diff --git a/powerline/__init__.py b/powerline/__init__.py
index 7f8932dd..af0600a4 100644
--- a/powerline/__init__.py
+++ b/powerline/__init__.py
@@ -279,12 +279,14 @@ class Powerline(object):
 		colorschemes, render module (``powerline.renders.{ext}``).
 	:param str renderer_module:
 		Overrides renderer module (defaults to ``ext``). Should be the name of 
-		the package imported like this: ``powerline.renders.{render_module}``. 
+		the package imported like this: ``powerline.renderers.{render_module}``. 
 		If this parameter contains a dot, ``powerline.renderers.`` is not 
 		prepended. There is also a special case for renderers defined in 
 		toplevel modules: ``foo.`` (note: dot at the end) tries to get renderer 
 		from module ``foo`` (because ``foo`` (without dot) tries to get renderer 
-		from module ``powerline.renderers.foo``).
+		from module ``powerline.renderers.foo``). When ``.foo`` (with leading 
+		dot) variant is used ``renderer_module`` will be 
+		``powerline.renderers.{ext}{renderer_module}``.
 	:param bool run_once:
 		Determines whether .renderer.render() method will be run only once 
 		during python session.
@@ -307,15 +309,20 @@ class Powerline(object):
 				shutdown_event=None,
 				config_loader=None):
 		self.ext = ext
-		self.renderer_module = renderer_module or ext
 		self.run_once = run_once
 		self.logger = logger
 		self.use_daemon_threads = use_daemon_threads
 
-		if '.' not in self.renderer_module:
-			self.renderer_module = 'powerline.renderers.' + self.renderer_module
-		elif self.renderer_module[-1] == '.':
-			self.renderer_module = self.renderer_module[:-1]
+		if not renderer_module:
+			self.renderer_module = 'powerline.renderers.' + ext
+		elif '.' not in renderer_module:
+			self.renderer_module = 'powerline.renderers.' + renderer_module
+		elif renderer_module.startswith('.'):
+			self.renderer_module = 'powerline.renderers.' + ext + renderer_module
+		elif renderer_module.endswith('.'):
+			self.renderer_module = renderer_module[:-1]
+		else:
+			self.renderer_module = renderer_module
 
 		self.find_config_files = generate_config_finder(self.get_config_paths)
 
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh b/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh
index e44d9da2..1a5ab763 100644
--- a/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh
+++ b/powerline/bindings/bash/powerline.sh
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ _powerline_prompt() {
 	# Arguments: side, last_exit_code, jobnum
 	$POWERLINE_COMMAND shell $1 \
 		--width="${COLUMNS:-$(_powerline_columns_fallback)}" \
-		-r bash_prompt \
+		-r.bash \
 		--last_exit_code=$2 \
 		--jobnum=$3 \
 		--renderer_arg="client_id=$$"
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ _powerline_set_prompt() {
 	local jobnum="$(jobs -p|wc -l)"
 	PS1="$(_powerline_prompt aboveleft $last_exit_code $jobnum)"
 	if test -n "$POWERLINE_SHELL_CONTINUATION$POWERLINE_BASH_CONTINUATION" ; then
-		PS2="$(_powerline_local_prompt left -rbash_prompt $last_exit_code $jobnum continuation)"
+		PS2="$(_powerline_local_prompt left -r.bash $last_exit_code $jobnum continuation)"
 	fi
 	if test -n "$POWERLINE_SHELL_SELECT$POWERLINE_BASH_SELECT" ; then
 		PS3="$(_powerline_local_prompt left '' $last_exit_code $jobnum select)"
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ _powerline_setup_prompt() {
 	fi
 	test "x$PROMPT_COMMAND" != "x${PROMPT_COMMAND%_powerline_set_prompt*}" ||
 		PROMPT_COMMAND=$'_powerline_set_prompt\n'"${PROMPT_COMMAND}"
-	PS2="$(_powerline_local_prompt left -rbash_prompt 0 0 continuation)"
+	PS2="$(_powerline_local_prompt left -r.bash 0 0 continuation)"
 	PS3="$(_powerline_local_prompt left '' 0 0 select)"
 }
 
