diff --git a/application-settings/application-settings.android.ts b/application-settings/application-settings.android.ts
index 1e9599ff7..074820010 100644
--- a/application-settings/application-settings.android.ts
+++ b/application-settings/application-settings.android.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import appModule = require("application");
-import Common = require("application-settings/application-settings-common");
+import Common = require("application-settings/application-settings-common");
+import utils = require("utils/utils");
 
-var sharedPreferences = appModule.android.context.getSharedPreferences("prefs.db", 0);
+var sharedPreferences = utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getSharedPreferences("prefs.db", 0);
 
 export var hasKey = function (key: string): boolean {
     Common.checkKey(key);
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ export var getBoolean = function (key: string, defaultValue?: boolean): boolean
     return defaultValue;
 }
 
-export var getString = function(key: string, defaultValue?: string): string {
+export var getString = function (key: string, defaultValue?: string): string {
     Common.checkKey(key);
     if (hasKey(key)) {
         return sharedPreferences.getString(key, "");
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export var getString = function(key: string, defaultValue?: string): string {
     return defaultValue;
 }
 
-export var getNumber = function(key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
+export var getNumber = function (key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
     Common.checkKey(key);
     if (hasKey(key)) {
         return sharedPreferences.getFloat(key, float(0.0));
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export var getNumber = function(key: string, defaultValue?: number): number {
 }
 
 // setters
-export var setBoolean = function(key: string, value: boolean): void {
+export var setBoolean = function (key: string, value: boolean): void {
     Common.checkKey(key);
     Common.ensureValidValue(value, "boolean");
     var editor = sharedPreferences.edit();
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export var setBoolean = function(key: string, value: boolean): void {
     editor.commit();
 }
 
-export var setString = function(key: string, value: string): void {
+export var setString = function (key: string, value: string): void {
     Common.checkKey(key);
     Common.ensureValidValue(value, "string");
     var editor = sharedPreferences.edit();
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export var setString = function(key: string, value: string): void {
     editor.commit();
 }
 
-export var setNumber = function(key: string, value: number): void {
+export var setNumber = function (key: string, value: number): void {
     Common.checkKey(key);
     Common.ensureValidValue(value, "number");
     var editor = sharedPreferences.edit();
diff --git a/camera/camera.android.ts b/camera/camera.android.ts
index 0f1744411..aa3e8157c 100644
--- a/camera/camera.android.ts
+++ b/camera/camera.android.ts
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ export var takePicture = function (options?: definition.CameraOptions): Promise<
             }
             var takePictureIntent = new android.content.Intent(android.provider.MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
             var dateStamp = createDateTimeStamp();
-            var tempPicturePath = fileSystem.path.join(appModule.android.currentContext.getExternalFilesDir(null).getAbsolutePath(), "cameraPicture_" + dateStamp + ".jpg");
+            var tempPicturePath = fileSystem.path.join(utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getExternalFilesDir(null).getAbsolutePath(), "cameraPicture_" + dateStamp + ".jpg");
             var nativeFile = new java.io.File(tempPicturePath);
             var tempPictureUri = android.net.Uri.fromFile(nativeFile);
             takePictureIntent.putExtra(android.provider.MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT, tempPictureUri);
-            if (takePictureIntent.resolveActivity(appModule.android.context.getPackageManager()) != null) {
+            if (takePictureIntent.resolveActivity(utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getPackageManager()) != null) {
 
                 var previousResult = appModule.android.onActivityResult;
                 appModule.android.onActivityResult = (requestCode: number, resultCode: number, data: android.content.Intent) => {
diff --git a/connectivity/connectivity.android.ts b/connectivity/connectivity.android.ts
index 2de50837a..dbda582f7 100644
--- a/connectivity/connectivity.android.ts
+++ b/connectivity/connectivity.android.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import appModule = require("application");
 import common = require("connectivity/connectivity-common");
+import utils = require("utils/utils");
 
 declare var exports;
 require("utils/module-merge").merge(common, exports);
@@ -9,11 +10,7 @@ var MOBILE = "MOBILE";
 
 // Get Connection Type
 function getConnectivityManager(): android.net.ConnectivityManager {
-    if (!appModule.android || !appModule.android.context) {
-        return null;
-    }
-
-    return appModule.android.context.getSystemService(android.content.Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
+    return utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getSystemService(android.content.Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
 }
 
 function getActiveNetworkInfo(): android.net.NetworkInfo {
diff --git a/file-system/file-system-access.android.ts b/file-system/file-system-access.android.ts
index d225b36f9..b0dbd8c12 100644
--- a/file-system/file-system-access.android.ts
+++ b/file-system/file-system-access.android.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import appModule = require("application");
-import textModule = require("text");
+import textModule = require("text");
 import types = require("utils/types");
+import utils = require("utils/utils");
 
 export class FileSystemAccess {
     private _pathSeparator = java.io.File.separator.toString();
@@ -211,14 +211,12 @@ export class FileSystemAccess {
     }
 
     public getDocumentsFolderPath(): string {
-        var context = appModule.android.context;
-        var dir = context.getFilesDir();
+        var dir = utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getFilesDir();
         return dir.getAbsolutePath();
     }
 
     public getTempFolderPath(): string {
-        var context = appModule.android.context;
-        var dir = context.getCacheDir();
+        var dir = utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getCacheDir();
         return dir.getAbsolutePath();
     }
 
diff --git a/image-source/image-source.android.ts b/image-source/image-source.android.ts
index ca871a906..13af389c0 100644
--- a/image-source/image-source.android.ts
+++ b/image-source/image-source.android.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import types = require("utils/types");
 import fs = require("file-system");
-import appModule = require("application");
 import definition = require("image-source");
 import common = require("image-source/image-source-common");
 import enums = require("ui/enums");
+import utils = require("utils/utils");
 
