diff --git a/errbot/bootstrap.py b/errbot/bootstrap.py
index d37986dfa..cd4116055 100644
--- a/errbot/bootstrap.py
+++ b/errbot/bootstrap.py
@@ -19,12 +19,53 @@
 PLUGIN_DEFAULT_INDEX = 'https://repos.errbot.io/repos.json'
 
 
+def bot_config_defaults(config):
+    if not hasattr(config, 'ACCESS_CONTROLS_DEFAULT'):
+        config.ACCESS_CONTROLS_DEFAULT = {}
+    if not hasattr(config, 'ACCESS_CONTROLS'):
+        config.ACCESS_CONTROLS = {}
+    if not hasattr(config, 'HIDE_RESTRICTED_COMMANDS'):
+        config.HIDE_RESTRICTED_COMMANDS = False
+    if not hasattr(config, 'HIDE_RESTRICTED_ACCESS'):
+        config.HIDE_RESTRICTED_ACCESS = False
+    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_PREFIX_OPTIONAL_ON_CHAT'):
+        config.BOT_PREFIX_OPTIONAL_ON_CHAT = False
+    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_PREFIX'):
+        config.BOT_PREFIX = '!'
+    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_ALT_PREFIXES'):
+        config.BOT_ALT_PREFIXES = ()
+    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_ALT_PREFIX_SEPARATORS'):
+        config.BOT_ALT_PREFIX_SEPARATORS = ()
+    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_ALT_PREFIX_CASEINSENSITIVE'):
+        config.BOT_ALT_PREFIX_CASEINSENSITIVE = False
+    if not hasattr(config, 'DIVERT_TO_PRIVATE'):
+        config.DIVERT_TO_PRIVATE = ()
+    if not hasattr(config, 'MESSAGE_SIZE_LIMIT'):
+        config.MESSAGE_SIZE_LIMIT = 10000  # Corresponds with what HipChat accepts
+    if not hasattr(config, 'GROUPCHAT_NICK_PREFIXED'):
+        config.GROUPCHAT_NICK_PREFIXED = False
+    if not hasattr(config, 'AUTOINSTALL_DEPS'):
+        config.AUTOINSTALL_DEPS = True
+    if not hasattr(config, 'SUPPRESS_CMD_NOT_FOUND'):
+        config.SUPPRESS_CMD_NOT_FOUND = False
+    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_ASYNC'):
+        config.BOT_ASYNC = True
+    if not hasattr(config, 'CHATROOM_PRESENCE'):
+        config.CHATROOM_PRESENCE = ()
+    if not hasattr(config, 'CHATROOM_RELAY'):
+        config.CHATROOM_RELAY = ()
+    if not hasattr(config, 'CHATROOM_FN'):
+        config.CHATROOM_FN = 'Errbot'
+    if not hasattr(config, 'TEXT_DEMO_MODE'):
+        config.TEXT_DEMO_MODE = True
+    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_ADMINS'):
+        raise ValueError('BOT_ADMINS missing from config.py.')
+
+
 def setup_bot(backend_name, logger, config, restore=None):
     # from here the environment is supposed to be set (daemon / non daemon,
     # config.py in the python path )
 
-    from .core import bot_config_defaults
-
     bot_config_defaults(config)
 
     if config.BOT_LOG_FILE:
diff --git a/errbot/core.py b/errbot/core.py
index 88474cd07..0e15a2c26 100644
--- a/errbot/core.py
+++ b/errbot/core.py
@@ -13,69 +13,27 @@
 #    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 #    along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 #    Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
-from datetime import datetime
 import difflib
 import inspect
 import logging
 import re
 import traceback
+from datetime import datetime
+from threading import RLock
+
+from threadpool import ThreadPool, WorkRequest
 
