diff --git a/avocado/core/exceptions.py b/avocado/core/exceptions.py
index 3f11a0962637b24c56036efea614f59a9c807a57..88349eb1f0b0ac7a7619e612a294a85afe6a4696 100644
--- a/avocado/core/exceptions.py
+++ b/avocado/core/exceptions.py
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ class JobError(Exception):
     status = "ERROR"
 
 
+class OptionValidationError(Exception):
+
+    """
+    An invalid option was passed to the test runner
+    """
+    status = "ERROR"
+
+
 class TestBaseException(Exception):
 
     """
diff --git a/avocado/job.py b/avocado/job.py
index 15fae08d64860e335f7f0da280e7488ba4e8cb96..d4d82f74abf561ac40ed8100db14a24f5eb4573e 100644
--- a/avocado/job.py
+++ b/avocado/job.py
@@ -69,28 +69,44 @@ class TestRunner(object):
         :type params: dict
         :return: an instance of :class:`avocado.test.Test`.
         """
-        shortname = params.get('shortname')
-        url = shortname.split('.')[0]
-        path_attempt = os.path.abspath(shortname)
-        if os.path.exists(path_attempt):
-            test_class = test.DropinTest
-            test_instance = test_class(path=path_attempt,
-                                       base_logdir=self.job.logdir,
-                                       job=self.job)
-        else:
+        t_id = params.get('id')
+        test_path = os.path.abspath(t_id)
+        path_analyzer = path.PathInspector(test_path)
+        module_name = os.path.basename(test_path).split('.')[0]
+        if not os.path.exists(test_path):
+            # Try to resolve test ID (keep compatibility)
+            test_path = os.path.join(data_dir.get_test_dir(), '%s.py' % t_id)
+            if os.path.exists(test_path):
+                path_analyzer = path.PathInspector(test_path)
+            else:
+                test_class = test.MissingTest
+                test_instance = test_class(name=t_id,
+                                           base_logdir=self.job.logdir,
+                                           params=params,
+                                           job=self.job)
+                return test_instance
+
+        if path_analyzer.is_python():
             try:
-                test_module_dir = os.path.join(self.job.test_dir, url)
-                f, p, d = imp.find_module(url, [test_module_dir])
-                test_module = imp.load_module(url, f, p, d)
+                test_module_dir = os.path.dirname(test_path)
+                f, p, d = imp.find_module(module_name, [test_module_dir])
+                test_module = imp.load_module(module_name, f, p, d)
                 f.close()
-                test_class = getattr(test_module, url)
+                test_class = getattr(test_module, module_name)
             except ImportError:
                 test_class = test.MissingTest
             finally:
-                test_instance = test_class(name=url,
+                test_instance = test_class(name=t_id,
                                            base_logdir=self.job.logdir,
                                            params=params,
                                            job=self.job)
+
+        else:
+            test_class = test.DropinTest
+            test_instance = test_class(path=test_path,
+                                       base_logdir=self.job.logdir,
+                                       job=self.job)
+
         return test_instance
 
     def run_test(self, instance, queue):
@@ -287,7 +303,7 @@ class Job(object):
 
         if urls is not None:
             for url in urls:
-                params_list.append({'shortname': url})
+                params_list.append({'id': url})
 
         if multiplex_file is None:
             if self.args and self.args.multiplex_file is not None:
@@ -299,18 +315,19 @@ class Job(object):
             params_list = []
             if urls is not None:
                 for url in urls:
+                    test_module = os.path.basename(url).split('.')[0]
                     parser = multiplex_config.Parser(multiplex_file)
-                    parser.only_filter(url)
+                    parser.only_filter(test_module)
                     dcts = [d for d in parser.get_dicts()]
                     if dcts:
                         for dct in dcts:
+                            dct['id'] = url
                             params_list.append(dct)
                     else:
-                        params_list.append({'shortname': url})
+                        params_list.append({'id': url})
             else:
-                parser = multiplex_config.Parser(multiplex_file)
-                for dct in parser.get_dicts():
-                    params_list.append(dct)
+                e_msg = "Empty test ID. A test path or alias must be provided"
+                raise exceptions.OptionValidationError(e_msg)
 
