diff --git a/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py b/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py
index 1b1d89e14..4324718a5 100644
--- a/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py
+++ b/evennia/server/evennia_launcher.py
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ EVENNIA_LIB = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(evennia.__file__)))
 EVENNIA_SERVER = os.path.join(EVENNIA_LIB, "server")
 EVENNIA_RUNNER = os.path.join(EVENNIA_SERVER, "evennia_runner.py")
 EVENNIA_TEMPLATE = os.path.join(EVENNIA_LIB, "game_template")
-EVENNIA_TESTING = os.path.join(EVENNIA_SERVER, "testing")
-EVENNIA_DUMMYRUNNER = os.path.join(EVENNIA_TESTING, "dummyrunner.py")
+EVENNIA_PROFILING = os.path.join(EVENNIA_SERVER, "profiling")
+EVENNIA_DUMMYRUNNER = os.path.join(EVENNIA_PROFILING, "dummyrunner.py")
 
 TWISTED_BINARY = "twistd"
 
diff --git a/evennia/server/initial_setup.py b/evennia/server/initial_setup.py
index 5944d4e53..168c27a7d 100644
--- a/evennia/server/initial_setup.py
+++ b/evennia/server/initial_setup.py
@@ -27,12 +27,9 @@ ERROR_NO_SUPERUSER = \
 
 LIMBO_DESC = \
     _("""
-Welcome to your new {wEvennia{n-based game. From here you are
-ready to begin development. Visit http://evennia.com if you should
-need help or would like to participate in community discussions.
-If you are logged in as user #1 you can create a demo/tutorial
-area with {w@batchcommand tutorial_world.build{n. Use {w@quell{n
-or login as normal player to play the demo properly.
+Welcome to your new {wEvennia{n-based game! Visit http://www.evennia.com if you need
+help, want to contribute, report issues or just join the community.
+As Player #1 you can create a demo/tutorial area with {w@batchcommand tutorial_world.build{n.
     """)
 
 
diff --git a/evennia/server/testing/README.txt b/evennia/server/profiling/README.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from evennia/server/testing/README.txt
rename to evennia/server/profiling/README.txt
diff --git a/evennia/server/testing/__init__.py b/evennia/server/profiling/__init__.py
similarity index 100%
rename from evennia/server/testing/__init__.py
rename to evennia/server/profiling/__init__.py
diff --git a/evennia/server/testing/dummyrunner.py b/evennia/server/profiling/dummyrunner.py
similarity index 89%
rename from evennia/server/testing/dummyrunner.py
rename to evennia/server/profiling/dummyrunner.py
index 0bd7e09a5..342014018 100644
--- a/evennia/server/testing/dummyrunner.py
+++ b/evennia/server/profiling/dummyrunner.py
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ for instructions on how to define this module.
 
 """
 
-import time, random
+import sys
+import time
+import random
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 from twisted.conch import telnet
 from twisted.internet import reactor, protocol
@@ -43,6 +45,10 @@ from evennia.utils import mod_import, time_format
 # Load the dummyrunner settings module
 
 DUMMYRUNNER_SETTINGS = mod_import(settings.DUMMYRUNNER_SETTINGS_MODULE)
+if not DUMMYRUNNER_SETTINGS:
+    raise IOError("Error: Dummyrunner could not find settings file at %s" %
+                    settings.DUMMYRUNNER_SETTINGS_MODULE)
+
 DATESTRING = "%Y%m%d%H%M%S"
 
 # Settings
@@ -64,19 +70,40 @@ TELNET_PORT = DUMMYRUNNER_SETTINGS.TELNET_PORT or settings.TELNET_PORTS[0]
 #
 NLOGGED_IN = 0
 
+
 # Messages
 
+
 INFO_STARTING = \
     """
     Dummyrunner starting using {N} dummy player(s). If you don't see
     any connection messages, make sure that the Evennia server is
-    running. If you intend the dummies to work fully, set
-    settings.PERMISSION_PLAYER_DEFAULT appropriately (if so it is
-    recommended that you use a temporary testing database).
+    running.
 