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/shell/powerline.sh b/powerline/bindings/shell/powerline.sh
index 3fc2b434..8940c028 100644
--- a/powerline/bindings/shell/powerline.sh
+++ b/powerline/bindings/shell/powerline.sh
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ _powerline_tmux_set_columns() {
 
 _powerline_set_renderer_arg() {
 	case "$1" in
-		bb|ash) _POWERLINE_RENDERER_ARG="-rbash_prompt" ;;
-		mksh|ksh) _POWERLINE_RENDERER_ARG="-rksh_prompt" ;;
+		bb|ash) _POWERLINE_RENDERER_ARG="-r .bash" ;;
+		mksh|ksh) _POWERLINE_RENDERER_ARG="-r .ksh" ;;
 		bash|dash) _POWERLINE_RENDERER_ARG= ;;
 	esac
 }
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/tcsh/powerline.tcsh b/powerline/bindings/tcsh/powerline.tcsh
index 48155466..ac93341b 100644
--- a/powerline/bindings/tcsh/powerline.tcsh
+++ b/powerline/bindings/tcsh/powerline.tcsh
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ if ( { $POWERLINE_CONFIG shell --shell=tcsh uses prompt } ) then
 		alias _powerline_above '$POWERLINE_COMMAND shell above --renderer_arg=client_id=$$ --last_exit_code=$POWERLINE_STATUS --width=$POWERLINE_COLUMNS'
 	endif
 
-	alias _powerline_set_prompt 'set prompt="`$POWERLINE_COMMAND shell left -r tcsh_prompt --renderer_arg=client_id=$$ --last_exit_code=$POWERLINE_STATUS --width=$POWERLINE_COLUMNS`"'
-	alias _powerline_set_rprompt 'set rprompt="`$POWERLINE_COMMAND shell right -r tcsh_prompt --renderer_arg=client_id=$$ --last_exit_code=$POWERLINE_STATUS --width=$POWERLINE_COLUMNS` "'
+	alias _powerline_set_prompt 'set prompt="`$POWERLINE_COMMAND shell left -r .tcsh --renderer_arg=client_id=$$ --last_exit_code=$POWERLINE_STATUS --width=$POWERLINE_COLUMNS`"'
+	alias _powerline_set_rprompt 'set rprompt="`$POWERLINE_COMMAND shell right -r .tcsh --renderer_arg=client_id=$$ --last_exit_code=$POWERLINE_STATUS --width=$POWERLINE_COLUMNS` "'
 	alias _powerline_set_columns 'set POWERLINE_COLUMNS=`stty size|cut -d" " -f2` ; set POWERLINE_COLUMNS=`expr $POWERLINE_COLUMNS - 2`'
 
 	alias precmd 'set POWERLINE_STATUS=$? ; '"`alias precmd`"' ; _powerline_set_columns ; _powerline_above ; _powerline_set_prompt ; _powerline_set_rprompt'
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/zsh/__init__.py b/powerline/bindings/zsh/__init__.py
index 444490b5..b6ccde1a 100644
--- a/powerline/bindings/zsh/__init__.py
+++ b/powerline/bindings/zsh/__init__.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def get_var_config(var):
 class Args(object):
 	__slots__ = ('last_pipe_status', 'last_exit_code')
 	ext = ['shell']
-	renderer_module = 'zsh_prompt'
+	renderer_module = '.zsh'
 
 	@property
 	def config(self):
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh b/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh
index 0bc2c50e..8a7078f1 100644
--- a/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh
+++ b/powerline/bindings/zsh/powerline.zsh
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ _powerline_setup_prompt() {
 			POWERLINE_COMMAND=( "$($POWERLINE_CONFIG shell command)" )
 		fi
 
