diff --git a/lib/aliases.zsh b/lib/aliases.zsh
deleted file mode 100644
index 3044c9660..000000000
--- a/lib/aliases.zsh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-# Push and pop directories on directory stack
-alias pu='pushd'
-alias po='popd'
-
-# Basic directory operations
-alias ...='cd ../..'
-alias -- -='cd -'
-
-# Super user
-alias _='sudo'
-alias please='sudo'
-
-#alias g='grep -in'
-
-# Show history
-if [ "$HIST_STAMPS" = "mm/dd/yyyy" ]
-then
-    alias history='fc -fl 1'
-elif [ "$HIST_STAMPS" = "dd.mm.yyyy" ]
-then
-    alias history='fc -El 1'
-elif [ "$HIST_STAMPS" = "yyyy-mm-dd" ]
-then
-    alias history='fc -il 1'
-else
-    alias history='fc -l 1'
-fi
-# List direcory contents
-alias lsa='ls -lah'
-alias l='ls -lah'
-alias ll='ls -lh'
-alias la='ls -lAh'
-alias sl=ls # often screw this up
-
-alias afind='ack-grep -il'
-
diff --git a/lib/directories.zsh b/lib/directories.zsh
index 1896945f4..f55d812bd 100644
--- a/lib/directories.zsh
+++ b/lib/directories.zsh
@@ -4,12 +4,10 @@ setopt auto_pushd
 setopt pushd_ignore_dups
 setopt pushdminus
 
-alias ..='cd ..'
-alias cd..='cd ..'
-alias cd...='cd ../..'
-alias cd....='cd ../../..'
-alias cd.....='cd ../../../..'
-alias cd/='cd /'
+alias -g ...='../..'
+alias -g ....='../../..'
+alias -g .....='../../../..'
+alias -g ......='../../../../..'
 
 alias 1='cd -'
 alias 2='cd -2'
@@ -21,23 +19,17 @@ alias 7='cd -7'
 alias 8='cd -8'
 alias 9='cd -9'
 
-cd () {
-  if   [[ "x$*" == "x..." ]]; then
-    cd ../..
-  elif [[ "x$*" == "x...." ]]; then
-    cd ../../..
-  elif [[ "x$*" == "x....." ]]; then
-    cd ../../../..
-  elif [[ "x$*" == "x......" ]]; then
-    cd ../../../../..
-  elif [ -d ~/.autoenv ]; then
-    source ~/.autoenv/activate.sh
-    autoenv_cd "$@"
-  else
-    builtin cd "$@"
-  fi
-}
-
 alias md='mkdir -p'
 alias rd=rmdir
 alias d='dirs -v | head -10'
+
+# List directory contents
+alias lsa='ls -lah'
+alias l='ls -la'
+alias ll='ls -l'
+alias la='ls -lA'
+alias sl=ls # often screw this up
+
+# Push and pop directories on directory stack
+alias pu='pushd'
+alias po='popd'
diff --git a/lib/history.zsh b/lib/history.zsh
index 655945166..45a37fc11 100644
--- a/lib/history.zsh
+++ b/lib/history.zsh
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ fi
 HISTSIZE=10000
 SAVEHIST=10000
 
+# Show history
+case $HIST_STAMPS in
+  "mm/dd/yyyy") alias history='fc -fl 1' ;;
+  "dd.mm.yyyy") alias history='fc -El 1' ;;
+  "yyyy-mm-dd") alias history='fc -il 1' ;;
+  *) alias history='fc -l 1' ;;
+esac
+
 setopt append_history
 setopt extended_history
 setopt hist_expire_dups_first
diff --git a/lib/key-bindings.zsh b/lib/key-bindings.zsh
index 94f1842f3..8a516dcfc 100644
--- a/lib/key-bindings.zsh
+++ b/lib/key-bindings.zsh
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ autoload -U edit-command-line
 zle -N edit-command-line
 bindkey '\C-x\C-e' edit-command-line
 
+# file rename magick
+bindkey "^[m" copy-prev-shell-word
+
 # consider emacs keybindings:
 
 #bindkey -e  ## emacs key bindings
diff --git a/lib/misc.zsh b/lib/misc.zsh
index a8678b8ec..ea8a05fcb 100644
--- a/lib/misc.zsh
+++ b/lib/misc.zsh
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@
 autoload -U url-quote-magic
 zle -N self-insert url-quote-magic
 
-## file rename magick
-bindkey "^[m" copy-prev-shell-word
-
 ## jobs
 setopt long_list_jobs
 
@@ -13,3 +10,10 @@ export PAGER="less"
 export LESS="-R"
 
 export LC_CTYPE=$LANG
+
+## super user alias
+alias _='sudo'
+alias please='sudo'
+
+## more intelligent acking for ubuntu users
+alias afind='ack-grep -il'
diff --git a/plugins/autoenv/autoenv.plugin.zsh b/plugins/autoenv/autoenv.plugin.zsh
index ca5666979..a8271849e 100644
--- a/plugins/autoenv/autoenv.plugin.zsh
+++ b/plugins/autoenv/autoenv.plugin.zsh
@@ -1,6 +1,17 @@
+# Activates autoenv or reports its failure
+if ! source $HOME/.autoenv/activate.sh 2>/dev/null; then
+  echo '-------- AUTOENV ---------'
+  echo 'Could not find ~/.autoenv/activate.sh.'
+  echo 'Please check if autoenv is correctly installed.'
+  echo 'In the meantime the autoenv plugin is DISABLED.'
+  echo '--------------------------'
+  return 1
+fi
+
 # The use_env call below is a reusable command to activate/create a new Python
 # virtualenv, requiring only a single declarative line of code in your .env files.
 # It only performs an action if the requested virtualenv is not the current one.
+
 use_env() {
     typeset venv
     venv="$1"
diff --git a/plugins/common-aliases/common-aliases.plugin.zsh b/plugins/common-aliases/common-aliases.plugin.zsh
index b19650fee..401f6e280 100644
--- a/plugins/common-aliases/common-aliases.plugin.zsh
+++ b/plugins/common-aliases/common-aliases.plugin.zsh
@@ -21,12 +21,6 @@ alias sgrep='grep -R -n -H -C 5 --exclude-dir={.git,.svn,CVS} '
 
 alias t='tail -f'
 
-# because typing 'cd' is A LOT of work!!
-alias ..='cd ../'
-alias ...='cd ../../'
-alias ....='cd ../../../'
-alias .....='cd ../../../../'
-
 # Command line head / tail shortcuts
 alias -g H='| head'
 alias -g T='| tail'