diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/common/test.py b/heat_integrationtests/common/test.py
index 2c09dcb7ae..7b17d57f26 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/common/test.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/common/test.py
@@ -179,9 +179,10 @@ class HeatIntegrationTest(testscenarios.WithScenarios,
             LOG.debug('Console output for %s', server.id)
             LOG.debug(server.get_console_output())
 
-    def _load_template(self, base_file, file_name):
+    def _load_template(self, base_file, file_name, sub_dir=None):
+        sub_dir = sub_dir or ''
         filepath = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(base_file)),
-                                file_name)
+                                sub_dir, file_name)
         with open(filepath) as f:
             return f.read()
 
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/templates/test_neutron_autoscaling.yaml b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/templates/test_neutron_autoscaling.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..59aad2c981
--- /dev/null
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/templates/test_neutron_autoscaling.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+heat_template_version: 2014-10-16
+
+description: Auto-scaling Test
+
+parameters:
+  image_id:
+    type: string
+    label: Image ID
+    description: Image ID from configurations
+  capacity:
+    type: string
+    label: Capacity
+    description: Auto-scaling group desired capacity
+  fixed_subnet_name:
+    type: string
+    label: fixed subnetwork ID
+    description: subnetwork ID used for autoscaling
+  instance_type:
+    type: string
+    label: instance_type
+    description: type of instance to launch
+
+resources:
+  test_pool:
+    type: OS::Neutron::Pool
+    properties:
+      description: Test Pool
+      lb_method: ROUND_ROBIN
+      name: test_pool
+      protocol: HTTP
+      subnet: { get_param: fixed_subnet_name }
+      vip: {
+        "description": "Test VIP",
+        "protocol_port": 80,
+        "name": "test_vip"
+      }
+  load_balancer:
+    type: OS::Neutron::LoadBalancer
+    properties:
+      protocol_port: 80
+      pool_id: { get_resource: test_pool }
+  launch_config:
+    type: AWS::AutoScaling::LaunchConfiguration
+    properties:
+      ImageId: { get_param: image_id }
+      InstanceType: { get_param: instance_type }
+  server_group:
+    type: AWS::AutoScaling::AutoScalingGroup
+    properties:
+      AvailabilityZones : ["nova"]
+      LaunchConfigurationName : { get_resource : launch_config }
+      MinSize : 1
+      MaxSize : 5
+      DesiredCapacity: { get_param: capacity }
+      LoadBalancerNames : [ { get_resource : load_balancer } ]
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_server_cfn_init.yaml b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/templates/test_server_cfn_init.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_server_cfn_init.yaml
rename to heat_integrationtests/scenario/templates/test_server_cfn_init.yaml
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes_create_from_backup.yaml b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/templates/test_volumes_create_from_backup.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes_create_from_backup.yaml
rename to heat_integrationtests/scenario/templates/test_volumes_create_from_backup.yaml
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes_delete_snapshot.yaml b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/templates/test_volumes_delete_snapshot.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes_delete_snapshot.yaml
rename to heat_integrationtests/scenario/templates/test_volumes_delete_snapshot.yaml
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_neutron_autoscaling.py b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_neutron_autoscaling.py
index be0132850c..0e3c4049b2 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_neutron_autoscaling.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_neutron_autoscaling.py
@@ -12,64 +12,6 @@
 
 from heat_integrationtests.common import test
 
-test_template = '''
-heat_template_version: 2014-10-16
-
-description: Auto-scaling Test
-
-parameters:
-  image_id:
-    type: string
-    label: Image ID
-    description: Image ID from configurations
-  capacity:
-    type: string
-    label: Capacity
-    description: Auto-scaling group desired capacity
-  fixed_subnet_name:
-    type: string
-    label: fixed subnetwork ID
-    description: subnetwork ID used for autoscaling
-  instance_type:
-    type: string
-    label: instance_type
-    description: type of instance to launch
-
-resources:
-  test_pool:
-    type: OS::Neutron::Pool
-    properties:
-      description: Test Pool
-      lb_method: ROUND_ROBIN
-      name: test_pool
-      protocol: HTTP
-      subnet: { get_param: fixed_subnet_name }
-      vip: {
-        "description": "Test VIP",
-        "protocol_port": 80,
-        "name": "test_vip"
-      }
-  load_balancer:
-    type: OS::Neutron::LoadBalancer
-    properties:
-      protocol_port: 80
-      pool_id: { get_resource: test_pool }
-  launch_config:
-    type: AWS::AutoScaling::LaunchConfiguration
-    properties:
-      ImageId: { get_param: image_id }
-      InstanceType: { get_param: instance_type }
-  server_group:
-    type: AWS::AutoScaling::AutoScalingGroup
-    properties:
-      AvailabilityZones : ["nova"]
-      LaunchConfigurationName : { get_resource : launch_config }
-      MinSize : 1
-      MaxSize : 5
-      DesiredCapacity: { get_param: capacity }
-      LoadBalancerNames : [ { get_resource : load_balancer } ]
-'''
-
 
 class NeutronAutoscalingTest(test.HeatIntegrationTest):
     """
@@ -106,8 +48,11 @@ class NeutronAutoscalingTest(test.HeatIntegrationTest):
                               "fixed_subnet_name": self.conf.fixed_subnet_name,
                               }}
 
+        template = self._load_template(__file__,
+                                       'test_neutron_autoscaling.yaml',
+                                       'templates')
         # Create stack
-        stack_id = self.stack_create(template=test_template,
+        stack_id = self.stack_create(template=template,
                                      environment=env)
 
         members = self.network_client.list_members()
@@ -116,7 +61,7 @@ class NeutronAutoscalingTest(test.HeatIntegrationTest):
         # Increase desired capacity and update the stack
         env["parameters"]["capacity"] = "2"
         self.update_stack(stack_id,
-                          template=test_template,
+                          template=template,
                           environment=env)
 
         upd_members = self.network_client.list_members()
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_server_cfn_init.py b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_server_cfn_init.py
index 64b2a3573d..630e2e9cb9 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_server_cfn_init.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_server_cfn_init.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class CfnInitIntegrationTest(test.HeatIntegrationTest):
             raise self.skipException("No image configured to test")
         self.client = self.orchestration_client
         self.template_name = 'test_server_cfn_init.yaml'
+        self.sub_dir = 'templates'
 
     def assign_keypair(self):
         self.stack_name = self._stack_rand_name()
@@ -48,7 +49,8 @@ class CfnInitIntegrationTest(test.HeatIntegrationTest):
         }
 
         # create the stack
-        self.template = self._load_template(__file__, self.template_name)
+        self.template = self._load_template(__file__, self.template_name,
+                                            self.sub_dir)
         self.client.stacks.create(
             stack_name=self.stack_name,
             template=self.template,
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes.py b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes.py
index 841a0910bb..9953648139 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/scenario/test_volumes.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class VolumeBackupRestoreIntegrationTest(test.HeatIntegrationTest):
         # TODO(shardy): refactor this into a generic base-class helper
         net = self._get_default_network()
         stack_name = self._stack_rand_name()
-        template = self._load_template(__file__, template_name)
+        template = self._load_template(__file__, template_name, 'templates')
         parameters = {'key_name': self.keypair_name,
                       'instance_type': self.conf.instance_type,
                       'image_id': self.conf.minimal_image_ref,