diff --git a/packages/embark-console/src/test/console.js b/packages/embark-console/src/test/console.js
index 6d9313d64..739a26e2d 100644
--- a/packages/embark-console/src/test/console.js
+++ b/packages/embark-console/src/test/console.js
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 /*globals describe, it*/
 import Console from '../lib';
 import Logger from 'embark-logger';
+import { joinPath, setUpEnv } from 'embark-utils';
 import assert from 'assert';
 import { version }  from '../../package.json';
 
+setUpEnv(joinPath(__dirname, '../../../embark'));
+
 describe('embark.Console', function() {
   let logger = new Logger({logLevel: 'error'});
   let ipc = {
diff --git a/packages/embark-utils/index.d.ts b/packages/embark-utils/index.d.ts
index 72b59d0e2..a7f081c42 100644
--- a/packages/embark-utils/index.d.ts
+++ b/packages/embark-utils/index.d.ts
@@ -5,10 +5,13 @@ declare module "embark-utils" {
     prepareForCompilation(isCoverage?: boolean): any;
   }
 
+  function anchoredValue(anchor: string|null, value: string): string;
+  function anchoredPath(anchor: string|null, ...args: string[]): string;
   function compact(array: any): any;
   function checkIsAvailable(url: string, callback: any): void;
   function dockerHostSwap(host: string): string;
   function dappPath(...names: string[]): string;
+  function diagramPath(...names: string[]): string;
   function escapeHtml(message: any): string;
   function embarkPath(...names: string[]): string;
   function exit(code?: any): void;
@@ -17,5 +20,6 @@ declare module "embark-utils" {
   function fuzzySearch(text: string, list: any, filter: any): any;
   function getExternalContractUrl(file: string, provideUrl: string): string;
   function recursiveMerge(target: any, source: any): any;
+  function pkgPath(...names: string[]): string;
   function removePureView(dir: string): void;
 }
diff --git a/packages/embark-utils/src/env.js b/packages/embark-utils/src/env.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..51e7074dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/embark-utils/src/env.js
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import {
+  anchoredValue,
+  joinPath,
+  PWD,
+  DAPP_PATH,
+  DIAGRAM_PATH,
+  EMBARK_PATH,
+  PKG_PATH,
+  NODE_PATH
+} from './pathUtils';
+import * as findUp from 'find-up';
+import { delimiter } from 'path';
+
+export function setUpEnv(defaultEmbarkPath) {
+  const DEFAULT_PWD = process.cwd();
+  anchoredValue(PWD, DEFAULT_PWD);
+
+  const DEFAULT_DAPP_PATH = anchoredValue(PWD);
+  anchoredValue(DAPP_PATH, DEFAULT_DAPP_PATH);
+
+  const DEFAULT_DIAGRAM_PATH = joinPath(anchoredValue(DAPP_PATH), 'diagram.svg');
+  anchoredValue(DIAGRAM_PATH, DEFAULT_DIAGRAM_PATH);
+
+  const DEFAULT_EMBARK_PATH = defaultEmbarkPath;
+  anchoredValue(EMBARK_PATH, DEFAULT_EMBARK_PATH);
+
+  const DEFAULT_PKG_PATH = anchoredValue(PWD);
+  anchoredValue(PKG_PATH, DEFAULT_PKG_PATH);
+
+  const EMBARK_NODE_MODULES_PATHS = [];
+  let len = 0;
+  let start = anchoredValue(EMBARK_PATH);
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-constant-condition
+  while (true) {
+    const found = findUp.sync('node_modules', {cwd: start});
+    if (!found) break;
+    start = joinPath(start, '..');
+    if (EMBARK_NODE_MODULES_PATHS[len - 1] !== found) {
+      len = EMBARK_NODE_MODULES_PATHS.push(found);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // NOTE: setting NODE_PATH at runtime won't effect lookup behavior in the
+  // current process, but will take effect in child processes
+  process.env[NODE_PATH] = EMBARK_NODE_MODULES_PATHS.join(delimiter) +
+    (process.env[NODE_PATH] ? delimiter : '') +
+    (process.env[NODE_PATH] || '');
+}
+
diff --git a/packages/embark-utils/src/index.js b/packages/embark-utils/src/index.js
index c8bfe638e..ce584d2ed 100644
--- a/packages/embark-utils/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/embark-utils/src/index.js
@@ -23,7 +23,24 @@ import {
 import { getAddressToContract, getTransactionParams } from './transactionUtils';
 import LongRunningProcessTimer from './longRunningProcessTimer';
 import AccountParser from './accountParser';
-import { dappPath, embarkPath, ipcPath, joinPath, tmpDir, urlJoin } from './pathUtils';
+import {
+  anchoredValue,
+  dappPath,
+  diagramPath,
+  embarkPath,
+  ipcPath,
+  joinPath,
+  pkgPath,
+  tmpDir,
+  urlJoin,
+  PWD,
+  DAPP_PATH,
+  DIAGRAM_PATH,
+  EMBARK_PATH,
+  PKG_PATH,
+  NODE_PATH
+} from './pathUtils';
+import { setUpEnv } from './env';
 
