diff --git a/easybuild/tools/options.py b/easybuild/tools/options.py
index 79eb82ac64..cd7ad8da81 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/options.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/options.py
@@ -48,11 +48,10 @@
 from easybuild.framework.easyconfig.templates import template_documentation
 from easybuild.framework.easyconfig.tools import get_paths_for
 from easybuild.framework.extension import Extension
-from easybuild.tools import build_log, config, run  # @UnusedImport make sure config is always initialized!
+from easybuild.tools import build_log, config, run  # build_log should always stay there, to ensure EasyBuildLog
 from easybuild.tools.build_log import EasyBuildError, raise_easybuilderror
 from easybuild.tools.config import DEFAULT_LOGFILE_FORMAT, DEFAULT_MNS, DEFAULT_MODULE_SYNTAX, DEFAULT_MODULES_TOOL
-from easybuild.tools.config import DEFAULT_MODULECLASSES, DEFAULT_PATH_SUBDIRS
-from easybuild.tools.config import DEFAULT_PREFIX, DEFAULT_REPOSITORY
+from easybuild.tools.config import DEFAULT_MODULECLASSES, DEFAULT_PATH_SUBDIRS, DEFAULT_PREFIX, DEFAULT_REPOSITORY
 from easybuild.tools.config import DEFAULT_STRICT, get_pretend_installpath, mk_full_default_path
 from easybuild.tools.configobj import ConfigObj, ConfigObjError
 from easybuild.tools.docs import FORMAT_RST, FORMAT_TXT, avail_easyconfig_params
@@ -63,9 +62,7 @@
 from easybuild.tools.module_naming_scheme.utilities import avail_module_naming_schemes
 from easybuild.tools.modules import Lmod
 from easybuild.tools.ordereddict import OrderedDict
-import easybuild.tools.package.utilities as packaging
-from easybuild.tools.package.utilities import DEFAULT_PNS
-from easybuild.tools.package.activepns import avail_package_naming_scheme
+from easybuild.tools.package.utilities import DEFAULT_PNS, avail_package_naming_schemes, check_pkg_support
 from easybuild.tools.toolchain.utilities import search_toolchain
 from easybuild.tools.repository.repository import avail_repositories
 from easybuild.tools.version import this_is_easybuild
@@ -267,7 +264,7 @@ def config_options(self):
             'packagepath': ("The destination path for the packages built by package-tool",
                              None, 'store', mk_full_default_path('packagepath')),
             'package-naming-scheme': ("Packaging naming scheme choice", 
-                                      'choice', 'store', DEFAULT_PNS, sorted(avail_package_naming_scheme().keys())),
+                                      'choice', 'store', DEFAULT_PNS, sorted(avail_package_naming_schemes().keys())),
             'prefix': (("Change prefix for buildpath, installpath, sourcepath and repositorypath "
                         "(used prefix for defaults %s)" % DEFAULT_PREFIX),
                        None, 'store', None),
@@ -472,15 +469,12 @@ def postprocess(self):
 
         self._postprocess_config()
 
-        #Check experimental option dependencies (for now packaging)
-        #print "Got config_options: %s" % packaging.config_options
-        package_options = [ getattr(self.options, x) for x in packaging.config_options if getattr(self.options, x) ]
-        if any( package_options ):
-            packaging.option_postprocess()
+        # check whether packaging is supported when it's being used
+        if any([self.options.package_tool, self.options.package_type]):
+            check_pkg_support()
         else:
             self.log.debug("Didn't find any packaging options")
 
