diff --git a/cmake/sitecustomize.py b/cmake/sitecustomize.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0f31ba93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/sitecustomize.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+def application_pytriqs_import(name,*args,**kwargs):
+  if name.startswith('@package_name@'):
+    name = name[len('@package_name@')+1:]
+  return builtin_import(name,*args,**kwargs)
+
+import __builtin__
+__builtin__.__import__, builtin_import = application_pytriqs_import, __builtin__.__import__
+
diff --git a/python/CMakeLists.txt b/python/CMakeLists.txt
index 33c5f133..4283e74b 100644
--- a/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # where will the python end up in triqs?
 set(python_destination applications/dft)
 
+# site_customize for build
+set(package_name "pytriqs.applications")
+configure_file(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/sitecustomize.py ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/sitecustomize.py @ONLY)
+
 # make a local pytriqs copy
 triqs_prepare_local_pytriqs(${python_destination})