 const { extendZeroAddressShorthand, replaceZeroAddressShorthand } = AddressUtils;
 
@@ -244,6 +261,7 @@ function errorMessage(e) {
 
 
 const Utils = {
+  anchoredValue,
   buildUrl,
   buildUrlFromConfig,
   joinPath,
@@ -257,6 +275,7 @@ const Utils = {
   canonicalHost,
   compact,
   copyToClipboard,
+  diagramPath,
   deconstructUrl,
   defaultCorsHost,
   defaultHost,
@@ -282,6 +301,7 @@ const Utils = {
   getHexBalanceFromString,
   getExternalContractUrl,
   groupBy,
+  setUpEnv,
   sha512,
   sha3,
   timer,
@@ -294,12 +314,19 @@ const Utils = {
   normalizeInput: logUtils.normalizeInput,
   LogHandler: require('./logHandler'),
   LongRunningProcessTimer,
+  pkgPath,
   prepareForCompilation,
   proposeAlternative,
   toChecksumAddress,
   toposort,
   AddressUtils,
-  AccountParser
+  AccountParser,
+  PWD,
+  DAPP_PATH,
+  DIAGRAM_PATH,
+  EMBARK_PATH,
+  PKG_PATH,
+  NODE_PATH
 };
 
 module.exports = Utils;
diff --git a/packages/embark-utils/src/pathUtils.js b/packages/embark-utils/src/pathUtils.js
index 38b33fdcf..ec7f546ae 100644
--- a/packages/embark-utils/src/pathUtils.js
+++ b/packages/embark-utils/src/pathUtils.js
@@ -2,15 +2,51 @@ import * as path from 'path';
 import * as os from 'os';
 import { sha512 } from './web3Utils';
 
+export const PWD = 'PWD';
+export const DAPP_PATH = 'DAPP_PATH';
+export const DIAGRAM_PATH = 'DIAGRAM_PATH';
+export const EMBARK_PATH = 'EMBARK_PATH';
+export const PKG_PATH = 'PKG_PATH';
+export const NODE_PATH = 'NODE_PATH';
+
+export function anchoredValue(anchor, value) {
+  if (!arguments.length) {
+    throw new TypeError(`anchor name '${anchor}' was not specified`);
+  }
+  if (arguments.length > 2) {
+    throw new TypeError(`accepts at most 2 arguments`);
+  }
+  if (typeof anchor !== 'string') {
+    throw new TypeError(`anchor name '${anchor}' was not a string`);
+  }
+  let _anchor = process.env[anchor];
+  if (arguments.length < 2 && !_anchor) {
+    throw new Error(`process.env.${anchor} was not set`);
+  }
+  // don't override an existing value, e.g. if already set by bin/embark
+  if (!_anchor) {
+    _anchor = value;
+    process.env[anchor] = _anchor;
+  }
+  return _anchor;
+}
+
+export function anchoredPath(anchor, ...args) {
+  return joinPath(
+    anchoredValue(anchor),
+    ...args.map(path => path.replace(dappPath(), ''))
+  );
+}
+
 export function joinPath() {
   return path.join.apply(path.join, arguments);
 }
 
 export function tmpDir(...args) { return joinPath(os.tmpdir(), ...args); }
-
-export function dappPath(...names) {
-  return path.join(process.env.DAPP_PATH || process.cwd(), ...names);
-}
+export function diagramPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(DIAGRAM_PATH, ...args); }
+export function pkgPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(PKG_PATH, ...args); }
+export function dappPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(DAPP_PATH, ...args); }
+export function embarkPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(EMBARK_PATH, ...args); }
 
 export function ipcPath(basename, usePipePathOnWindows = false) {
   if (!(basename && typeof basename === 'string')) {
@@ -25,14 +61,6 @@ export function ipcPath(basename, usePipePathOnWindows = false) {
   );
 }
 
