diff --git a/lib/commands/new/unit-test-runners/karma.js b/lib/commands/new/unit-test-runners/karma.js
index 00ae3164a..09174405b 100644
--- a/lib/commands/new/unit-test-runners/karma.js
+++ b/lib/commands/new/unit-test-runners/karma.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ module.exports = function(project) {
         ProjectItem.resource('setup.ext', 'test/setup.js', project.model.transpiler),
         ProjectItem.resource('app.spec.ext', 'test/app.spec.js', project.model.transpiler)
       ),
-      ProjectItem.resource('aurelia-karma.js', 'test/aurelia-karma.js')
+      ProjectItem.resource('aurelia-karma.js', `test/${project.loader}.aurelia-karma.js`)
     )
     ).addToDevDependencies(
     'jasmine-core',
diff --git a/lib/dependencies.json b/lib/dependencies.json
index 34265b276..9e1978772 100644
--- a/lib/dependencies.json
+++ b/lib/dependencies.json
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
   "karma-typescript-preprocessor": "^0.2.1",
   "minimatch": "^3.0.2",
   "requirejs": "^2.3.2",
+  "systemjs":"0.20.13",
+  "systemjs-plugin-text":"0.0.9",
   "text": "github:requirejs/text#latest",
   "through2": "^2.0.1",
   "tslint": "^3.11.0",
diff --git a/lib/resources/test/aurelia-karma.js b/lib/resources/test/require.aurelia-karma.js
similarity index 100%
rename from lib/resources/test/aurelia-karma.js
rename to lib/resources/test/require.aurelia-karma.js
diff --git a/lib/resources/test/system.aurelia-karma.js b/lib/resources/test/system.aurelia-karma.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c90e3b5bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/resources/test/system.aurelia-karma.js
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+(function(global) {
+  var karma = global.__karma__;
+  var root = 'src';
+  karma.config.args.forEach(function(value, index) {
+    if (value === 'aurelia-root') {
+      root = karma.config.args[index + 1];
+    }
+  });
+
+  if (!karma) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  function patchSystemJS() {
+    SystemJS.config({
+      "packages": {
+        "base/test": {
+          "defaultExtension": "js"
+        }
+      }
+    });
+
+    var originalDefine = global.define;
+    global.define = function(name, deps, m) {
+      if (typeof name === 'string') {
+        originalDefine('/base/' + root + '/' + name, [name], function (result) { return result; });
+      }
+
+      return originalDefine(name, deps, m);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function requireTests() {
+    var TEST_REGEXP = /(spec)\.js$/i;
+    var allTestFiles = ['/base/test/unit/setup.js'];
+
+    Object.keys(window.__karma__.files).forEach(function(file) {
+      if (TEST_REGEXP.test(file)) {
+        allTestFiles.push(file);
+      }
+    });
+
+    require(allTestFiles, window.__karma__.start);
+  }
+
+  karma.loaded = function() {}; // make it async
+  patchSystemJS();
+  requireTests();
+})(window);
diff --git a/lib/workflow/activities/project-create.js b/lib/workflow/activities/project-create.js
index dc796b954..bfb2a4300 100644
--- a/lib/workflow/activities/project-create.js
+++ b/lib/workflow/activities/project-create.js
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ module.exports = class {
           let configurePlatform = require(`../../commands/new/platforms/${model.platform.id}`);
           configurePlatform(project, this.options);
 
+          let configureLoader = require(`../../commands/new/loaders/${model.loader.id}`);
+          configureLoader(project, this.options);
+
           let configureTranspiler = require(`../../commands/new/transpilers/${model.transpiler.id}`);
           configureTranspiler(project, this.options);
 
@@ -55,9 +58,6 @@ module.exports = class {
           let configureEditor = require(`../../commands/new/editors/${model.editor.id}`);
           configureEditor(project, this.options);
 
-          let configureLoader = require(`../../commands/new/loaders/${model.loader.id}`);
-          configureLoader(project, this.options);
-
           return project.create(this.ui, this.options.hasFlag('here') ? undefined : process.cwd())
             .then(() => this.ui.clearScreen())
             .then(() => this.ui.log('Project structure created and configured.'))