diff --git a/test_app/spec/controllers/controller_spec.rb b/test_app/spec/controllers/controller_spec.rb
index d2ef67e..2fb7926 100644
--- a/test_app/spec/controllers/controller_spec.rb
+++ b/test_app/spec/controllers/controller_spec.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-require 'spec_helper.rb'
+require_relative '../spec_helper.rb'
 
 describe ArticlesController do
   fixtures :articles,:impressions,:posts,:widgets
diff --git a/test_app/spec/controllers/impressionist_uniqueness_spec.rb b/test_app/spec/controllers/impressionist_uniqueness_spec.rb
index 74c2854..9e848d3 100644
--- a/test_app/spec/controllers/impressionist_uniqueness_spec.rb
+++ b/test_app/spec/controllers/impressionist_uniqueness_spec.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-require "spec_helper.rb"
+require_relative "../spec_helper.rb"
 
 # we use the posts controller as it uses the impressionsist module. any such controller would do.
 describe DummyController do
diff --git a/test_app/spec/intializers/initializers_spec.rb b/test_app/spec/intializers/initializers_spec.rb
index 879a82a..65f1b61 100644
--- a/test_app/spec/intializers/initializers_spec.rb
+++ b/test_app/spec/intializers/initializers_spec.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-require 'spec_helper'
+require_relative '../spec_helper'
 
 describe Impressionist do
   it "should be extended from ActiveRecord::Base" do
diff --git a/test_app/spec/models/counter_caching_spec.rb b/test_app/spec/models/counter_caching_spec.rb
index 88cbd73..c742818 100644
--- a/test_app/spec/models/counter_caching_spec.rb
+++ b/test_app/spec/models/counter_caching_spec.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-require 'spec_helper'
+require_relative '../spec_helper'
 
 describe Impression do
   fixtures :widgets
diff --git a/test_app/spec/models/model_spec.rb b/test_app/spec/models/model_spec.rb
index 5460166..4ae5fc6 100644
--- a/test_app/spec/models/model_spec.rb
+++ b/test_app/spec/models/model_spec.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-require 'spec_helper'
+require_relative '../spec_helper'
 
 describe Impression do
   fixtures :articles,:impressions,:posts
diff --git a/test_app/spec/rails_generators/rails_generators_spec.rb b/test_app/spec/rails_generators/rails_generators_spec.rb
index 2b5ea93..ab41341 100644
--- a/test_app/spec/rails_generators/rails_generators_spec.rb
+++ b/test_app/spec/rails_generators/rails_generators_spec.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-require 'spec_helper'
+require_relative '../spec_helper'
 require 'systemu'
 
 # FIXME this test might break the others if run before them