-
     def _postprocess_external_modules_metadata(self):
         """Parse file(s) specifying metadata for external modules."""
         # leave external_modules_metadata untouched if no files are provided
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/package/activepns.py b/easybuild/tools/package/activepns.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 7267bc014d..0000000000
--- a/easybuild/tools/package/activepns.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-
-
-from vsc.utils import fancylogger
-from vsc.utils.missing import get_subclasses
-from vsc.utils.patterns import Singleton
-from easybuild.tools.config import get_package_naming_scheme
-from easybuild.tools.build_log import EasyBuildError, print_error, print_msg
-from easybuild.tools.package.packaging_naming_scheme.pns import PackagingNamingScheme
-from easybuild.tools.utilities import import_available_modules
-
-def avail_package_naming_scheme():
-    '''
-    Returns the list of valed naming schemes that are in the easybuild.package.package_naming_scheme namespace
-    '''
-    import_available_modules('easybuild.tools.package.packaging_naming_scheme')
-
-    class_dict = dict([(x.__name__, x) for x in get_subclasses(PackagingNamingScheme)])
-
-    return class_dict
-
-class ActivePNS(object):
-    """
-    The wrapper class for Package Naming Schmese, follows the model of Module Naming Schemes, mostly
-    """
-    
-    __metaclass__ = Singleton
-    
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        """Initialize logger and find available PNSes to load"""
-        self.log = fancylogger.getLogger(self.__class__.__name__, fname=False)
-
-        avail_pns = avail_package_naming_scheme()
-        sel_pns = get_package_naming_scheme()
-        if sel_pns in avail_pns:
-            self.pns = avail_pns[sel_pns]()
-        else:
-            raise EasyBuildError("Selected package naming scheme %s could not be found in %s",
-                                    sel_pns, avail_pns.keys())
-
-    def name(self, ec):
-        name = self.pns.name(ec)
-        return name
-
-    def version(self, ec):
-        version = self.pns.version(ec)
-        return version
-
-    def release(self, ec):
-        release = self.pns.release()
-        return release
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/package/packaging_naming_scheme/easybuild_pns.py b/easybuild/tools/package/packaging_naming_scheme/easybuild_pns.py
index 1dae429657..bc95cace8a 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/package/packaging_naming_scheme/easybuild_pns.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/package/packaging_naming_scheme/easybuild_pns.py
@@ -1,10 +1,31 @@
-
-
-
+##
+# Copyright 2015-2015 Ghent University
+#
+# This file is part of EasyBuild,
+# originally created by the HPC team of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc/en),
+# with support of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc),
+# the Flemish Supercomputer Centre (VSC) (https://vscentrum.be/nl/en),
+# the Hercules foundation (http://www.herculesstichting.be/in_English)
+# and the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) (http://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/en).
+#
+# http://github.com/hpcugent/easybuild
+#
+# EasyBuild is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation v2.
+#
+# EasyBuild is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with EasyBuild.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+##
 """
-Default implementation of the EasyBuild packaging naming scheme
+Implementation of the EasyBuild packaging naming scheme
 
-@author: Rob Schmidt (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute)
+@author: Robert Schmidt (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute)
 @author: Kenneth Hoste (Ghent University)
 """
 
@@ -17,6 +38,7 @@ class EasyBuildPNS(PackagingNamingScheme):
     REQUIRED_KEYS = ['name', 'version', 'versionsuffix', 'toolchain']
 
     def name(self, ec):
+        """Determine package name"""
         self.log.debug("easyconfig dict for name looks like %s " % ec )
         name_template = "eb%(eb_ver)s-%(name)s-%(version)s-%(toolchain)s"
         pkg_name = name_template % {
@@ -28,10 +50,10 @@ def name(self, ec):
         return pkg_name
 
     def _toolchain(self, ec):
+        """Determine toolchain"""
         toolchain_template = "%(toolchain_name)s-%(toolchain_version)s"
         pkg_toolchain = toolchain_template % {
             'toolchain_name': ec['toolchain']['name'],
             'toolchain_version': ec['toolchain']['version'],
         }
         return pkg_toolchain
-
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/package/packaging_naming_scheme/pns.py b/easybuild/tools/package/packaging_naming_scheme/pns.py
index 408a1b6904..b1569d0f66 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/package/packaging_naming_scheme/pns.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/package/packaging_naming_scheme/pns.py
@@ -1,28 +1,55 @@
-
+##
+# Copyright 2015-2015 Ghent University
+#
+# This file is part of EasyBuild,
+# originally created by the HPC team of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc/en),
+# with support of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc),
+# the Flemish Supercomputer Centre (VSC) (https://vscentrum.be/nl/en),
+# the Hercules foundation (http://www.herculesstichting.be/in_English)
+# and the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) (http://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/en).
+#
+# http://github.com/hpcugent/easybuild
+#
+# EasyBuild is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation v2.
+#
+# EasyBuild is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with EasyBuild.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+##
+
+"""
+General package naming scheme.
+
+@author: Robert Schmidt (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute)
+@author: Kenneth Hoste (Ghent University)
+"""
 from vsc.utils import fancylogger
 from easybuild.tools.config import build_option
 from easybuild.tools.version import VERSION as EASYBUILD_VERSION
-options = [ "package-naming-name-template", "package-naming-version-template", "package-naming-toolchain-template" ]
 