 from errbot import CommandError
 from errbot.flow import FlowExecutor, FlowRoot
 from .backends.base import Backend, Room, Identifier, Message
-from threadpool import ThreadPool, WorkRequest
-from threading import RLock
+from .storage import StoreMixin
 from .streaming import Tee
 from .templating import tenv
 from .utils import split_string_after, get_class_that_defined_method
-from .storage import StoreMixin
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def bot_config_defaults(config):
-    if not hasattr(config, 'ACCESS_CONTROLS_DEFAULT'):
-        config.ACCESS_CONTROLS_DEFAULT = {}
-    if not hasattr(config, 'ACCESS_CONTROLS'):
-        config.ACCESS_CONTROLS = {}
-    if not hasattr(config, 'HIDE_RESTRICTED_COMMANDS'):
-        config.HIDE_RESTRICTED_COMMANDS = False
-    if not hasattr(config, 'HIDE_RESTRICTED_ACCESS'):
-        config.HIDE_RESTRICTED_ACCESS = False
-    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_PREFIX_OPTIONAL_ON_CHAT'):
-        config.BOT_PREFIX_OPTIONAL_ON_CHAT = False
-    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_PREFIX'):
-        config.BOT_PREFIX = '!'
-    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_ALT_PREFIXES'):
-        config.BOT_ALT_PREFIXES = ()
-    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_ALT_PREFIX_SEPARATORS'):
-        config.BOT_ALT_PREFIX_SEPARATORS = ()
-    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_ALT_PREFIX_CASEINSENSITIVE'):
-        config.BOT_ALT_PREFIX_CASEINSENSITIVE = False
-    if not hasattr(config, 'DIVERT_TO_PRIVATE'):
-        config.DIVERT_TO_PRIVATE = ()
-    if not hasattr(config, 'MESSAGE_SIZE_LIMIT'):
-        config.MESSAGE_SIZE_LIMIT = 10000  # Corresponds with what HipChat accepts
-    if not hasattr(config, 'GROUPCHAT_NICK_PREFIXED'):
-        config.GROUPCHAT_NICK_PREFIXED = False
-    if not hasattr(config, 'AUTOINSTALL_DEPS'):
-        config.AUTOINSTALL_DEPS = True
-    if not hasattr(config, 'SUPPRESS_CMD_NOT_FOUND'):
-        config.SUPPRESS_CMD_NOT_FOUND = False
-    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_ASYNC'):
-        config.BOT_ASYNC = True
-    if not hasattr(config, 'CHATROOM_PRESENCE'):
-        config.CHATROOM_PRESENCE = ()
-    if not hasattr(config, 'CHATROOM_RELAY'):
-        config.CHATROOM_RELAY = ()
-    if not hasattr(config, 'CHATROOM_FN'):
-        config.CHATROOM_FN = 'Errbot'
-    if not hasattr(config, 'TEXT_DEMO_MODE'):
-        config.TEXT_DEMO_MODE = True
-    if not hasattr(config, 'BOT_ADMINS'):
-        raise ValueError('BOT_ADMINS missing from config.py.')
-
-
 # noinspection PyAbstractClass
 class ErrBot(Backend, StoreMixin):
     """ ErrBot is the layer of Err that takes care of the plugin management and dispatching
diff --git a/tests/backend_tests/slack_tests.py b/tests/backend_tests/slack_tests.py
index 4b4e7fee7..b5e91fbd0 100644
--- a/tests/backend_tests/slack_tests.py
+++ b/tests/backend_tests/slack_tests.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 import mock
 
-from errbot.core import bot_config_defaults
+from errbot.bootstrap import bot_config_defaults
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
diff --git a/tests/base_backend_tests.py b/tests/base_backend_tests.py
index 577f03191..396fd47f3 100644
--- a/tests/base_backend_tests.py
+++ b/tests/base_backend_tests.py
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@
 from os.path import sep
 
 import pytest
-
-from errbot.core import bot_config_defaults
-
 import os  # noqa
 import re  # noqa
 from collections import OrderedDict
@@ -16,7 +13,7 @@
 from errbot.backends.base import Message, Room, Identifier, ONLINE
 from errbot.backends.test import TestPerson, TestOccupant, TestRoom, ShallowConfig
 from errbot import botcmd, re_botcmd, arg_botcmd, templating  # noqa
-from errbot.bootstrap import CORE_STORAGE
+from errbot.bootstrap import CORE_STORAGE, bot_config_defaults
 from errbot.plugin_manager import BotPluginManager
 from errbot.rendering import text
 from errbot.core_plugins.acls import ACLS
diff --git a/tests/utils_tests.py b/tests/utils_tests.py
index cb9ae913d..21be2b2a3 100644
--- a/tests/utils_tests.py
+++ b/tests/utils_tests.py
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 from errbot.backends.test import ShallowConfig
-from errbot.core import bot_config_defaults
-from errbot.bootstrap import CORE_STORAGE
+from errbot.bootstrap import CORE_STORAGE, bot_config_defaults
 from errbot.specific_plugin_manager import SpecificPluginManager
 from errbot.storage.base import StoragePluginBase
 from errbot.utils import *