-		local add_args='-r zsh_prompt'
+		local add_args='-r .zsh'
 		add_args+=' --last_exit_code=$?'
 		add_args+=' --last_pipe_status="$pipestatus"'
 		add_args+=' --renderer_arg="client_id=$$"'
diff --git a/powerline/ipython.py b/powerline/ipython.py
index 5fc66b34..bc244d6d 100644
--- a/powerline/ipython.py
+++ b/powerline/ipython.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class IpythonPowerline(Powerline):
 	def __init__(self, is_prompt, old_widths):
 		super(IpythonPowerline, self).__init__(
 			'ipython',
-			renderer_module=('ipython_prompt' if is_prompt else 'ipython'),
+			renderer_module=('.prompt' if is_prompt else None),
 			use_daemon_threads=True
 		)
 		self.old_widths = old_widths
diff --git a/powerline/lint/__init__.py b/powerline/lint/__init__.py
index a1749790..891a7d8f 100644
--- a/powerline/lint/__init__.py
+++ b/powerline/lint/__init__.py
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ def check_matcher_func(ext, match_name, data, context, echoerr):
 		match_function = match_name
 	with WithPath(import_paths):
 		try:
-			func = getattr(__import__(match_module, fromlist=[match_function]), unicode(match_function))
+			func = getattr(__import__(str(match_module), fromlist=[str(match_function)]), str(match_function))
 		except ImportError:
 			echoerr(context='Error while loading matcher functions',
 					problem='failed to load module {0}'.format(match_module),
@@ -823,7 +823,7 @@ def check_key_compatibility(segment, data, context, echoerr):
 def check_segment_module(module, data, context, echoerr):
 	with WithPath(data['import_paths']):
 		try:
-			__import__(unicode(module))
+			__import__(str(module))
 		except ImportError as e:
 			if echoerr.logger.level >= logging.DEBUG:
 				echoerr.logger.exception(e)
@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ def import_segment(name, data, context, echoerr, module=None):
 
 	with WithPath(data['import_paths']):
 		try:
-			func = getattr(__import__(unicode(module), fromlist=[unicode(name)]), unicode(name))
+			func = getattr(__import__(str(module), fromlist=[str(name)]), str(name))
 		except ImportError:
 			echoerr(context='Error while checking segments (key {key})'.format(key=context_key(context)),
 					problem='failed to import module {0}'.format(module),
diff --git a/powerline/renderers/ipython.py b/powerline/renderers/ipython/__init__.py
similarity index 100%
rename from powerline/renderers/ipython.py
rename to powerline/renderers/ipython/__init__.py
diff --git a/powerline/renderers/ipython_prompt.py b/powerline/renderers/ipython/prompt.py
similarity index 100%
rename from powerline/renderers/ipython_prompt.py
rename to powerline/renderers/ipython/prompt.py
diff --git a/powerline/renderers/shell.py b/powerline/renderers/shell/__init__.py
similarity index 100%
rename from powerline/renderers/shell.py
rename to powerline/renderers/shell/__init__.py
diff --git a/powerline/renderers/bash_prompt.py b/powerline/renderers/shell/bash.py
similarity index 100%
rename from powerline/renderers/bash_prompt.py
rename to powerline/renderers/shell/bash.py
diff --git a/powerline/renderers/ksh_prompt.py b/powerline/renderers/shell/ksh.py
similarity index 100%
rename from powerline/renderers/ksh_prompt.py
rename to powerline/renderers/shell/ksh.py
diff --git a/powerline/renderers/tcsh_prompt.py b/powerline/renderers/shell/tcsh.py
similarity index 87%
rename from powerline/renderers/tcsh_prompt.py
rename to powerline/renderers/shell/tcsh.py
index adbb91c9..261b081a 100644
--- a/powerline/renderers/tcsh_prompt.py
+++ b/powerline/renderers/shell/tcsh.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, unicode_literals
 
-from powerline.renderers.zsh_prompt import ZshPromptRenderer
+from powerline.renderers.shell.zsh import ZshPromptRenderer
 
