diff --git a/py/apigen/apigen.py b/py/apigen/apigen.py
index 6a527d8c3..69777b8e0 100644
--- a/py/apigen/apigen.py
+++ b/py/apigen/apigen.py
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
 """ run 'py.test --apigen=<this script>' to get documentation exported
-
-    exports to /tmp/output by default, set the environment variable
-    'APIGEN_TARGET' to override
 """
 
 import os
@@ -11,6 +8,7 @@ from py.__.apigen import htmlgen
 from py.__.apigen import linker
 from py.__.apigen import project
 from py.__.apigen.tracer.docstorage import pkg_to_dict
+from py.__.doc.conftest import get_apigenpath
 
 from layout import LayoutPage
 
@@ -41,10 +39,8 @@ def build(pkgdir, dsa, capture):
     proj = project.Project()
 
     # output dir
-    if 'APIGEN_TARGET' in os.environ:
-        targetdir = py.path.local(os.environ['APIGEN_TARGET'])
-    else:
-        targetdir = pkgdir.dirpath().join('apigen')
+    from py.__.conftest import option
+    targetdir = get_apigenpath()
     targetdir.ensure(dir=True)
 
     # find out what to build
diff --git a/py/apigen/htmlgen.py b/py/apigen/htmlgen.py
index 459ab4a9b..5d705f385 100644
--- a/py/apigen/htmlgen.py
+++ b/py/apigen/htmlgen.py
@@ -119,10 +119,9 @@ def create_namespace_tree(dotted_names):
                 ret[ns].append(itempath)
     return ret
 
-def wrap_page(project, title, contentel, navel, relbase, basepath,
+def wrap_page(project, title, targetpath, contentel, navel, basepath,
               pageclass):
-    page = pageclass(project, title, nav=navel, encoding='UTF-8',
-                      relpath=relbase)
+    page = pageclass(project, title, targetpath, nav=navel, encoding='UTF-8')
     page.set_content(contentel)
     page.setup_scripts_styles(basepath)
     return page
@@ -180,7 +179,7 @@ class AbstractPageBuilder(object):
         targetpath = self.base.join(reltargetpath)
         relbase= relpath('%s%s' % (targetpath.dirpath(), targetpath.sep),
                          self.base.strpath + '/')
-        page = wrap_page(self.project, title, tag, nav, relbase, self.base,
+        page = wrap_page(self.project, title, targetpath, tag, nav, self.base,
                          self.pageclass)
         # we write the page with _temporary_ hrefs here, need to be replaced
         # from the TempLinker later
diff --git a/py/apigen/layout.py b/py/apigen/layout.py
index 1b54d4d79..81cd953d3 100644
--- a/py/apigen/layout.py
+++ b/py/apigen/layout.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import py
 from py.__.doc import confrest
 from py.__.apigen import linker
+from py.__.doc.conftest import get_apigenpath, get_docpath
 
 here = py.magic.autopath().dirpath()
 
@@ -18,10 +19,14 @@ class LayoutPage(confrest.PyPage):
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.nav = kwargs.pop('nav')
-        self.relpath = kwargs.pop('relpath')
         super(LayoutPage, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.relpath = self.get_relpath()
         self.project.logo.attr.id = 'logo'
 
+    def get_relpath(self):
+        return linker.relpath(self.targetpath.strpath,
+                              get_apigenpath().strpath) + '/'
+
     def set_content(self, contentel):
         self.contentspace.append(contentel)
 
@@ -29,23 +34,6 @@ class LayoutPage(confrest.PyPage):
         super(LayoutPage, self).fill()
         self.body.insert(0, self.nav)
 
