diff --git a/bots/check-rabbitmq-consumers b/bots/check-rabbitmq-consumers
index e34e47bcc3..071d2d5c51 100755
--- a/bots/check-rabbitmq-consumers
+++ b/bots/check-rabbitmq-consumers
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from collections import defaultdict
 
 from os import path, environ
 
-sys.path.append(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '../tools'))
+sys.path.append(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
 from zulip_tools import check_output
 
 states = {
diff --git a/bots/check-rabbitmq-queue b/bots/check-rabbitmq-queue
index eb0391d350..ef57dcb0b4 100755
--- a/bots/check-rabbitmq-queue
+++ b/bots/check-rabbitmq-queue
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import time
 
 from os import path, environ
 
-sys.path.append(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '../tools'))
+sys.path.append(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
 from zulip_tools import check_output
 
 WARN_THRESHOLD = 50
diff --git a/scripts/purge-deployments b/scripts/purge-deployments
index 24be39f01b..8437f233f2 100755
--- a/scripts/purge-deployments
+++ b/scripts/purge-deployments
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import logging
 import datetime
 import shutil
 
-sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '../tools'))
+sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
 from zulip_tools import DEPLOYMENTS_DIR, TIMESTAMP_FORMAT
 
 logging.basicConfig(format="%(asctime)s purge-deployments: %(message)s",
diff --git a/scripts/restart-server b/scripts/restart-server
index e2aa2d6475..62024d9fdb 100755
--- a/scripts/restart-server
+++ b/scripts/restart-server
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import subprocess
 import logging
 import time
 
-sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '../tools'))
+sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
 from zulip_tools import ENDC, OKGREEN, DEPLOYMENTS_DIR
 
 logging.basicConfig(format="%(asctime)s restart-server: %(message)s",
diff --git a/scripts/update-deployment b/scripts/update-deployment
index a6384bdba5..76882608ef 100755
--- a/scripts/update-deployment
+++ b/scripts/update-deployment
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import datetime
 import shutil
 import time
 
-sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '../tools'))
+sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
 from zulip_tools import DEPLOYMENTS_DIR, LOCK_DIR, TIMESTAMP_FORMAT, FAIL, WARNING, ENDC
 
 logging.basicConfig(format="%(asctime)s update-deployment: %(message)s",
diff --git a/tools/check-handlebar-templates b/tools/check-handlebar-templates
index 5eb03f04c1..3821e3642f 100755
--- a/tools/check-handlebar-templates
+++ b/tools/check-handlebar-templates
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
-from zulip_tools import check_output
+import os
+import sys
 import re
 import glob
 
+sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
+from zulip_tools import check_output
+
 class Record:
     pass
 
diff --git a/tools/lint-all b/tools/lint-all
index dba9f8746e..b2530f5140 100755
--- a/tools/lint-all
+++ b/tools/lint-all
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import subprocess
 from os          import path
 from collections import defaultdict
 
+sys.path.append(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
 from zulip_tools import check_output
 
 parser = optparse.OptionParser()
diff --git a/tools/post-receive b/tools/post-receive
index 1b1e90826e..54f160d486 100755
--- a/tools/post-receive
+++ b/tools/post-receive
@@ -28,8 +28,10 @@
 #
 # see contrib/hooks/ for a sample
 
+import os
 import sys
 import subprocess
+sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
 from zulip_tools import check_output, ENDC, FAIL
 
 def update_deployment(server, refname):
diff --git a/tools/zulip_tools/__init__.py b/zulip_tools.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tools/zulip_tools/__init__.py
rename to zulip_tools.py