-class PackagingNamingScheme(object):
-    """Abstract class for package naming scheme"""
 
+class PackagingNamingScheme(object):
+    """Abstract class for package naming schemes"""
 
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self):
         """initialize logger."""
         self.log = fancylogger.getLogger(self.__class__.__name__, fname=False)
         self.eb_ver = EASYBUILD_VERSION
 
-    def name(self,ec):
-        """Return name of the package, by default would include name, version, toolchain"""
+    def name(self, ec):
+        """Determine package name"""
         raise NotImplementedError
-        
-    def version(self,ec):
-        """The version in the version part of the package"""
-        return ec['version']    
-
-    def release(self,ec=None):
-        """Just the release"""
-        return build_option('package_release')
 
+    def version(self, ec):
+        """Determine package version"""
+        return ec['version']
 
+    def release(self, ec=None):
+        """Determine package release"""
+        return build_option('package_release')
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/package/utilities.py b/easybuild/tools/package/utilities.py
index ccaef6bd38..14e215e2ca 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/package/utilities.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/package/utilities.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-# #
-# Copyright 2009-2014 Ghent University
+##
+# Copyright 2015-2015 Ghent University
 #
 # This file is part of EasyBuild,
 # originally created by the HPC team of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc/en),
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@
 #
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with EasyBuild.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-# #
+##
 
 """
-A place for packaging functions
+Various utilities related to packaging support.
 
 @author: Marc Litherland
 @author: Gianluca Santarossa (Novartis)
@@ -32,97 +32,134 @@
 @author: Fotis Georgatos (Uni.Lu, NTUA)
 @author: Kenneth Hoste (Ghent University)
 """
-
 import os
 import tempfile
 import pprint
 
 from vsc.utils import fancylogger
+from vsc.utils.missing import get_subclasses
+from vsc.utils.patterns import Singleton
 
-from easybuild.tools.run import run_cmd
-from easybuild.tools.config import build_option
-from easybuild.tools.module_naming_scheme.utilities import det_full_ec_version
-from easybuild.tools.toolchain import DUMMY_TOOLCHAIN_NAME
+from easybuild.tools.config import get_package_naming_scheme
 from easybuild.tools.build_log import EasyBuildError
 from easybuild.tools.filetools import which
-from easybuild.tools.package.activepns import ActivePNS
+from easybuild.tools.package.packaging_naming_scheme.pns import PackagingNamingScheme
+from easybuild.tools.run import run_cmd
+from easybuild.tools.toolchain import DUMMY_TOOLCHAIN_NAME
+from easybuild.tools.utilities import import_available_modules
+
 
 DEFAULT_PNS = 'EasyBuildPNS'
 
-_log = fancylogger.getLogger('tools.packaging')
-# This is an abbreviated list of the package options, eventually it might make sense to set them
-# all in the "plugin" rather than in tools.options
-config_options = [ 'package_tool', 'package_type' ]
+_log = fancylogger.getLogger('tools.package')
+
 
-def package_fpm(easyblock, modfile_path, package_type="rpm" ):
-    '''
+def avail_package_naming_schemes():
+    """
+    Returns the list of valed naming schemes that are in the easybuild.package.package_naming_scheme namespace
+    """
+    import_available_modules('easybuild.tools.package.packaging_naming_scheme')
+    class_dict = dict([(x.__name__, x) for x in get_subclasses(PackagingNamingScheme)])
+    return class_dict
+
+
+def package_fpm(easyblock, modfile_path, package_type='rpm'):
+    """
     This function will build a package using fpm and return the directory where the packages are
-    '''
-    
-    workdir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
-    _log.info("Will be writing RPM to %s" % workdir)
+    """
+    workdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix='eb-pkgs')
+    _log.info("Will be creating packages in %s", workdir)
 