     Use Ctrl-C to stop/disconnect clients.
     """
 
+ERROR_NO_MIXIN = \
+    """
+    Error: Evennia is not set up for dummyrunner. Before starting the
+    server, make sure to include the following at *the end* of your
+    settings file (remove when not using dummyrunner!):
+
+        from evennia.server.profiling.settings_mixin import *
+
+    This will change the settings in the following way:
+        - change PERMISSION_PLAYER_DEFAULT to 'Immortals' to allow clients
+          to test all commands
+        - change PASSWORD_HASHERS to use a faster (but less safe) algorithm
+          when creating large numbers of accounts at the same time
+
+    If you don't want to use the custom settings of the mixin for some
+    reason, you can change their values manually after the import, or
+    add DUMMYRUNNER_MIXIN=True to your settings file to avoid this
+    error completely.
+    """
+
+
 ERROR_FEW_ACTIONS = \
     """
     Dummyrunner settings error: The ACTIONS tuple is too short: it must
@@ -292,6 +319,12 @@ def start_all_dummy_clients(nclients):
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
 
+    try:
+        settings.DUMMYRUNNER_MIXIN
+    except AttributeError:
+        print ERROR_NO_MIXIN
+        sys.exit()
+
     # parsing command line with default vals
     parser = ArgumentParser(description=HELPTEXT)
     parser.add_argument("-N", nargs=1, default=1, dest="nclients",
diff --git a/evennia/server/testing/dummyrunner_settings.py b/evennia/server/profiling/dummyrunner_settings.py
similarity index 100%
rename from evennia/server/testing/dummyrunner_settings.py
rename to evennia/server/profiling/dummyrunner_settings.py
diff --git a/evennia/server/testing/memplot.py b/evennia/server/profiling/memplot.py
similarity index 100%
rename from evennia/server/testing/memplot.py
rename to evennia/server/profiling/memplot.py
diff --git a/evennia/server/profiling/settings_mixin.py b/evennia/server/profiling/settings_mixin.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..523eb893e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/evennia/server/profiling/settings_mixin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+"""
+Dummyrunner mixin. Add this at the end of the settings file before
+running dummyrunner, like this:
+
+    from evennia.server.profiling.settings_mixin import *
+
+Note that these mixin-settings are not suitable for production
+servers!
+"""
+
+# the dummyrunner will check this variable to make sure
+# the mixin is present
+DUMMYRUNNER_MIXIN = True
+# a faster password hasher suitable for multiple simultaneous
+# player creations. The default one is safer but deliberately
+# very slow to make cracking harder.
+PASSWORD_HASHERS = (
+            'django.contrib.auth.hashers.MD5PasswordHasher',
+            )
+# make dummy clients able to test all commands
+PERMISSION_PLAYER_DEFAULT = "Immortals"
diff --git a/evennia/server/testing/test_queries.py b/evennia/server/profiling/test_queries.py
similarity index 100%
rename from evennia/server/testing/test_queries.py
rename to evennia/server/profiling/test_queries.py
diff --git a/evennia/settings_default.py b/evennia/settings_default.py
index e7d0955a0..dcfd5ed52 100644
--- a/evennia/settings_default.py
+++ b/evennia/settings_default.py
@@ -14,19 +14,13 @@ always be sure of what you have changed and what is default behaviour.
 """
 
 import os
+import sys
 
 ######################################################################
 # Evennia base server config
 ######################################################################
 
 # This is the name of your game. Make it catchy!
-import sys
-
-try:
-    test = sys.argv[1] == 'test'
-except IndexError:
-    test = False
-
 SERVERNAME = "Evennia"
 # Activate telnet service
 TELNET_ENABLED = True
@@ -106,8 +100,8 @@ EVENNIA_ADMIN = True
 # Path to the lib directory containing the bulk of the codebase's code.
 EVENNIA_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 # Path to the game directory (containing the database file if using sqlite).
-if test:
-    # we must run tests from the root of an initialized game directory
+if sys.argv[1] == 'test' if len(sys.argv)>1 else False:
+    # unittesting mode
     GAME_DIR = os.getcwd()
 else:
     # Fallback location (will be replaced by the actual game dir at runtime)
@@ -256,7 +250,7 @@ LOCK_FUNC_MODULES = ("evennia.locks.lockfuncs", "server.conf.lockfuncs",)
 OOB_PLUGIN_MODULES = ["evennia.server.oob_cmds", "server.conf.oobfuncs"]
 # Module holding settings/actions for the dummyrunner program (see the
 # dummyrunner for more information)
-DUMMYRUNNER_SETTINGS_MODULE = os.path.join(EVENNIA_DIR, "server/testing/dummyrunner_settings")
+DUMMYRUNNER_SETTINGS_MODULE = "evennia.server.profiling.dummyrunner_settings"
 
 ######################################################################
 # Default command sets
@@ -488,7 +482,6 @@ IMC2_PORT = 5000 # this is the imc2 port, not on localhost
 IMC2_CLIENT_PWD = ""
 IMC2_SERVER_PWD = ""
 
-
 ######################################################################
 # Django web features
 ######################################################################