e75bdaa 100644
--- a/app/templates/server/config/socketio(socketio).js
+++ b/app/templates/server/config/socketio(socketio).js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function onConnect(socket) {
   });
 
   // Insert sockets below
-  require('../api/thing/thing.socket').register(socket);
+  rootRequire('api/thing/thing.socket').register(socket);
 }
 
 module.exports = function (socketio) {
@@ -54,4 +54,4 @@ module.exports = function (socketio) {
     onConnect(socket);
     console.info('[%s] CONNECTED', socket.address);
   });
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};