         if self.args is not None:
             self.args.test_result_total = len(params_list)
@@ -371,6 +388,10 @@ class Job(object):
             self.output_manager.log_fail_header('Avocado job failed: %s: %s' %
                                                 (fail_class, details))
             return error_codes.numeric_status['AVOCADO_JOB_FAIL']
+        except exceptions.OptionValidationError, details:
+            self.output_manager.log_fail_header(str(details))
+            return error_codes.numeric_status['AVOCADO_JOB_FAIL']
+
         except Exception, details:
             self.status = "ERROR"
             exc_type, exc_value, exc_traceback = sys.exc_info()
diff --git a/avocado/plugins/runner.py b/avocado/plugins/runner.py
index 8f28cefe1f4e17a6ebd962462ee5cf2439ef6683..2b28a423f2fa1a09e44ff40dee1927232c9fcbd3 100644
--- a/avocado/plugins/runner.py
+++ b/avocado/plugins/runner.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import os
 from avocado.plugins import plugin
 from avocado.core import data_dir
 from avocado.core import output
+from avocado.utils import path
 from avocado import sysinfo
 from avocado import job
 
@@ -53,7 +54,12 @@ class TestLister(plugin.Plugin):
         """
         bcolors = output.colors
         pipe = output.get_paginator()
-        test_dirs = os.listdir(data_dir.get_test_dir())
+        test_files = os.listdir(data_dir.get_test_dir())
+        test_dirs = []
+        for t in test_files:
+            inspector = path.PathInspector(path=t)
+            if inspector.is_python():
+                test_dirs.append(t.split('.')[0])
         pipe.write(bcolors.header_str('Tests available:'))
         pipe.write("\n")
         for test_dir in test_dirs:
diff --git a/avocado/test.py b/avocado/test.py
index e378fca4cc85d7fdc460a55f70c7780305781b34..b28e97157c69d22f4b338cf5fa692ebac9db40af 100644
--- a/avocado/test.py
+++ b/avocado/test.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Contains the base test implementation, used as a base for the actual
 framework tests.
 """
 
+import inspect
 import logging
 import os
 import sys
@@ -115,14 +116,22 @@ class Test(unittest.TestCase):
                 s_tag = ".".join(split_shortname[1:])
         self.tag = tag or s_tag
         self.job = job
-        self.basedir = os.path.join(data_dir.get_test_dir(), self.name)
-        self.datadir = os.path.join(self.basedir, 'data')
-        self.workdir = path.init_dir(data_dir.get_tmp_dir(), self.name)
+
+        basename = os.path.basename(self.name)
+
+        self.basedir = os.path.dirname(inspect.getfile(self.__class__))
+        self.datadir = os.path.join(self.basedir, '%s.data' % basename)
+        self.workdir = path.init_dir(data_dir.get_tmp_dir(), basename)
         self.srcdir = path.init_dir(self.workdir, 'src')
         if base_logdir is None:
             base_logdir = data_dir.get_job_logs_dir()
         self.tagged_name = self.get_tagged_name(base_logdir)
-        self.logdir = path.init_dir(base_logdir, self.tagged_name)
+        # We need log directory names to be unique
+        tagged_name = self.tagged_name.replace('/', '.')
+        if tagged_name.startswith('.'):
+            tagged_name = tagged_name[1:]
+
+        self.logdir = path.init_dir(base_logdir, tagged_name)
         self.logfile = os.path.join(self.logdir, 'debug.log')
         self.outputdir = path.init_dir(self.logdir, 'data')
         self.sysinfodir = path.init_dir(self.logdir, 'sysinfo')
@@ -386,10 +395,8 @@ class DropinTest(Test):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, path, params=None, base_logdir=None, tag=None, job=None):
-        basename = os.path.basename(path)
-        name = basename.split(".")[0]
         self.path = os.path.abspath(path)
-        super(DropinTest, self).__init__(name=name, base_logdir=base_logdir,
+        super(DropinTest, self).__init__(name=path, base_logdir=base_logdir,
                                          params=params, tag=tag, job=job)
 