-    def _getdocrelpath(self, default="../py/doc"):
-        docrel = py.std.os.environ.get("APIGEN_DOCRELPATH", default)
-        return docrel.rstrip("/") + "/"
-        
-    def a_docref(self, name, relhtmlpath):
-        docrelpath = self._getdocrelpath()
-        relnew = self.relpath + docrelpath + relhtmlpath
-        return super(LayoutPage, self).a_docref(name, relnew)
-
-    def a_apigenref(self, name, relhtmlpath):
-        # XXX the path construction is probably rather too complicated
-        #     but i reused the same logic that was there
-        #     before. 
-        docrelpath = self._getdocrelpath()
-        relnew = self.relpath + docrelpath + relhtmlpath
-        return super(LayoutPage, self).a_apigenref(name, relnew)
-
     def setup_scripts_styles(self, copyto=None):
         for path, name in self.stylesheets:
             if copyto:
diff --git a/py/apigen/testing/test_apigen_example.py b/py/apigen/testing/test_apigen_example.py
index 8d67ee558..3406dc3ce 100644
--- a/py/apigen/testing/test_apigen_example.py
+++ b/py/apigen/testing/test_apigen_example.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from py.__.apigen.linker import TempLinker
 from py.__.apigen.htmlgen import *
 from py.__.apigen.tracer.docstorage import DocStorage, DocStorageAccessor
 from py.__.apigen.tracer.tracer import Tracer
+from py.__.apigen.layout import LayoutPage
 from py.__.apigen.project import Project
 from py.__.test.web import webcheck
 from py.__.apigen.conftest import option
@@ -94,6 +95,10 @@ def _checkhtmlsnippet(htmlstring):
     #"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">\n""" + unicode(h)
     #_checkhtml(newstring)
 
+class LayoutTestPage(LayoutPage):
+    def get_relpath(self):
+        return '../'
+
 class AbstractBuilderTest(object):
     def setup_class(cls):
         temp = py.test.ensuretemp('apigen_example')
@@ -121,6 +126,7 @@ class AbstractBuilderTest(object):
         self.spb = SourcePageBuilder(base, linker,
                                      self.fs_root.join(self.pkg_name),
                                      self.project)
+        self.apb.pageclass = self.spb.pageclass = LayoutTestPage
 
 class TestApiPageBuilder(AbstractBuilderTest):
     def test_build_callable_view(self):
@@ -396,7 +402,7 @@ class TestSourcePageBuilder(AbstractBuilderTest):
         html = funcsource.read()
         print html
         run_string_sequence_test(html, [
-            'href="../../style.css"',
+            'href="../style.css"',
             '<a href="index.html">pkg</a>',
             '<a href="someclass.py.html">someclass.py</a>',
             '<a href="somesubclass.py.html">somesubclass.py</a>',
@@ -410,7 +416,7 @@ class TestSourcePageBuilder(AbstractBuilderTest):
         html = pkgindex.read()
         print html
         run_string_sequence_test(html, [
-            'href="../../style.css"',
+            'href="../style.css"',
             '<a href="index.html">pkg</a>',
             '<a href="func.py.html">func.py</a>',
             '<a href="someclass.py.html">someclass.py</a>',
diff --git a/py/apigen/testing/test_apigen_functional.py b/py/apigen/testing/test_apigen_functional.py
index 1f3f01679..aabef01c6 100644
--- a/py/apigen/testing/test_apigen_functional.py
+++ b/py/apigen/testing/test_apigen_functional.py
@@ -125,10 +125,10 @@ def test_apigen_functional():
     pydir = py.magic.autopath().dirpath().dirpath().dirpath()
     pakdir = fs_root.join('pak')
     if py.std.sys.platform == 'win32':
-        cmd = ('set APIGEN_TARGET=%s && set PYTHONPATH=%s && '
+        cmd = ('set APIGENPATH=%s && set PYTHONPATH=%s && '
                'python "%s/bin/py.test"') % (tempdir, fs_root, pydir)
     else:
-        cmd = ('APIGEN_TARGET="%s" PYTHONPATH="%s" '
+        cmd = ('APIGENPATH="%s" PYTHONPATH="%s" '
                'python "%s/bin/py.test"') % (tempdir, fs_root, pydir)
     try:
         output = py.process.cmdexec('%s --apigen="%s/apigen.py" "%s"' % (
diff --git a/py/bin/_docgen.py b/py/bin/_docgen.py
index df8bbf4a7..cbbd1453c 100755
--- a/py/bin/_docgen.py
+++ b/py/bin/_docgen.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def build_apigen_docs(targetpath, testargs=''):
     run_tests(pypath,
               'APIGEN_TARGET="%s/apigen" APIGEN_DOCRELPATH="../"' % (
                targetpath,),
-              testargs + ' --apigen="%s/apigen/apigen.py"' % (pypath,))
+              '%s --apigen="%s/apigen/apigen.py"' % (testargs, pypath))
 
 def build_docs(targetpath, testargs):
     docpath = pypath.join('doc')
diff --git a/py/bin/_update_website.py b/py/bin/_update_website.py
index 521334084..4d4b42784 100755
--- a/py/bin/_update_website.py
+++ b/py/bin/_update_website.py
@@ -22,32 +22,32 @@ def rsync(pkgpath, apidocspath, gateway, remotepath):
     rs.add_target(gateway, remotepath, delete=True)
     rs.send()
 
