diff --git a/config/functions b/config/functions
index 350bfcc2e8..f2ea2271a5 100644
--- a/config/functions
+++ b/config/functions
@@ -55,12 +55,22 @@ setup_toolchain() {
 }
 
 kernel_path() {
-  . $ROOT/packages/linux/package.mk
+  if [ -e $ROOT/projects/$PROJECT/packages/linux/package.mk ]; then
+    . $ROOT/projects/$PROJECT/packages/linux/package.mk
+  else
+    . $ROOT/packages/linux/package.mk
+  fi
+
   echo $ROOT/$BUILD/${PKG_NAME}-${PKG_VERSION}
 }
 
 kernel_version() {
-  . $ROOT/packages/linux/package.mk
+  if [ -e $ROOT/projects/$PROJECT/packages/linux/package.mk ]; then
+    . $ROOT/projects/$PROJECT/packages/linux/package.mk
+  else
+    . $ROOT/packages/linux/package.mk
+  fi
+
   echo ${PKG_VERSION}
 }
 
@@ -72,10 +82,16 @@ get_module_dir() {
 # get package's build dir
 get_build_dir() {
   if [ ! -z $1 ] ; then
-    local _PKG_DIR=$(find $ROOT/packages -name $1)
-    if [ -d $_PKG_DIR -a -f $_PKG_DIR/package.mk ] ; then
+    local _PKG_DIR=$(find $ROOT/projects/$PROJECT/packages -name $1)
+    if [ -d "$_PKG_DIR" -a -f $_PKG_DIR/package.mk ] ; then
       . $_PKG_DIR/package.mk
+    else
+      local _PKG_DIR=$(find $ROOT/packages -name $1)
+      if [ -d "$_PKG_DIR" -a -f $_PKG_DIR/package.mk ] ; then
+        . $_PKG_DIR/package.mk
+      fi
     fi
+
     echo $ROOT/$BUILD/${PKG_NAME}-${PKG_VERSION}
   fi
 }
diff --git a/config/path b/config/path
index 6867e03db8..8defcd927a 100644
--- a/config/path
+++ b/config/path
@@ -64,8 +64,12 @@ SED="sed -i"
   PKG_IS_ADDON="no"
 
   if [ -n "$1" ]; then
+    _PKG_ROOT_NAME=$(echo $1 | cut -d: -f1)
+
+    # first check project folder for a package
     FOUND=0
-    for DIR in $ROOT/`find $PACKAGES -type d -name $(echo $1| awk -F : '{print $1}') ! -wholename \*\/source\/\* 2>/dev/null` ; do
+    ALL_DIRS=""
+    for DIR in $ROOT/`find projects/$PROJECT/packages -type d -name $_PKG_ROOT_NAME ! -wholename \*\/source\/\* 2>/dev/null` ; do
       # keep track of dirs with meta for debugging
       if [ -z "$ALL_DIRS" ] ; then
         ALL_DIRS="$DIR"
@@ -84,6 +88,31 @@ SED="sed -i"
         fi
       fi
     done
+
+    # then check packages folder if not found already
+    if [ $FOUND -eq 0 ] ; then
+      FOUND=0
+      ALL_DIRS=""
+      for DIR in $ROOT/`find $PACKAGES -type d -name $_PKG_ROOT_NAME ! -wholename \*\/source\/\* 2>/dev/null` ; do
+        # keep track of dirs with meta for debugging
+        if [ -z "$ALL_DIRS" ] ; then
+          ALL_DIRS="$DIR"
+        else
+          ALL_DIRS="$ALL_DIRS\\n$DIR"
+        fi
+        if [ -f "$DIR/package.mk" ] ; then
+          FOUND=$((FOUND+1))
+          # found first. set $PKG_DIR
+          PKG_DIR="$DIR"
+          if [ $FOUND -gt 1 ] ; then
+            # found more ? fail
+            echo "Error - multiple package folders:"
+            echo -e "$ALL_DIRS"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+        fi
+      done
+    fi
   fi
 
   if [ -r $PKG_DIR/package.mk ]; then
diff --git a/scripts/image b/scripts/image
index ea921a6c14..b738ccd523 100755
--- a/scripts/image
+++ b/scripts/image
@@ -228,7 +228,16 @@ IMAGE_NAME="$DISTRONAME-$TARGET_VERSION"
       # remove n previous created release image
         rm -rf $TARGET_IMG/$IMAGE_NAME.img.gz
         if [ -n "$BOOTLOADER" ]; then
-          BOOTLOADER_DIR=`find $PACKAGES -type d -name $BOOTLOADER 2>/dev/null`
+          if [ -d $ROOT/projects/$PROJECT/packages ]; then
+          	BOOTLOADER_DIR=`find $ROOT/projects/$PROJECT/packages -type d -name $BOOTLOADER 2>/dev/null`
+          else
+          	BOOTLOADER_DIR=""
+          fi
+
+          if [ -z "$BOOTLOADER_DIR" -o ! -d "$BOOTLOADER_DIR" ]; then
+          	BOOTLOADER_DIR=`find $PACKAGES -type d -name $BOOTLOADER 2>/dev/null`
+          fi
+
           if [ -d "$BOOTLOADER_DIR"/files ]; then
             cp -R $BOOTLOADER_DIR/files/* $RELEASE_DIR
           fi