     def _log_detailed_cmd_info(self, result):
diff --git a/avocado/utils/path.py b/avocado/utils/path.py
index d175265a2354557e1961b98e631ba501479f5172..a0f0d8baf7d2a4c715c9b3417373db3c907cd95f 100644
--- a/avocado/utils/path.py
+++ b/avocado/utils/path.py
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ Avocado path related functions.
 """
 
 import os
+import stat
+
+PY_EXTENSIONS = ['.py']
+SHEBANG = '#!'
 
 
 def init_dir(*args):
@@ -32,3 +36,42 @@ def init_dir(*args):
     if not os.path.isdir(directory):
         os.makedirs(directory)
     return directory
+
+
+class PathInspector(object):
+
+    def __init__(self, path):
+        self.path = path
+
+    def get_first_line(self):
+        first_line = ""
+        if os.path.isfile(self.path):
+            checked_file = open(self.path, "r")
+            first_line = checked_file.readline()
+            checked_file.close()
+        return first_line
+
+    def has_exec_permission(self):
+        mode = os.stat(self.path)[stat.ST_MODE]
+        return mode & stat.S_IXUSR
+
+    def is_empty(self):
+        size = os.stat(self.path)[stat.ST_SIZE]
+        return size == 0
+
+    def is_script(self, language=None):
+        first_line = self.get_first_line()
+        if first_line:
+            if first_line.startswith(SHEBANG):
+                if language is None:
+                    return True
+                elif language in first_line:
+                    return True
+        return False
+
+    def is_python(self):
+        for extension in PY_EXTENSIONS:
+            if self.path.endswith(extension):
+                return True
+
+        return self.is_script(language='python')
diff --git a/selftests/all/functional/avocado/basic_tests.py b/selftests/all/functional/avocado/basic_tests.py
index 06259c1cc4affa03c9c51d7d846d8457e7308e28..5521795e9379f93906c20665dc8c73f197b62830 100644
--- a/selftests/all/functional/avocado/basic_tests.py
+++ b/selftests/all/functional/avocado/basic_tests.py
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ class RunnerOperationTest(unittest.TestCase):
         cmd_line = './scripts/avocado run "sleeptest sleeptest"'
         process.run(cmd_line)
 
+    def test_runner_noalias(self):
+        os.chdir(basedir)
+        cmd_line = "./scripts/avocado run 'tests/sleeptest.py tests/sleeptest.py'"
+        process.run(cmd_line)
+
     def test_runner_tests_fail(self):
         os.chdir(basedir)
         cmd_line = './scripts/avocado run "sleeptest failtest sleeptest"'
diff --git a/selftests/all/functional/avocado/multiplex_tests.py b/selftests/all/functional/avocado/multiplex_tests.py
index 73aed7b9836b33d5bb65a2357d2df1199249e3c1..df7ef94c3fd00bc8eb1e473916c15f10e318fb50 100644
--- a/selftests/all/functional/avocado/multiplex_tests.py
+++ b/selftests/all/functional/avocado/multiplex_tests.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class MultiplexTests(unittest.TestCase):
                          "%d:\n%s" % (cmd_line, expected_rc, result))
 
     def test_mplex_plugin(self):
-        cmd_line = './scripts/avocado multiplex tests/sleeptest/sleeptest.mplx'
+        cmd_line = './scripts/avocado multiplex tests/sleeptest.py.data/sleeptest.mplx'
         expected_rc = 0
         self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc)
 
@@ -69,8 +69,22 @@ class MultiplexTests(unittest.TestCase):
         expected_rc = 2
         self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc)
 
