diff --git a/scrapy/addons/__init__.py b/scrapy/addons/__init__.py
index 40a98676d..ddd18c7fb 100644
--- a/scrapy/addons/__init__.py
+++ b/scrapy/addons/__init__.py
@@ -7,11 +7,9 @@ from pkg_resources import WorkingSet, Distribution, Requirement
 import zope.interface
 from zope.interface.verify import verifyObject
 
-from scrapy.exceptions import NotConfigured
 from scrapy.interfaces import IAddon
 from scrapy.utils.conf import build_component_list
 from scrapy.utils.misc import load_module_or_object
-from scrapy.utils.project import get_project_path
 
 
 @zope.interface.implementer(IAddon)
@@ -244,14 +242,8 @@ class AddonManager(Mapping):
         """Get an add-on object by its Python or file path.
 
         ``path`` is assumed to be either a Python or a file path of a Scrapy
-        add-on. If no object is found at ``path``, it is tried again first with
-        ``projectname.addons`` prepended (pointing to the current project's
-        ``addons`` folder), then with ``scrapy.addons`` prepended (poiting to
-        Scrapy's built-in add-ons). These convenience shortcuts will only work
-        with Python paths, not file paths.
-
-        If the object or module pointed to by ``path`` has an attribute named
-        ``_addon`` that attribute will be assumed to be the add-on.
+        add-on. If the object or module pointed to by ``path`` has an attribute
+        named ``_addon`` that attribute will be assumed to be the add-on.
         :meth:`get_addon` will keep following ``_addon`` attributes until it
         finds an object that does not have an attribute named ``_addon``.
 
@@ -259,20 +251,9 @@ class AddonManager(Mapping):
         :type path: ``str``
         """
         if isinstance(path, six.string_types):
-            prefixes = ['', 'scrapy.addons.']
             try:
-                prefixes.insert(1, get_project_path() + '.addons.')
-            except NotConfigured:
-                warnings.warn("Unable to locate project Python path")
-            for prefix in prefixes:
-                fullpath = prefix + path
-                try:
-                    obj = load_module_or_object(fullpath)
-                except NameError:
-                    pass
-                else:
-                    break
-            else:
+                obj = load_module_or_object(path)
+            except NameError:
                 raise NameError("Could not find add-on '%s'" % path)
         else:
             obj = path
diff --git a/tests/test_addons/__init__.py b/tests/test_addons/__init__.py
index f10819685..4f1074221 100644
--- a/tests/test_addons/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/test_addons/__init__.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import zope.interface
 from zope.interface.verify import verifyObject
 from zope.interface.exceptions import BrokenImplementation
 
-import scrapy.addons
 from scrapy.addons import Addon, AddonManager
 from scrapy.crawler import Crawler
 from scrapy.interfaces import IAddon
@@ -187,32 +186,6 @@ class AddonManagerTest(unittest.TestCase):
         x._addon._addon = addons.GoodAddon('inner')
         self.assertIs(self.manager.get_addon(x), x._addon._addon)
 
-    @mock.patch.object(scrapy.addons, 'get_project_path',
-                       return_value='tests.test_addons.project')
-    def test_get_addon_prefixes(self, get_project_path_mock):
-        # From python path
-        self.assertEqual(self.manager.get_addon('addonmod').FROM,
-                         'test_addons.addonmod')
-
-        # From project 'addons' folder
-        self.assertEqual(self.manager.get_addon('addonmod2').FROM,
-                         'test_addons.project.addons.addonmod2')
-        # Assert prefix priority '' > 'project.addons'
-        self.assertEqual(self.manager.get_addon('addonmod').FROM,
-                         'test_addons.addonmod')
-
-        # From scrapy's 'addons'
-        from . import scrapy_addons
-        with mock.patch.dict('sys.modules', {'scrapy.addons': scrapy_addons}):
-            self.assertEqual(self.manager.get_addon('addonmod3').FROM,
-                             'test_addons.scrapy_addons.addonmod3')
-            # Assert prefix priority 'project.addons' > 'scrapy.addons'
-            self.assertEqual(self.manager.get_addon('addonmod2').FROM,
-                             'test_addons.project.addons.addonmod2')
-            # Assert prefix priority '' > 'scrapy.addons.'
-            self.assertEqual(self.manager.get_addon('addonmod').FROM,
-                             'test_addons.addonmod')
-
     def test_load_dict_load_settings(self):
         def _test_load_method(func, *args, **kwargs):
             manager = AddonManager()
diff --git a/tests/test_addons/project/__init__.py b/tests/test_addons/project/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/tests/test_addons/project/addons/__init__.py b/tests/test_addons/project/addons/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/tests/test_addons/project/addons/addonmod.py b/tests/test_addons/project/addons/addonmod.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 66ca644f8..000000000
--- a/tests/test_addons/project/addons/addonmod.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-import zope.interface
-
-from scrapy.interfaces import IAddon
-
-zope.interface.moduleProvides(IAddon)
-
-FROM = 'test_addons.project.addons.addonmod'
diff --git a/tests/test_addons/project/addons/addonmod2.py b/tests/test_addons/project/addons/addonmod2.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 0dbdd70ff..000000000
--- a/tests/test_addons/project/addons/addonmod2.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-import zope.interface
-
-from scrapy.interfaces import IAddon
-
-zope.interface.moduleProvides(IAddon)
-
-FROM = 'test_addons.project.addons.addonmod2'
diff --git a/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/__init__.py b/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000
diff --git a/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/addonmod.py b/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/addonmod.py
deleted file mode 100644
index fa479aa68..000000000
--- a/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/addonmod.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-import zope.interface
-
-from scrapy.interfaces import IAddon
-
-zope.interface.moduleProvides(IAddon)
-
-FROM = 'test_addons.scrapy_addons.addonmod'
diff --git a/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/addonmod2.py b/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/addonmod2.py
deleted file mode 100644
index da053af4a..000000000
--- a/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/addonmod2.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-import zope.interface
-
-from scrapy.interfaces import IAddon
-
-zope.interface.moduleProvides(IAddon)
-
-FROM = 'test_addons.scrapy_addons.addonmod2'
diff --git a/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/addonmod3.py b/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/addonmod3.py
deleted file mode 100644
index c64521478..000000000
--- a/tests/test_addons/scrapy_addons/addonmod3.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-import zope.interface
-
-from scrapy.interfaces import IAddon
-
-zope.interface.moduleProvides(IAddon)
-
-FROM = 'test_addons.scrapy_addons.addonmod3'