     try:
         os.chdir(workdir)
     except OSError, err:
-        raise EasyBuildError("Failed to chdir into workdir: %s : %s", workdir, err)
+        raise EasyBuildError("Failed to chdir into workdir %s: %s", workdir, err)
 
     package_naming_scheme = ActivePNS()
 
     pkgname = package_naming_scheme.name(easyblock.cfg)
-    pkgver  = package_naming_scheme.version(easyblock.cfg)
-    pkgrel  = package_naming_scheme.release(easyblock.cfg)
+    pkgver = package_naming_scheme.version(easyblock.cfg)
+    pkgrel = package_naming_scheme.release(easyblock.cfg)
 
-    _log.debug("Got the pns values for (name, version, release): (%s, %s, %s)" % (pkgname, pkgver, pkgrel)) 
+    _log.debug("Got the PNS values for (name, version, release): (%s, %s, %s)", pkgname, pkgver, pkgrel)
     deps = []
     if easyblock.toolchain.name != DUMMY_TOOLCHAIN_NAME:
         toolchain_dict = easyblock.toolchain.as_dict()
         deps.extend([toolchain_dict])
 
     deps.extend(easyblock.cfg.dependencies())
- 
-    _log.debug("The dependencies to be added to the package are: " + pprint.pformat([easyblock.toolchain.as_dict()]+easyblock.cfg.dependencies()))
-    depstring = ""    
+
+    _log.debug("The dependencies to be added to the package are: %s",
+               pprint.pformat([easyblock.toolchain.as_dict()] + easyblock.cfg.dependencies()))
+    depstring = ''
     for dep in deps:
-        _log.debug("The dep added looks like %s " % dep)
+        _log.debug("The dep added looks like %s ", dep)
         dep_pkgname = package_naming_scheme.name(dep)
-        depstring += " --depends '%s'" % ( dep_pkgname)
+        depstring += " --depends '%s'" % dep_pkgname
 
-    cmdlist=[
+    cmdlist = [
         'fpm',
         '--workdir', workdir,
         '--name', pkgname,
         '--provides', pkgname,
-        '-t', package_type, # target
-        '-s', 'dir', # source
+        '-t', package_type,  # target
+        '-s', 'dir',  # source
         '--version', pkgver,
         '--iteration', pkgrel,
-    ]
-    cmdlist.extend([ depstring ])
-    cmdlist.extend([
+        depstring,
         easyblock.installdir,
-        modfile_path
-    ])
-    cmdstr = " ".join(cmdlist)
-    _log.debug("The flattened cmdlist looks like" + cmdstr)
-    out = run_cmd(cmdstr, log_all=True, simple=True)
-   
-    _log.info("wrote rpm to %s" % (workdir) )
+        modfile_path,
+    ]
+    cmd = ' '.join(cmdlist)
+    _log.debug("The flattened cmdlist looks like: %s", cmd)
+    run_cmd(cmd, log_all=True, simple=True)
+
+    _log.info("Created %s package in %s", package_type, workdir)
 
     return workdir
 
 
-def option_postprocess():
-    '''
-    Called from easybuild.tools.options.postprocess to check that experimental is triggered and fpm is available
-    '''
+def check_pkg_support():
+    """Check whether packaging is supported, i.e. whether the required dependencies are available."""
 
-    _log.experimental("Using the packaging module, This is experimental")
+    _log.experimental("Support for packaging installed software.")
     fpm_path = which('fpm')
     rpmbuild_path = which('rpmbuild')
     if fpm_path and rpmbuild_path:
-        _log.info("fpm found at: %s" % fpm_path)
+        _log.info("fpm found at: %s", fpm_path)
     else:
         raise EasyBuildError("Need both fpm and rpmbuild. Found fpm: %s rpmbuild: %s", fpm_path, rpmbuild_path)
 