+    def test_run_mplex_noid(self):
+        cmd_line = './scripts/avocado run --multiplex tests/sleeptest.py.data/sleeptest.mplx'
+        expected_rc = 0
+        self.run_and_check(cmd_line, 2)
+
     def test_run_mplex_sleeptest(self):
-        cmd_line = './scripts/avocado run sleeptest --multiplex tests/sleeptest/sleeptest.mplx'
+        cmd_line = './scripts/avocado run sleeptest --multiplex tests/sleeptest.py.data/sleeptest.mplx'
+        expected_rc = 0
+        # A typical sleeptest has about 14 lines of output,
+        # so we expect the full job log has at least 3 times
+        # this value. If that is not the case, something is wrong with
+        # the output.
+        self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc, 14*3)
+
+    def test_run_mplex_noalias_sleeptest(self):
+        cmd_line = './scripts/avocado run tests/sleeptest.py --multiplex tests/sleeptest.py.data/sleeptest.mplx'
         expected_rc = 0
         # A typical sleeptest has about 14 lines of output,
         # so we expect the full job log has at least 3 times
@@ -79,12 +93,12 @@ class MultiplexTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc, 14*3)
 
     def test_run_mplex_doublesleep(self):
-        cmd_line = './scripts/avocado run "sleeptest sleeptest" --multiplex tests/sleeptest/sleeptest.mplx'
+        cmd_line = './scripts/avocado run "sleeptest sleeptest" --multiplex tests/sleeptest.py.data/sleeptest.mplx'
         expected_rc = 0
         self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc)
 
     def test_run_mplex_failtest(self):
-        cmd_line = './scripts/avocado run "sleeptest failtest" --multiplex tests/sleeptest/sleeptest.mplx'
+        cmd_line = './scripts/avocado run "sleeptest failtest" --multiplex tests/sleeptest.py.data/sleeptest.mplx'
         expected_rc = 1
         self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc)
 
diff --git a/selftests/all/functional/avocado/standalone_tests.py b/selftests/all/functional/avocado/standalone_tests.py
index a6b7c605dd4846f547acd7c8459bd705453e3151..a0efffca52d2fa01b94302657e70ed2232513f2f 100644
--- a/selftests/all/functional/avocado/standalone_tests.py
+++ b/selftests/all/functional/avocado/standalone_tests.py
@@ -44,27 +44,27 @@ class StandaloneTests(unittest.TestCase):
                          "%d:\n%s" % (tstname, expected_rc, result))
 
     def test_sleeptest(self):
-        cmd_line = './tests/sleeptest/sleeptest.py'
+        cmd_line = './tests/sleeptest.py'
         expected_rc = 0
         self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc, 'sleeptest')
 
     def test_skiptest(self):
-        cmd_line = './tests/skiptest/skiptest.py'
+        cmd_line = './tests/skiptest.py'
         expected_rc = 0
         self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc, 'skiptest')
 
     def test_failtest(self):
-        cmd_line = './tests/failtest/failtest.py'
+        cmd_line = './tests/failtest.py'
         expected_rc = 1
         self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc, 'failtest')
 
     def test_errortest(self):
-        cmd_line = './tests/errortest/errortest.py'
+        cmd_line = './tests/errortest.py'
         expected_rc = 1
         self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc, 'errortest')
 
     def test_warntest(self):
-        cmd_line = './tests/warntest/warntest.py'
+        cmd_line = './tests/warntest.py'
         expected_rc = 1
         self.run_and_check(cmd_line, expected_rc, 'warntest')
 