-def run_tests(pkgpath, args='', captureouterr=False):
+def run_tests(pkgpath, apigenpath, args='', captureouterr=False):
     """ run the unit tests and build the docs """
     pypath = py.__package__.getpath()
     pytestpath = pypath.join('bin/py.test')
     # XXX this would need a Windows specific version if we want to allow
     # running this script on that platform, but currently --apigen doesn't
     # work there anyway...
-    apigenpath = pkgpath.join('apigen/apigen.py') # XXX be more general here?
-    if not apigenpath.check(file=True):
-        apigenpath = pypath.join('apigen/apigen.py')
-    cmd = 'PYTHONPATH="%s:%s" python "%s" %s --apigen="%s" "%s"' % (
-                                                             pypath.dirpath(),
-                                                             pkgpath.dirpath(),
-                                                             pytestpath,
-                                                             args,
-                                                             apigenpath,
-                                                             pkgpath,
-                                                             )
+    apigenscript = pkgpath.join('apigen/apigen.py') # XXX be more general here?
+    if not apigenscript.check(file=True):
+        apigenscript = pypath.join('apigen/apigen.py')
+    cmd = ('APIGENPATH="%s" PYTHONPATH="%s:%s" python '
+           '"%s" %s --apigen="%s" "%s"' % (apigenpath, pypath.dirpath(),
+                                           pkgpath.dirpath(), pytestpath,
+                                           args, apigenscript,
+                                           pkgpath))
     if captureouterr:
         cmd += ' > /dev/null 2>&1'
-    status = py.std.os.system(cmd)
-    return status
+    try:
+        output = py.process.cmdexec(cmd)
+    except py.error.Error, e:
+        return e.err or str(e)
+    return None
 
 def main(pkgpath, apidocspath, rhost, rpath, args='', ignorefail=False):
     print 'running tests'
-    errors = run_tests(pkgpath, args)
+    errors = run_tests(pkgpath, apidocspath, args)
     if errors:
         print >>sys.stderr, \
               'Errors while running the unit tests: %s' % (errors,)
diff --git a/py/conftest.py b/py/conftest.py
index 229b0793e..0b96badb1 100644
--- a/py/conftest.py
+++ b/py/conftest.py
@@ -19,11 +19,22 @@ nomagic = False
 import py
 Option = py.test.config.Option
 
+here = py.magic.autopath().dirpath()
+
 option = py.test.config.addoptions("execnet options",
         Option('-S', '',
                action="store", dest="sshtarget", default=None,
                help=("target to run tests requiring ssh, e.g. "
                      "user@codespeak.net")),
+        Option('', '--apigenpath',
+               action="store", dest="apigenpath",
+               default=here.join("../apigen").strpath,
+               type="string",
+               help="absolute path to where apigen docs are built"),
+        Option('', '--docpath',
+               action='store', dest='docpath',
+               default=here.join('doc').strpath, type='string',
+               help='absolute path to where the docs are built'),
     )
 
 dist_rsync_roots = ['.']
diff --git a/py/doc/confrest.py b/py/doc/confrest.py
index 3137da2d4..900a674db 100644
--- a/py/doc/confrest.py
+++ b/py/doc/confrest.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import py
 from py.__.misc.rest import convert_rest_html, strip_html_header 
 from py.__.misc.difftime import worded_time 
-from py.__.doc.conftest import get_apigen_relpath
+from py.__.doc.conftest import get_apigenpath, get_docpath
+from py.__.apigen.linker import relpath
 
 mydir = py.magic.autopath().dirpath()
 html = py.xml.html 
@@ -10,9 +11,11 @@ class Page(object):
     doctype = ('<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"'
                ' "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">\n')
 
-    def __init__(self, project, title, stylesheeturl=None, type="text/html", encoding="ISO-8859-1"): 
+    def __init__(self, project, title, targetpath, stylesheeturl=None,
+                 type="text/html", encoding="ISO-8859-1"): 
         self.project = project 
         self.title = project.prefix_title + title 
+        self.targetpath = targetpath
         self.stylesheeturl = stylesheeturl 
         self.type = type 
         self.encoding = encoding 
@@ -23,22 +26,26 @@ class Page(object):
         self.fill() 
 
     def a_docref(self, name, relhtmlpath):
-        return html.a(name, class_="menu", href=relhtmlpath)
+        docpath = get_docpath()
+        return html.a(name, class_="menu",
+                      href=relpath(self.targetpath.strpath,
+                                   docpath.join(relhtmlpath).strpath))
 