 
 class TcshPromptRenderer(ZshPromptRenderer):
diff --git a/powerline/renderers/zsh_prompt.py b/powerline/renderers/shell/zsh.py
similarity index 100%
rename from powerline/renderers/zsh_prompt.py
rename to powerline/renderers/shell/zsh.py
diff --git a/powerline/shell.py b/powerline/shell.py
index 513a6974..25d07258 100644
--- a/powerline/shell.py
+++ b/powerline/shell.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def get_argparser(parser=None, *args, **kwargs):
 	p.add_argument('ext', nargs=1, help='Extension: application for which powerline command is launched (usually `shell\' or `tmux\')')
 	p.add_argument('side', nargs='?', choices=('left', 'right', 'above', 'aboveleft'), help='Side: `left\' and `right\' represent left and right side respectively, `above\' emits lines that are supposed to be printed just above the prompt and `aboveleft\' is like concatenating `above\' with `left\' with the exception that only one Python instance is used in this case.')
 	p.add_argument('-r', '--renderer_module', metavar='MODULE', type=str,
-				help='Renderer module. Usually something like `bash_prompt\' or `zsh_prompt\', is supposed to be set only in shell-specific bindings file.')
+				help='Renderer module. Usually something like `.bash\' or `.zsh\', is supposed to be set only in shell-specific bindings file.')
 	p.add_argument('-w', '--width', type=int, help='Maximum prompt with. Triggers truncation of some segments')
 	p.add_argument('--last_exit_code', metavar='INT', type=int, help='Last exit code')
 	p.add_argument('--last_pipe_status', metavar='LIST', default='', type=lambda s: [int(status) for status in s.split()], help='Like above, but is supposed to contain space-separated array of statuses, representing exit statuses of commands in one pipe.')
diff --git a/tests/test_cmdline.py b/tests/test_cmdline.py
index f1ff683a..5af43eee 100644
--- a/tests/test_cmdline.py
+++ b/tests/test_cmdline.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class TestParser(TestCase):
 				(['shell', '--config_path'],             'expected one argument'),
 				(['shell', '--renderer_arg'],            'expected one argument'),
 				(['shell', '--jobnum'],                  'expected one argument'),
-				(['-r', 'zsh_prompt'],                   'too few arguments|the following arguments are required: ext'),
+				(['-r', '.zsh'],                         'too few arguments|the following arguments are required: ext'),
 				(['shell', '--last_exit_code', 'i'],     'invalid int value'),
 				(['shell', '--last_pipe_status', '1 i'], 'invalid <lambda> value'),
 			]:
@@ -57,12 +57,12 @@ class TestParser(TestCase):
 		err = StrIO()
 		with replace_attr(sys, 'stdout', out, 'stderr', err):
 			for argv, expargs in [
-				(['shell'],                     {'ext': ['shell']}),
-				(['shell', '-r', 'zsh_prompt'], {'ext': ['shell'], 'renderer_module': 'zsh_prompt'}),
+				(['shell'],               {'ext': ['shell']}),
+				(['shell', '-r', '.zsh'], {'ext': ['shell'], 'renderer_module': '.zsh'}),
 				([
 					'shell',
 					'left',
-					'-r', 'zsh_prompt',
+					'-r', '.zsh',
 					'--last_exit_code', '10',
 					'--last_pipe_status', '10 20 30',
 					'--jobnum=10',
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class TestParser(TestCase):
 				], {
 					'ext': ['shell'],
 					'side': 'left',
-					'renderer_module': 'zsh_prompt',
+					'renderer_module': '.zsh',
 					'last_exit_code': 10,
 					'last_pipe_status': [10, 20, 30],
 					'jobnum': 10,
diff --git a/tests/test_provided_config_files.py b/tests/test_provided_config_files.py
index 45cffcf6..da160ab1 100644
--- a/tests/test_provided_config_files.py
+++ b/tests/test_provided_config_files.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class TestConfig(TestCase):
 
 	def test_zsh(self):
 		from powerline.shell import ShellPowerline
-		args = Args(last_pipe_status=[1, 0], jobnum=0, ext=['shell'], renderer_module='zsh_prompt')
+		args = Args(last_pipe_status=[1, 0], jobnum=0, ext=['shell'], renderer_module='.zsh')
 		segment_info = {'args': args}
 		with ShellPowerline(args, run_once=False) as powerline:
 			powerline.render(segment_info=segment_info)
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ class TestConfig(TestCase):
 
 	def test_bash(self):
 		from powerline.shell import ShellPowerline
-		args = Args(last_exit_code=1, jobnum=0, ext=['shell'], renderer_module='bash_prompt', config={'ext': {'shell': {'theme': 'default_leftonly'}}})
+		args = Args(last_exit_code=1, jobnum=0, ext=['shell'], renderer_module='.bash', config={'ext': {'shell': {'theme': 'default_leftonly'}}})
 		with ShellPowerline(args, run_once=False) as powerline:
 			powerline.render(segment_info={'args': args})
 		with ShellPowerline(args, run_once=False) as powerline: