diff --git a/lib/blockchain.js b/lib/blockchain.js
index d2209c48..fd07fd5d 100644
--- a/lib/blockchain.js
+++ b/lib/blockchain.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ var mkdirp = require('mkdirp');
 var wrench = require('wrench');
 var colors = require('colors');
 var GethCommands = require('./geth_commands.js');
-var path = require('path');
+var utils = require('./utils.js');
 
 var Blockchain = function(blockchainConfig, Client) {
   this.blockchainConfig = blockchainConfig;
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ Blockchain.prototype.initChainAndGetAddress = function() {
   mkdirp.sync(this.datadir);
 
   // copy mining script
-  wrench.copyDirSyncRecursive(path.join(__dirname, "/../js"), ".embark/development/js", {forceDelete: true});
+  wrench.copyDirSyncRecursive(utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js"), ".embark/development/js", {forceDelete: true});
 
   // check if an account already exists, create one if not, return address
   result = this.runCommand(this.client.listAccountsCommand());
diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
index b017291d..bc3236a2 100644
--- a/lib/config.js
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 var fs = require('fs');
 var grunt = require('grunt');
 var merge = require('merge');
-var path = require('path');
 var Plugins = require('./plugins.js');
+var utils = require('./utils.js');
 
 // TODO: add wrapper for fs so it can also work in the browser
 // can work with both read and save
@@ -157,12 +157,12 @@ Config.prototype.loadFiles = function(files) {
     return file.indexOf('.') >= 0;
   }).filter(function(file) {
     if (file === 'embark.js') {
-      readFiles.push({filename: 'web3.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, "/../js/web3.js")).toString(), path: path.join(__dirname, "/../js/web3.js")});
-      readFiles.push({filename: 'ipfs.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, "/../js/ipfs.js")).toString(), path: path.join(__dirname, "/../js/ipfs.js")});
+      readFiles.push({filename: 'web3.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js/web3.js")).toString(), path: utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js/web3.js")});
+      readFiles.push({filename: 'ipfs.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js/ipfs.js")).toString(), path: utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js/ipfs.js")});
       // TODO: remove duplicated files if funcitonality is the same for storage and orbit
-      readFiles.push({filename: 'ipfs-api.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, "/../js/ipfs-api.min.js")).toString(), path: path.join(__dirname, "/../js/ipfs-api.min.js")});
-      readFiles.push({filename: 'orbit.js',      content: fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, "/../js/orbit.min.js")).toString(), path: path.join(__dirname, "/../js/orbit.min.js")});
-      readFiles.push({filename: 'embark.js', content: fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, "/../js/build/embark.bundle.js")).toString(), path: path.join(__dirname, "/../js/build/embark.bundle.js")});
+      readFiles.push({filename: 'ipfs-api.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js/ipfs-api.min.js")).toString(), path: utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js/ipfs-api.min.js")});
+      readFiles.push({filename: 'orbit.js',      content: fs.readFileSync(utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js/orbit.min.js")).toString(), path: utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js/orbit.min.js")});
+      readFiles.push({filename: 'embark.js', content: fs.readFileSync(utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js/build/embark.bundle.js")).toString(), path: utils.joinPath(__dirname, "/../js/build/embark.bundle.js")});
     }
   });
 
diff --git a/lib/plugin.js b/lib/plugin.js
index c0e1147f..a0e7bab6 100644
--- a/lib/plugin.js
+++ b/lib/plugin.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*jshint esversion: 6, loopfunc: true */
 var grunt = require('grunt');
 var fs = require('fs');
-var path = require('path');
+var utils = require('./utils.js');
 
 // TODO: pass other params like blockchainConfig, contract files, etc..
 var Plugin = function(options) {
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ Plugin.prototype.loadPluginFile = function(filename) {
 };
 
 Plugin.prototype.pathToFile = function(filename) {
-  return path.join(this.pluginPath, filename);
+  return utils.joinPath(this.pluginPath, filename);
 };
 
 Plugin.prototype.interceptLogs = function(context) {
diff --git a/lib/plugins.js b/lib/plugins.js
index 352b773f..3627881b 100644
--- a/lib/plugins.js
+++ b/lib/plugins.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 var Plugin = require('./plugin.js');
-var path = require('path');
 
 var Plugins = function(options) {
   this.pluginList = options.plugins || [];
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ Plugins.prototype.listPlugins = function() {
 };
 
 Plugins.prototype.loadPlugin = function(pluginName, pluginConfig) {
-  var pluginPath = path.join(process.env.PWD, 'node_modules', pluginName);
+  var pluginPath = utils.joinPath(process.env.PWD, 'node_modules', pluginName);
   var plugin = require(pluginPath);
 
   var pluginWrapper = new Plugin({name: pluginName, pluginModule: plugin, pluginConfig: pluginConfig, logger: this.logger, pluginPath: pluginPath, interceptLogs: this.interceptLogs});
diff --git a/lib/template_generator.js b/lib/template_generator.js
index 038b3afd..3c35ddeb 100644
--- a/lib/template_generator.js
+++ b/lib/template_generator.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // TODO: replace with something else more native to node
 require('shelljs/global');
-var path = require('path');
 var wrench = require('wrench');
+var utils = require('./utils.js');
 
 var run = function(cmd) {
   var result = exec(cmd, {silent: true});
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ var TemplateGenerator = function(templateName) {
 };
 
 TemplateGenerator.prototype.generate = function(destinationFolder, name) {
-  var templatePath = path.join(__dirname, '/../', this.templateName);
+  var templatePath = utils.joinPath(__dirname, '/../', this.templateName);
   console.log('Initializing Embark Template....'.green);
 
   wrench.copyDirSyncRecursive(templatePath, destinationFolder + name);
diff --git a/lib/utils.js b/lib/utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2228fb39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+var path = require('path');
+
+function joinPath() {
+  return path.join.apply(path.join, arguments);
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  joinPath: joinPath
+};
+