diff --git a/tests/doublefail/doublefail.py b/tests/doublefail.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/doublefail/doublefail.py
rename to tests/doublefail.py
diff --git a/tests/doublefree/doublefree.py b/tests/doublefree.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/doublefree/doublefree.py
rename to tests/doublefree.py
diff --git a/tests/doublefree/data/doublefree.c b/tests/doublefree.py.data/doublefree.c
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/doublefree/data/doublefree.c
rename to tests/doublefree.py.data/doublefree.c
diff --git a/tests/errortest/errortest.py b/tests/errortest.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/errortest/errortest.py
rename to tests/errortest.py
diff --git a/tests/failtest/failtest.py b/tests/failtest.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/failtest/failtest.py
rename to tests/failtest.py
diff --git a/tests/fiotest/fiotest.py b/tests/fiotest.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/fiotest/fiotest.py
rename to tests/fiotest.py
diff --git a/tests/fiotest/data/fio-2.1.7.tar.bz2 b/tests/fiotest.py.data/fio-2.1.7.tar.bz2
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/fiotest/data/fio-2.1.7.tar.bz2
rename to tests/fiotest.py.data/fio-2.1.7.tar.bz2
diff --git a/tests/fiotest/data/fio-mixed.job b/tests/fiotest.py.data/fio-mixed.job
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/fiotest/data/fio-mixed.job
rename to tests/fiotest.py.data/fio-mixed.job
diff --git a/tests/gendata/gendata.py b/tests/gendata.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/gendata/gendata.py
rename to tests/gendata.py
diff --git a/tests/linuxbuild/linuxbuild.py b/tests/linuxbuild.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/linuxbuild/linuxbuild.py
rename to tests/linuxbuild.py
diff --git a/tests/linuxbuild/data/config b/tests/linuxbuild.py.data/config
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/linuxbuild/data/config
rename to tests/linuxbuild.py.data/config
diff --git a/tests/multiplextest/multiplextest.py b/tests/multiplextest.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/multiplextest/multiplextest.py
rename to tests/multiplextest.py
diff --git a/tests/multiplextest/multiplextest.mplx b/tests/multiplextest.py.data/multiplextest.mplx
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/multiplextest/multiplextest.mplx
rename to tests/multiplextest.py.data/multiplextest.mplx
diff --git a/tests/skiptest/skiptest.py b/tests/skiptest.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/skiptest/skiptest.py
rename to tests/skiptest.py
diff --git a/tests/sleeptenmin/sleeptenmin.py b/tests/sleeptenmin.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/sleeptenmin/sleeptenmin.py
rename to tests/sleeptenmin.py
diff --git a/tests/sleeptest/sleeptest.py b/tests/sleeptest.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/sleeptest/sleeptest.py
rename to tests/sleeptest.py
diff --git a/tests/sleeptest/sleeptest.mplx b/tests/sleeptest.py.data/sleeptest.mplx
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/sleeptest/sleeptest.mplx
rename to tests/sleeptest.py.data/sleeptest.mplx
diff --git a/tests/synctest/synctest.py b/tests/synctest.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/synctest/synctest.py
rename to tests/synctest.py
diff --git a/tests/synctest/synctest.mplx b/tests/synctest.py.data/synctest.mplx
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/synctest/synctest.mplx
rename to tests/synctest.py.data/synctest.mplx
diff --git a/tests/synctest/data/synctest.tar.bz2 b/tests/synctest.py.data/synctest.tar.bz2
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/synctest/data/synctest.tar.bz2
rename to tests/synctest.py.data/synctest.tar.bz2
diff --git a/tests/timeouttest/timeouttest.py b/tests/timeouttest.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/timeouttest/timeouttest.py
rename to tests/timeouttest.py
diff --git a/tests/trinity/trinity.py b/tests/trinity.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/trinity/trinity.py
rename to tests/trinity.py
diff --git a/tests/trinity/data/trinity-1.4.tar.bz2 b/tests/trinity.py.data/trinity-1.4.tar.bz2
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/trinity/data/trinity-1.4.tar.bz2
rename to tests/trinity.py.data/trinity-1.4.tar.bz2
diff --git a/tests/warntest/warntest.py b/tests/warntest.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/warntest/warntest.py
rename to tests/warntest.py
diff --git a/tests/whiteboard/whiteboard.py b/tests/whiteboard.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/whiteboard/whiteboard.py
rename to tests/whiteboard.py
diff --git a/tests/whiteboard/whiteboard.mplx b/tests/whiteboard.py.data/whiteboard.mplx
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/whiteboard/whiteboard.mplx
rename to tests/whiteboard.py.data/whiteboard.mplx