     def a_apigenref(self, name, relhtmlpath):
-        apigen_relpath = get_apigen_relpath()
-        path = apigen_relpath.rstrip("/") + "/" + relhtmlpath
-        return html.a(name, href=path, class_="menu")
+        apipath = get_apigenpath()
+        return html.a(name, class_="menu",
+                      href=relpath(self.targetpath.strpath,
+                                   apipath.join(relhtmlpath).strpath))
         
     def fill_menubar(self):
         items = [
-            self.a_docref("index", "index.html"), 
-            self.a_apigenref("api", "api/index.html"), 
-            self.a_apigenref("source", "source/index.html"), 
-            self.a_docref("contact", "contact.html"), 
-            self.a_docref("download", "download.html"), 
-            html.a("contact", href="contact.html", class_="menu"), 
-            html.a("download", href="download.html", class_="menu"), 
+            self.a_docref("index", "index.html"),
+            self.a_apigenref("api", "api/index.html"),
+            self.a_apigenref("source", "source/index.html"),
+            self.a_docref("contact", "contact.html"),
+            self.a_docref("download", "download.html"),
+            html.a("contact", href="contact.html", class_="menu"),
+            html.a("download", href="download.html", class_="menu"),
         ]
         items2 = [items.pop(0)]
         sep = " "
@@ -47,26 +54,26 @@ class Page(object):
             items2.append(item)
         self.menubar = html.div(id="menubar", *items2)
 
-    def fill(self): 
-        content_type = "%s;charset=%s" %(self.type, self.encoding) 
-        self.head.append(html.title(self.title)) 
+    def fill(self):
+        content_type = "%s;charset=%s" %(self.type, self.encoding)
+        self.head.append(html.title(self.title))
         self.head.append(html.meta(name="Content-Type", content=content_type))
-        if self.stylesheeturl: 
+        if self.stylesheeturl:
             self.head.append(
-                    html.link(href=self.stylesheeturl, 
-                              media="screen", rel="stylesheet", 
+                    html.link(href=self.stylesheeturl,
+                              media="screen", rel="stylesheet",
                               type="text/css"))
         self.fill_menubar()
 
         self.metaspace = html.div(
-                html.div(self.title, class_="project_title"), 
+                html.div(self.title, class_="project_title"),
                 self.menubar,
                 id='metaspace')
 
-        self.body.append(self.project.logo) 
-        self.body.append(self.metaspace) 
+        self.body.append(self.project.logo)
+        self.body.append(self.metaspace)
         self.contentspace = html.div(id="contentspace")
-        self.body.append(self.contentspace) 
+        self.body.append(self.contentspace)
 
     def unicode(self, doctype=True): 
         page = self._root.unicode() 
@@ -76,12 +83,14 @@ class Page(object):
             return page 
 
 class PyPage(Page): 
-    def fill(self): 
-        super(PyPage, self).fill() 
+    def get_menubar(self):
+        menubar = super(PyPage, self).get_menubar()
         # base layout 
-        self.menubar.append(
-            html.a("issue", href="https://codespeak.net/issue/py-dev/", class_="menu"), 
-        ) 
+        menubar.append(
+            html.a("issue", href="https://codespeak.net/issue/py-dev/",
+                   class_="menu"),
+        )
+        return menubar
                             
 
 def getrealname(username):
@@ -99,8 +108,9 @@ def getrealname(username):
         return username
     
 
-class Project: 
-    stylesheet = 'style.css'
+class Project:
+    # string for url, path for local file
+    stylesheet = mydir.join('style.css')
     title = "py lib"
     prefix_title = ""  # we have a logo already containing "py lib"
     encoding = 'latin1' 
@@ -118,15 +128,23 @@ class Project:
     def process(self, txtpath): 
         encoding = self.encoding
         content = self.get_content(txtpath, encoding)
-        stylesheet = self.stylesheet 
-        if not stylesheet.startswith('http') and \
-           not txtpath.dirpath(stylesheet).check(): 
-            stylesheet = None 
+        docpath = get_docpath()
+        reloutputpath = txtpath.new(ext='.html').relto(mydir)
+        outputpath = docpath.join(reloutputpath)
 