 
+class ActivePNS(object):
+    """
+    The wrapper class for Package Naming Schemes.
+    """
+    __metaclass__ = Singleton
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        """Initialize logger and find available PNSes to load"""
+        self.log = fancylogger.getLogger(self.__class__.__name__, fname=False)
+
+        avail_pns = avail_package_naming_schemes()
+        sel_pns = get_package_naming_scheme()
+        if sel_pns in avail_pns:
+            self.pns = avail_pns[sel_pns]()
+        else:
+            raise EasyBuildError("Selected package naming scheme %s could not be found in %s",
+                                 sel_pns, avail_pns.keys())
+
+    def name(self, ec):
+        """Determine package name"""
+        name = self.pns.name(ec)
+        return name
+
+    def version(self, ec):
+        """Determine package version"""
+        version = self.pns.version(ec)
+        return version
+
+    def release(self, ec):
+        """Determine package release"""
+        release = self.pns.release()
+        return release
diff --git a/test/framework/package.py b/test/framework/package.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8b28dc0eef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/framework/package.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+# #
+# Copyright 2015-2015 Ghent University
+#
+# This file is part of EasyBuild,
+# originally created by the HPC team of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc/en),
+# with support of Ghent University (http://ugent.be/hpc),
+# the Flemish Supercomputer Centre (VSC) (https://vscentrum.be/nl/en),
+# the Hercules foundation (http://www.herculesstichting.be/in_English)
+# and the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) (http://www.ewi-vlaanderen.be/en).
+#
+# http://github.com/hpcugent/easybuild
+#
+# EasyBuild is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation v2.
+#
+# EasyBuild is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with EasyBuild.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+# #
+"""
+Unit tests for packaging support.
+
+@author: Kenneth Hoste (Ghent University)
+"""
+import os
+import stat
+
+from test.framework.utilities import EnhancedTestCase
+from unittest import TestLoader
+from unittest import main as unittestmain
+
+import easybuild.tools.build_log
+from easybuild.tools.build_log import EasyBuildError
+from easybuild.tools.filetools import adjust_permissions, write_file
+from easybuild.tools.package.utilities import avail_package_naming_schemes, check_pkg_support
+
+
+class PackageTest(EnhancedTestCase):
+    """Tests for packaging support."""
+
+    def test_avail_package_naming_schemes(self):
+        """Test avail_package_naming_schemes()"""
+        self.assertEqual(sorted(avail_package_naming_schemes().keys()), ['EasyBuildPNS'])
+
+    def test_check_pkg_support(self):
+        """Test check_pkg_support()."""
+        # hard enable experimental
+        orig_experimental = easybuild.tools.build_log.EXPERIMENTAL
+        easybuild.tools.build_log.EXPERIMENTAL = True
+
+        # clear $PATH to make sure fpm/rpmbuild can not be found
+        os.environ['PATH'] = ''
+
+        self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, "Need both fpm and rpmbuild", check_pkg_support)
+
+        for binary in ['fpm', 'rpmbuild']:
+            binpath = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, binary)
+            write_file(binpath, '#!/bin/bash')
+            adjust_permissions(binpath, stat.S_IXUSR, add=True)
+        os.environ['PATH'] = self.test_prefix
+
+        check_pkg_support()
+
+        # restore
+        easybuild.tools.build_log.EXPERIMENTAL = orig_experimental
+
+
+def suite():
+    """ returns all the testcases in this module """
+    return TestLoader().loadTestsFromTestCase(PackageTest)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittestmain()
diff --git a/test/framework/suite.py b/test/framework/suite.py
index 2b6001221f..636966391a 100644
--- a/test/framework/suite.py
+++ b/test/framework/suite.py
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@
 import test.framework.modulestool as mt
 import test.framework.options as o
 import test.framework.parallelbuild as p
+import test.framework.package as pkg
 import test.framework.repository as r
 import test.framework.robot as robot
 import test.framework.run as run
@@ -100,7 +101,8 @@
 
 # call suite() for each module and then run them all
 # note: make sure the options unit tests run first, to avoid running some of them with a readily initialized config
-tests = [gen, bl, o, r, ef, ev, ebco, ep, e, mg, m, mt, f, run, a, robot, b, v, g, tcv, tc, t, c, s, l, f_c, sc, tw, p]
+tests = [gen, bl, o, r, ef, ev, ebco, ep, e, mg, m, mt, f, run, a, robot, b, v, g, tcv, tc, t, c, s, l, f_c, sc, tw,
+         p, pkg]
 
 SUITE = unittest.TestSuite([x.suite() for x in tests])