-export function embarkPath(...names) {
-  const EMBARK_PATH = process.env.EMBARK_PATH;
-  if (!EMBARK_PATH) {
-    throw new Error('environment variable EMBARK_PATH was not set');
-  }
-  return path.join(EMBARK_PATH, ...names);
-}
-
 export function urlJoin(url, path) {
   let urlChunks = url.split('/');
   let levels = path.split('../');
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd.js b/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd.js
index 862f505e2..2709dd167 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { __, setOrDetectLocale } from 'embark-i18n';
+import { diagramPath } from 'embark-utils';
 const program = require('commander');
 const EmbarkController = require('./cmd_controller.js');
 const fs = require('../lib/core/fs.js');
@@ -307,7 +308,7 @@ class Cmd {
       .option('--skip-functions', __('Graph will not include functions'))
       .option('--skip-events', __('Graph will not include events'))
       .option('--locale [locale]', __('language to use (default: en)'))
-      .option('--output [svgfile]', __('filepath to output SVG graph to (default: %s)', fs.diagramPath()))
+      .option('--output [svgfile]', __('filepath to output SVG graph to (default: %s)', diagramPath()))
       .description(__('generates documentation based on the smart contracts configured'))
       .action(function(env, options) {
         setOrDetectLocale(options.locale);
@@ -317,7 +318,7 @@ class Cmd {
           skipUndeployed: options.skipUndeployed,
           skipFunctions: options.skipFunctions,
           skipEvents: options.skipEvents,
-          output: options.output || fs.diagramPath()
+          output: options.output || diagramPath()
         });
       });
   }
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/env.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/env.js
index da8639ef8..7981e4986 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/env.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/env.js
@@ -1,76 +1,3 @@
-/* global __dirname module process require */
+import { joinPath, setUpEnv } from 'embark-utils';
 
-const {delimiter} = require('path');
-const findUp = require('find-up');
-import {joinPath} from 'embark-utils';
-
-function anchoredValue(anchor, value) {
-  if (!arguments.length) {
-    throw new TypeError('anchor name was not specified');
-  }
-  if (arguments.length > 2) {
-    throw new TypeError('accepts at most 2 arguments');
-  }
-  if (typeof anchor !== 'string') {
-    throw new TypeError('anchor name was not a string');
-  }
-  let _anchor = process.env[anchor];
-  if (arguments.length < 2 && !_anchor) {
-    throw new Error(`process.env.${anchor} was not set`);
-  }
-  // don't override an existing value, e.g. if already set by bin/embark
-  if (!_anchor) {
-    _anchor = value;
-    process.env[anchor] = _anchor;
-  }
-  return _anchor;
-}
-
-const PWD = 'PWD';
-const DEFAULT_PWD = process.cwd();
-anchoredValue(PWD, DEFAULT_PWD);
-
-const DAPP_PATH = 'DAPP_PATH';
-const DEFAULT_DAPP_PATH = anchoredValue(PWD);
-anchoredValue(DAPP_PATH, DEFAULT_DAPP_PATH);
-
-const DIAGRAM_PATH = 'DIAGRAM_PATH';
-const DEFAULT_DIAGRAM_PATH = joinPath(anchoredValue(DAPP_PATH), 'diagram.svg');
-anchoredValue(DIAGRAM_PATH, DEFAULT_DIAGRAM_PATH);
-
-const EMBARK_PATH = 'EMBARK_PATH';
-const DEFAULT_EMBARK_PATH = joinPath(__dirname, '../../..');
-anchoredValue(EMBARK_PATH, DEFAULT_EMBARK_PATH);
-
-const PKG_PATH = 'PKG_PATH';
-const DEFAULT_PKG_PATH = anchoredValue(PWD);
-anchoredValue(PKG_PATH, DEFAULT_PKG_PATH);
-
-const EMBARK_NODE_MODULES_PATHS = [];
-let len = 0;
-let start = anchoredValue(EMBARK_PATH);
-// eslint-disable-next-line no-constant-condition
-while (true) {
-  const found = findUp.sync('node_modules', {cwd: start});
-  if (!found) break;
-  start = joinPath(start, '..');
-  if (EMBARK_NODE_MODULES_PATHS[len - 1] !== found) {
-    len = EMBARK_NODE_MODULES_PATHS.push(found);
-  }
-}
-
-const NODE_PATH = 'NODE_PATH';
-// NOTE: setting NODE_PATH at runtime won't effect lookup behavior in the
-// current process, but will take effect in child processes
-process.env[NODE_PATH] = EMBARK_NODE_MODULES_PATHS.join(delimiter) +
-  (process.env[NODE_PATH] ? delimiter : '') +
-  (process.env[NODE_PATH] || '');
-
-module.exports = {
-  anchoredValue,
-  PWD,
-  DAPP_PATH,
-  DIAGRAM_PATH,
-  EMBARK_PATH,
-  PKG_PATH
-};
+setUpEnv(joinPath(__dirname, '../../../'));
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/fs.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/fs.js
index d0760b7fb..64feb4ca0 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/fs.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/fs.js
@@ -1,15 +1,11 @@
 /* global module process require */
 