-        content = convert_rest_html(content, txtpath, stylesheet=stylesheet, encoding=encoding) 
+        stylesheet = self.stylesheet
+        if isinstance(self.stylesheet, py.path.local):
+            if not docpath.join(stylesheet.basename).check():
+                stylesheet.copy(docpath)
+            stylesheet = relpath(outputpath.strpath,
+                                 docpath.join(stylesheet.basename).strpath)
+
+        content = convert_rest_html(content, txtpath,
+                                    stylesheet=stylesheet, encoding=encoding)
         content = strip_html_header(content, encoding=encoding)
 
-        page = self.Page(self, "[%s] " % txtpath.purebasename, stylesheeturl=stylesheet)
+        page = self.Page(self, "[%s] " % txtpath.purebasename,
+                         outputpath, stylesheeturl=stylesheet)
 
         try:
             svninfo = txtpath.info() 
@@ -142,6 +160,5 @@ class Project:
                      id = 'docinfoline'))
 
         page.contentspace.append(py.xml.raw(content))
-        htmlpath = txtpath.new(ext='.html') 
-        htmlpath.write(page.unicode().encode(encoding)) 
+        outputpath.ensure().write(page.unicode().encode(encoding)) 
 
diff --git a/py/doc/conftest.py b/py/doc/conftest.py
index bbdb7e1ba..111d11e04 100644
--- a/py/doc/conftest.py
+++ b/py/doc/conftest.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 from __future__ import generators
 import py
 from py.__.misc import rest 
+from py.__.apigen.linker import relpath
+import os
+
+mypath = py.magic.autopath().dirpath()
 
 Option = py.test.config.Option 
 option = py.test.config.addoptions("documentation check options", 
@@ -12,16 +16,24 @@ option = py.test.config.addoptions("documentation check options",
                action="store_true", dest="forcegen", default=False,
                help="force generation of html files even if they appear up-to-date"
         ),
-        Option('', '--apigenrelpath',
-               action="store", dest="apigen_relpath", default="../../apigen", 
-               type="string",
-               help=("specify the relative path to apigen (used for link "
-                     "generation)")
-        )
 ) 
 
+def get_apigenpath():
+    from py.__.conftest import option
+    path = os.environ.get('APIGENPATH')
+    if path is None:
+        path = option.apigenpath
+    return py.path.local(path)
+
+def get_docpath():
+    from py.__.conftest import option
+    path = os.environ.get('DOCPATH')
+    if path is None:
+        path = option.docpath
+    return py.path.local(path)
+
 def get_apigen_relpath():
-    return py.test.config.option.apigen_relpath.rstrip('\/') + "/"
+    return relpath(get_apigenpath().strpath, get_docpath().strpath)
 
 def deindent(s, sep='\n'):
     leastspaces = -1
@@ -82,7 +94,7 @@ def restcheck(path):
 def _checkskip(lpath):
     if not option.forcegen:
         if lpath.ext == '.txt': 
-            htmlpath = lpath.new(ext='.html')
+            htmlpath = get_docpath().join(lpath.new(ext='.html').relto(mypath))
             if htmlpath.check(file=1) and htmlpath.mtime() >= lpath.mtime(): 
                 py.test.skip("html file is up to date, use --forcegen to regenerate")
                 #return [] # no need to rebuild 
diff --git a/py/misc/testing/test_update_website.py b/py/misc/testing/test_update_website.py
index 976aac1d7..845747ebf 100644
--- a/py/misc/testing/test_update_website.py
+++ b/py/misc/testing/test_update_website.py
@@ -52,7 +52,10 @@ def test_run_tests():
     if py.std.sys.platform == "win32":
         py.test.skip("update_website is not supposed to be run from win32")
     pkgpath = setup_pkg('update_website_run_tests')
-    errors = update_website.run_tests(pkgpath, captureouterr=True)
+    errors = update_website.run_tests(pkgpath,
+                                      pkgpath.dirpath().join('apigen'),
+                                      captureouterr=True)
+    print errors
     assert not errors
     assert pkgpath.join('../apigen').check(dir=True)
     assert pkgpath.join('../apigen/api/sub.foo.html').check(file=True)
@@ -63,6 +66,8 @@ def test_run_tests_failure():
     pkgpath = setup_pkg('update_website_run_tests_failure')
     assert not pkgpath.join('../apigen').check(dir=True)
     pkgpath.ensure('../apigen', file=True)
-    errors = update_website.run_tests(pkgpath, captureouterr=True)
+    errors = update_website.run_tests(pkgpath,
+                                      pkgpath.dirpath().join('apigen'),
+                                      captureouterr=True)
     assert errors # some error message