diff --git a/conftest.py b/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import os
+
+import mock
+import pytest
+
+
+here = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+
+def pytest_ignore_collect(path):
+    # ignore all files outside the 'kallithea' directory
+    if not str(path).startswith(os.path.join(here, 'kallithea')):
+        return True
+
+    # during doctest verification, normally all python files will be imported.
+    # Thus, files that cannot be imported normally should be ignored.
+    # Files that generate ImportErrors are ignored via
+    # '--doctest-ignore-import-errors' (pytest.ini)
+    kallithea_ignore_paths = (
+        # AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'config'
+        '/kallithea/alembic/env.py',
+        # collection of the following file messes up the rest of test execution
+        '/kallithea/tests/scripts/manual_test_concurrency.py',
+    )
+    if str(path).endswith(kallithea_ignore_paths):
+        return True
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def doctest_mock_ugettext(request):
+    """Mock ugettext ('_') in the module using this fixture.
+
+    Intended to be used for doctests.
+
+    In a doctest, enable this fixture using:
+        >>> getfixture('doctest_mock_ugettext')
+    """
+    m = __import__(request.module.__name__, globals(), locals(), [None], 0)
+    with mock.patch.object(m, '_', lambda s: s):
+        yield