-const {DAPP_PATH,
-       DIAGRAM_PATH,
-       EMBARK_PATH,
-       PKG_PATH,
-       anchoredValue} = require('./env');
 const fs = require('fs-extra');
-const os = require('os');
 const parseJson = require('parse-json');
 const path = require('path');
-import {joinPath, sha512} from 'embark-utils';
+import { joinPath } from 'embark-utils';
+import './env';
+
 require('colors');
 
 function mkdirpSync(...args) { return fs.mkdirpSync(...args); }
@@ -73,38 +69,8 @@ function access(...args) { return fs.access(...args); }
 
 function removeSync(...args) { return fs.removeSync(...args); }
 
-function anchoredPath(anchor, ...args) {
-  return joinPath(
-    anchoredValue(anchor),
-    ...args.map(path => path.replace(dappPath(), ''))
-  );
-}
-
-function embarkPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(EMBARK_PATH, ...args); }
-
-function dappPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(DAPP_PATH, ...args); }
-
-function diagramPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(DIAGRAM_PATH, ...args); }
-
-function ipcPath(basename, usePipePathOnWindows = false) {
-  if (!(basename && typeof basename === 'string')) {
-    throw new TypeError('first argument must be a non-empty string');
-  }
-  if (process.platform === 'win32' && usePipePathOnWindows) {
-    return `\\\\.\\pipe\\${basename}`;
-  }
-  return joinPath(
-    tmpDir(`embark-${sha512(dappPath()).slice(0, 8)}`),
-    basename
-  );
-}
-
-function pkgPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(PKG_PATH, ...args); }
-
 function createWriteStream(...args) { return fs.createWriteStream(...args); }
 
-function tmpDir(...args) { return joinPath(os.tmpdir(), ...args); }
-
 function copyPreserve(sourceFilePath, targetFilePath) {
   const implementation = (sourceFilePath, targetFilePath) => {
     let ext = 1;
@@ -135,20 +101,15 @@ module.exports = {
   copyPreserve,
   copySync,
   createWriteStream,
-  dappPath,
-  diagramPath,
-  embarkPath,
   existsSync,
   ensureFileSync,
   ensureDirSync,
-  ipcPath,
   mkdirp,
   mkdirpSync,
   move,
   moveSync,
   outputFileSync,
   outputJSONSync,
-  pkgPath,
   readFile,
   readFileSync,
   readJSONSync,
@@ -159,7 +120,6 @@ module.exports = {
   stat,
   statSync,
   symlink,
-  tmpDir,
   writeFile,
   writeFileSync,
   writeJSONSync,
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/codeRunner/fs.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/codeRunner/fs.js
index 808a1cb1f..dd011a340 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/codeRunner/fs.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/codeRunner/fs.js
@@ -1,15 +1,9 @@
 /* global module process require */
-
-const {DAPP_PATH,
-       DIAGRAM_PATH,
-       EMBARK_PATH,
-       PKG_PATH,
-       anchoredValue} = require('../../core/env');
 const fs = require('fs-extra');
 const os = require('os');
 const parseJson = require('parse-json');
 const path = require('path');
-import {joinPath, sha512} from 'embark-utils';
+import { dappPath, embarkPath, joinPath, pkgPath } from 'embark-utils';
 require('colors');
 
 function restrictPath(receiver, binding, count, args) {
@@ -101,38 +95,8 @@ function access(...args) { return restrictPath(fs.access, fs, 1, args); }
 
 function removeSync(...args) { return restrictPath(fs.removeSync, fs, 1, args); }
 
