diff --git a/artiq/__init__.py b/artiq/__init__.py
index e44e9d156..6bbf35eec 100644
--- a/artiq/__init__.py
+++ b/artiq/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 from ._version import get_versions
 __version__ = get_versions()['version']
 del get_versions
+
+import os
+__artiq_dir__ = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+del os
diff --git a/artiq/coredevice/core.py b/artiq/coredevice/core.py
index aa1bb8560..0cf49b27c 100644
--- a/artiq/coredevice/core.py
+++ b/artiq/coredevice/core.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import os, sys
 
 from pythonparser import diagnostic
 
+from artiq import __artiq_dir__ as artiq_dir
+
 from artiq.language.core import *
 from artiq.language.types import *
 from artiq.language.units import *
@@ -16,7 +18,7 @@ from artiq.coredevice import exceptions
 
 def _render_diagnostic(diagnostic, colored):
     def shorten_path(path):
-        return path.replace(os.path.normpath(os.path.join(__file__, "..", "..")), "<artiq>")
+        return path.replace(artiq_dir, "<artiq>")
     lines = [shorten_path(path) for path in diagnostic.render(colored)]
     return "\n".join(lines)
 
diff --git a/artiq/coredevice/exceptions.py b/artiq/coredevice/exceptions.py
index 0576b2610..62d4c147a 100644
--- a/artiq/coredevice/exceptions.py
+++ b/artiq/coredevice/exceptions.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import linecache
 import re
 import os
 
+from artiq import __artiq_dir__ as artiq_dir
 from artiq.coredevice.runtime import source_loader
 
 
@@ -36,8 +37,7 @@ class CoreException:
             else:
                 formatted_address = " (RA=0x{:x})".format(address)
 
-            filename = filename.replace(os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),
-                                                                      "..")), "<artiq>")
+            filename = filename.replace(artiq_dir, "<artiq>")
             if column == -1:
                 lines.append("  File \"{file}\", line {line}, in {function}{address}".
                              format(file=filename, line=line, function=function,
diff --git a/artiq/coredevice/runtime.py b/artiq/coredevice/runtime.py
index 96df51e0e..4d65e86d8 100644
--- a/artiq/coredevice/runtime.py
+++ b/artiq/coredevice/runtime.py
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import os
 
+from artiq import __artiq_dir__ as artiq_dir
+
+
 class SourceLoader:
     def __init__(self, runtime_root):
         self.runtime_root = runtime_root
@@ -8,5 +11,4 @@ class SourceLoader:
         with open(os.path.join(self.runtime_root, filename)) as f:
             return f.read()
 
-artiq_root = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "..", "..")
-source_loader = SourceLoader(os.path.join(artiq_root, "soc", "runtime"))
+source_loader = SourceLoader(os.path.join(artiq_dir, "soc", "runtime"))
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_flash.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_flash.py
index df3b330a0..8d484cc41 100755
--- a/artiq/frontend/artiq_flash.py
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_flash.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import subprocess
 import tempfile
 
 import artiq
+from artiq import __artiq_dir__ as artiq_dir
 from artiq.frontend.bit2bin import bit2bin
 
 
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ def main():
     }[opts.target]
 
     if opts.dir is None:
-        opts.dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(artiq.__file__), "binaries",
+        opts.dir = os.path.join(artiq_dir, "binaries",
                                 "{}-{}".format(opts.target, opts.adapter))
 
     conv = False
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_gui.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_gui.py
index 9ce3aa151..615b503fb 100755
--- a/artiq/frontend/artiq_gui.py
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_gui.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import os
 from quamash import QEventLoop, QtGui, QtCore
 from pyqtgraph import dockarea
 
+from artiq import __artiq_dir__ as artiq_dir
 from artiq.tools import *
 from artiq.protocols.pc_rpc import AsyncioClient
 from artiq.gui.models import ModelSubscriber
diff --git a/artiq/gateware/targets/kc705.py b/artiq/gateware/targets/kc705.py
index e288dde71..fda69e95b 100755
--- a/artiq/gateware/targets/kc705.py
+++ b/artiq/gateware/targets/kc705.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from misoc.targets.kc705 import MiniSoC, soc_kc705_args, soc_kc705_argdict
 from artiq.gateware.soc import AMPSoC
 from artiq.gateware import rtio, nist_qc1, nist_clock, nist_qc2
 from artiq.gateware.rtio.phy import ttl_simple, ttl_serdes_7series, dds
-from artiq.tools import artiq_dir
+from artiq import __artiq_dir__ as artiq_dir
 from artiq import __version__ as artiq_version
 
 
diff --git a/artiq/gateware/targets/pipistrello.py b/artiq/gateware/targets/pipistrello.py
index c6290d2ac..288a7b3c8 100755
--- a/artiq/gateware/targets/pipistrello.py
+++ b/artiq/gateware/targets/pipistrello.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from misoc.targets.pipistrello import *
 from artiq.gateware.soc import AMPSoC
 from artiq.gateware import rtio, nist_qc1
 from artiq.gateware.rtio.phy import ttl_simple, ttl_serdes_spartan6, dds
-from artiq.tools import artiq_dir
+from artiq import __artiq_dir__ as artiq_dir
 from artiq import __version__ as artiq_version
 
 
diff --git a/artiq/tools.py b/artiq/tools.py
index d589afadf..addd5d55c 100644
--- a/artiq/tools.py
+++ b/artiq/tools.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from artiq.language.environment import is_experiment
 from artiq.protocols import pyon
 
 
-__all__ = ["artiq_dir", "parse_arguments", "elide", "short_format", "file_import",
+__all__ = ["parse_arguments", "elide", "short_format", "file_import",
            "get_experiment", "verbosity_args", "simple_network_args", "init_logger",
            "bind_address_from_args", "atexit_register_coroutine",
            "exc_to_warning", "asyncio_wait_or_cancel",
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ __all__ = ["artiq_dir", "parse_arguments", "elide", "short_format", "file_import
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-artiq_dir = os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)))
-
 
 def parse_arguments(arguments):
     d = {}