diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/csvfile.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/csvfile.py
index 2a98d19fe4c..e15fd3fc36f 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/csvfile.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/csvfile.py
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ class LookupModule(LookupBase):
             terms = [ terms ]
 
         ret = []
+
+        if 'role_path' in variables:
+            basedir = variables['role_path']
+        else:
+            basedir = self._loader.get_basedir()
+
         for term in terms:
             params = term.split()
             key = params[0]
@@ -69,9 +75,8 @@ class LookupModule(LookupBase):
             if paramvals['delimiter'] == 'TAB':
                 paramvals['delimiter'] = "\t"
 
-            path = self._loader.path_dwim(paramvals['file'])
-
-            var = self.read_csv(path, key, paramvals['delimiter'], paramvals['default'], paramvals['col'])
+            lookupfile = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(basedir, 'files', term)
+            var = self.read_csv(lookupfile, key, paramvals['delimiter'], paramvals['default'], paramvals['col'])
             if var is not None:
                 if type(var) is list:
                     for v in var:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/file.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/file.py
index b38c2eff555..f3a1db47cf0 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/file.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/file.py
@@ -31,10 +31,13 @@ class LookupModule(LookupBase):
             terms = [ terms ]
 
         ret = []
+
+        if 'role_path' in variables:
+            basedir = variables['role_path']
+        else:
+            basedir = self._loader.get_basedir()
+
         for term in terms:
-            basedir_path  = self._loader.path_dwim(term)
-            relative_path = None
-            playbook_path = None
 
             # Special handling of the file lookup, used primarily when the
             # lookup is done from a role. If the file isn't found in the
@@ -42,23 +45,14 @@ class LookupModule(LookupBase):
             # role/files/ directory, and finally the playbook directory
             # itself (which will be relative to the current working dir)
 
-            if 'role_path' in variables:
-                relative_path = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(variables['role_path'], 'files', term)
-
-            # FIXME: the original file stuff still needs to be worked out, but the
-            #        playbook_dir stuff should be able to be removed as it should
-            #        be covered by the fact that the loader contains that info
-            if 'playbook_dir' in variables:
-                playbook_path = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(variables['playbook_dir'],'files', term)
-
-            for path in (basedir_path, relative_path, playbook_path):
-                try:
-                    contents, show_data = self._loader._get_file_contents(path)
+            lookupfile = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(basedir, 'files', term)
+            try:
+                if lookupfile:
+                    contents, show_data = self._loader._get_file_contents(lookupfile)
                     ret.append(contents.rstrip())
-                    break
-                except AnsibleParserError:
-                    continue
-            else:
+                else:
+                    raise AnsibleParserError()
+            except AnsibleParserError:
                 raise AnsibleError("could not locate file in lookup: %s" % term)
 
         return ret
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/template.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/template.py
index e53e1990a0d..afb19a974c7 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/template.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/template.py
@@ -30,16 +30,24 @@ class LookupModule(LookupBase):
         if not isinstance(terms, list):
             terms = [ terms ]
 
+        ret = []
+
         templar = Templar(loader=self._loader, variables=variables)
 
-        ret = []
+        if 'role_path' in variables:
+            basedir = variables['role_path']
+        else:
+            basedir = self._loader.get_basedir()
+
         for term in terms:
-            path = self._loader.path_dwim(term)
-            if os.path.exists(path):
-                with open(path, 'r') as f:
+
+            lookupfile = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(basedir, 'templates', term)
+            if lookupfile and os.path.exists(lookupfile):
+                with open(lookupfile, 'r') as f:
                     template_data = f.read()
                     res = templar.template(template_data, preserve_trailing_newlines=True)
                     ret.append(res)
             else:
                 raise AnsibleError("the template file %s could not be found for the lookup" % term)
+
         return ret