-function anchoredPath(anchor, ...args) {
-  return joinPath(
-    anchoredValue(anchor),
-    ...args.map(path => path.replace(dappPath(), ''))
-  );
-}
-
-function embarkPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(EMBARK_PATH, ...args); }
-
-function dappPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(DAPP_PATH, ...args); }
-
-function diagramPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(DIAGRAM_PATH, ...args); }
-
-function ipcPath(basename, usePipePathOnWindows = false) {
-  if (!(basename && typeof basename === 'string')) {
-    throw new TypeError('first argument must be a non-empty string');
-  }
-  if (process.platform === 'win32' && usePipePathOnWindows) {
-    return `\\\\.\\pipe\\${basename}`;
-  }
-  return joinPath(
-    tmpDir(`embark-${sha512(dappPath()).slice(0, 8)}`),
-    basename
-  );
-}
-
-function pkgPath(...args) { return anchoredPath(PKG_PATH, ...args); }
-
 function createWriteStream(...args) { return restrictPath(fs.createWriteStream, fs, 1, args); }
 
-function tmpDir(...args) { return joinPath(os.tmpdir(), ...args); }
-
 function copyPreserve(sourceFilePath, targetFilePath) {
   const implementation = (sourceFilePath, targetFilePath) => {
     let ext = 1;
@@ -163,20 +127,15 @@ module.exports = {
   copyPreserve,
   copySync,
   createWriteStream,
-  dappPath,
-  diagramPath,
-  embarkPath,
   existsSync,
   ensureFileSync,
   ensureDirSync,
-  ipcPath,
   mkdirp,
   mkdirpSync,
   move,
   moveSync,
   outputFileSync,
   outputJSONSync,
-  pkgPath,
   readFile,
   readFileSync,
   readJSONSync,
@@ -187,7 +146,6 @@ module.exports = {
   stat,
   statSync,
   symlink,
-  tmpDir,
   writeFile,
   writeFileSync,
   writeJSONSync,
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/codeRunner/vm.ts b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/codeRunner/vm.ts
index 064b34313..36465e034 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/codeRunner/vm.ts
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/codeRunner/vm.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@ import { each } from "async";
 import { Callback, Logger } /* supplied by @types/embark in packages/embark-typings */ from "embark";
 import { NodeVM, NodeVMOptions } from "vm2";
 
-import { compact, recursiveMerge } from "embark-utils";
+import { compact, dappPath, recursiveMerge } from "embark-utils";
 
-const fs = require("./fs");
 const path = require("path");
 const { isEs6Module } = require("../../utils/utils");
 
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ class VM {
         "rxjs/operators",
       ],
     },
-    sandbox: { __dirname: fs.dappPath() },
+    sandbox: { __dirname: dappPath() },
   };
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/utils/template_generator.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/utils/template_generator.js
index 8206974aa..3deb92c39 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/utils/template_generator.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/utils/template_generator.js
@@ -3,7 +3,14 @@ const findUp = require('find-up');
 const fs = require('../core/fs.js');
 const hostedGitInfo = require('hosted-git-info');
 const utils = require('./utils.js');
-import { embarkPath, downloadFile, joinPath, runCmd, errorMessage } from 'embark-utils';
+import {
+  embarkPath,
+  downloadFile,
+  joinPath,
+  runCmd,
+  tmpDir as tmpDirUtil,
+  errorMessage
+} from 'embark-utils';
 const semver = require('semver');
 const {promisify} = require('util');
 const {execSync} = require('child_process');
@@ -58,7 +65,7 @@ class TemplateGenerator {
       process.exit(1);
     }
     let {url, filePath, browse} = ext;
-    let tmpFilePath = fs.tmpDir(filePath);
+    let tmpFilePath = tmpDirUtil(filePath);
     try {
       try {
         await this.download(url, tmpFilePath, browse);
@@ -67,7 +74,7 @@ class TemplateGenerator {
         if (url_fallback) {
           console.log(__('Retrying with the default branch...').yellow);
           console.log((__(`It may not be compatible with your Embark version`) + ` ${embarkVersion}`).yellow);
-          tmpFilePath = fs.tmpDir(filePath_fallback);
+          tmpFilePath = tmpDirUtil(filePath_fallback);
           await this.download(url_fallback, tmpFilePath, browse_fallback);
         } else {
           throw new Error();
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/test/file.js b/packages/embark/src/test/file.js
index 6e49f36ed..fc2b3b0a0 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/test/file.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/test/file.js
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 /*globals describe, it*/
-const { dappPath, File, Types } = require('embark-utils');
-const {expect} = require("chai");
-const fs = require("../lib/core/fs");
+const { dappPath, File, joinPath, setUpEnv, Types } = require('embark-utils');
+const { expect } = require("chai");
+const fs = require("fs-extra");
+
+setUpEnv(joinPath(__dirname, '../../'));
 
 describe('embark.File', function () {
   describe('Read file contents', function () {