diff --git a/lib/plugin-base.js b/lib/plugin-base.js
index 05ea50f..6bc0fde 100644
--- a/lib/plugin-base.js
+++ b/lib/plugin-base.js
@@ -26,10 +26,11 @@ PluginBase.prototype.load = function(context) {
   var env = this.options.env;
   assert(this.name, 'Plugin name must to be set');
   debug('Root dir: %s, env: %s, artifact: %s', rootDir, env, this.artifact);
-
   var config = {};
   if (this.options[this.name]) {
     // First check if options have the corresponding config object
+    debug('Artifact: %s is using provided config obj instead' +
+    ' of config file');
     config = this.options[this.name];
   } else {
     if (this.artifact) {
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ PluginBase.prototype.merge = function(target, config, keyPrefix) {
  */
 PluginBase.prototype.loadNamed = function(rootDir, env, name) {
   var files = this.findConfigFiles(rootDir, env, name);
+  debug('Looking in dir %s for %s configs', rootDir, this.name);
   if (files.length) {
     debug('found %s %s files: %j', env, name, files);
     files.forEach(function(f) {
diff --git a/lib/plugins/component.js b/lib/plugins/component.js
index 41c2339..47e3ed7 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/component.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/component.js
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ function Component(options) {
 
 util.inherits(Component, PluginBase);
 
+Component.prototype.getRootDir =  function() {
+  return this.options.componentRootDir || this.options.rootDir;
+};
+
 Component.prototype.buildInstructions = function(context, rootDir, config) {
   return Object.keys(config)
     .filter(function(name) {
diff --git a/lib/plugins/middleware.js b/lib/plugins/middleware.js
index ab15e12..265dadd 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/middleware.js
+++ b/lib/plugins/middleware.js
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ function Middleware(options) {
 
 util.inherits(Middleware, PluginBase);
 
+Middleware.prototype.getRootDir = function() {
+  return this.options.middlewareRootDir || this.options.rootDir;
+};
+
 Middleware.prototype.merge = function(target, config, fileName) {
   var err, phase;
   for (phase in config) {
@@ -87,7 +91,6 @@ Middleware.prototype.buildInstructions = function(context, rootDir, config) {
 
       allConfigs.forEach(function(config) {
         var resolved = resolveMiddlewarePath(rootDir, middleware, config);
-
         // resolved.sourceFile will be false-y if an optional middleware
         // is not resolvable.
         // if a non-optional middleware is not resolvable, it will throw
diff --git a/test/compiler.test.js b/test/compiler.test.js
index 5dd9385..41c4834 100644
--- a/test/compiler.test.js
+++ b/test/compiler.test.js
@@ -1955,7 +1955,7 @@ describe('compiler', function() {
         sourceFileForUrlNotFound, done);
     });
 
-    it('supports `middlewareRootDir` option', function() {
+    it('supports `middlewareRootDir` option', function(done) {
       var middlewareJson = {
         initial: {},
         custom: {
@@ -1968,23 +1968,24 @@ describe('compiler', function() {
       fs.mkdirsSync(customDir);
       fs.writeJsonSync(path.resolve(customDir, 'middleware.json'),
         middlewareJson);
-
-      var instructions = boot.compile({
+      boot.compile({
         appRootDir: appdir.PATH,
-        middlewareRootDir: path.resolve(appdir.PATH, 'custom'),
-      });
-
-      expect(instructions.middleware).to.eql({
-        phases: ['initial', 'custom'],
-        middleware: [
-          {
-            sourceFile: sourceFileForUrlNotFound,
-            config: {
-              phase: 'custom',
-              params: 'some-config-data',
+        middlewareRootDir: customDir,
+      }, function(err, context) {
+        var instructions = context.instructions;
+        expect(instructions.middleware).to.eql({
+          phases: ['initial', 'custom'],
+          middleware: [
+            {
+              sourceFile: sourceFileForUrlNotFound,
+              config: {
+                phase: 'custom',
+                params: 'some-config-data',
+              },
             },
-          },
-        ],
+          ],
+        });
+        done();
       });
     });
 
@@ -2724,7 +2725,7 @@ describe('compiler', function() {
       });
     });
 
-    it('supports `componentRootDir` option', function() {
+    it('supports `componentRootDir` option', function(done) {
       var componentJson = {
         debug: {
           option: 'value',
@@ -2735,16 +2736,20 @@ describe('compiler', function() {
       fs.writeJsonSync(
         path.resolve(customDir, 'component-config.json'), componentJson);
 
-      var instructions = boot.compile({
+      boot.compile({
         appRootDir: appdir.PATH,
         componentRootDir: path.resolve(appdir.PATH, 'custom'),
-      });
-      var component = instructions.components[0];
-      expect(component).to.eql({
-        sourceFile: require.resolve('debug'),
-        config: {
-          option: 'value',
-        },
+      }, function(err, context) {
+        if (err) return done(err);
+        var instructions = context.instructions;
+        var component = instructions.components[0];
+        expect(component).to.eql({
+          sourceFile: require.resolve('debug'),
+          config: {
+            option: 'value',
+          },
+        });
+        done();
       });
     });