 // merge the exports of the common file with the exports of this file
 declare var exports;
@@ -16,10 +16,9 @@ export class ImageSource implements definition.ImageSource {
     public loadFromResource(name: string): boolean {
         this.android = null;
 
-        var androidApp = appModule.android;
-        var res = androidApp.context.getResources();
+        var res = utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getResources();
         if (res) {
-            var identifier: number = res.getIdentifier(name, 'drawable', androidApp.packageName);
+            var identifier: number = res.getIdentifier(name, 'drawable', utils.ad.getApplication().getPackageName());
             if (0 < identifier) {
                 // Load BitmapDrawable with getDrawable to make use of Android internal caching
                 var bitmapDrawable = <android.graphics.drawable.BitmapDrawable>res.getDrawable(identifier);
diff --git a/location/location.android.ts b/location/location.android.ts
index ca440c89e..af4b887df 100644
--- a/location/location.android.ts
+++ b/location/location.android.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import enums = require("ui/enums");
-import appModule = require("application");
 import locationModule = require("location");
 import common = require("location/location-common");
+import utils = require("utils/utils");
 
 import merger = require("utils/module-merge");
 declare var exports;
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export class LocationManager implements locationModule.LocationManager {
     public static isEnabled(): boolean {
         var criteria = new android.location.Criteria();
         criteria.setAccuracy(android.location.Criteria.ACCURACY_COARSE);
-        var lm = appModule.android.context.getSystemService(android.content.Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
+        var lm = utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getSystemService(android.content.Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
         // due to bug in android API getProviders() with criteria parameter overload should be called (so most loose acuracy is used).
         var enabledProviders = lm.getProviders(criteria, true);
         return (enabledProviders.size() > 0) ? true : false;
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ export class LocationManager implements locationModule.LocationManager {
         this.desiredAccuracy = enums.Accuracy.any;
         this.updateDistance = 0; 
         
-		//this.androidLocationManager = appModule.android.context.getSystemService(android.content.Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
-		var alm = appModule.android.context.getSystemService(android.content.Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
+		//this.androidLocationManager = utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getSystemService(android.content.Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
+        var alm = utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getSystemService(android.content.Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
 		this.androidLocationManager = new AndroidLocationManager(alm);
 		this.androidLocationManager.minimumUpdateTime = 200;
     }
diff --git a/platform/platform.android.ts b/platform/platform.android.ts
index 9d13dcb2d..82f17988f 100644
--- a/platform/platform.android.ts
+++ b/platform/platform.android.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /* tslint:disable:class-name */
 import definition = require("platform");
 import enums = require("ui/enums");
-import application = require("application");
+import utils = require("utils/utils");
 
 export module platformNames {
     export var android = "Android";
@@ -75,11 +75,11 @@ export class device implements definition.device {
     static get uuid(): string {
         if (!device._uuid) {
             device._uuid = android.provider.Settings.Secure.getString(
-              application.android.context.getContentResolver(),
-              android.provider.Settings.Secure.ANDROID_ID
-            );
+                utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getContentResolver(),
+                android.provider.Settings.Secure.ANDROID_ID
+                );
         }
-        
+
         return device._uuid;
     }
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ export class device implements definition.device {
         if (!device._language) {
             device._language = java.util.Locale.getDefault().toString();
         }
-        
+
         return device._language;
     }
 }
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ var mainScreenInfo: definition.ScreenMetrics;
 export class screen implements definition.screen {
     static get mainScreen(): definition.ScreenMetrics {
         if (!mainScreenInfo) {
-            var metrics = application.android.context.getResources().getDisplayMetrics();
+            var metrics = utils.ad.getApplicationContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics();
             mainScreenInfo = {
                 widthPixels: metrics.widthPixels,
                 heightPixels: metrics.heightPixels,
diff --git a/utils/utils.android.ts b/utils/utils.android.ts
index f6f9c5d98..542830e30 100644
--- a/utils/utils.android.ts
+++ b/utils/utils.android.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-import application = require("application");
-import common = require("utils/utils-common");
+import common = require("utils/utils-common");
 
 // merge the exports of the common file with the exports of this file
 declare var exports;
@@ -17,9 +16,9 @@ export module layout {
     var useOldMeasureSpec = false;
 
     export function makeMeasureSpec(size: number, mode: number): number {
-        if (sdkVersion === -1 && application.android && application.android.context) {
+        if (sdkVersion === -1) {
             // check whether the old layout is needed
-            sdkVersion = application.android.context.getApplicationInfo().targetSdkVersion;
+            sdkVersion = ad.getApplicationContext().getApplicationInfo().targetSdkVersion;
             useOldMeasureSpec = sdkVersion <= android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.JELLY_BEAN_MR1;
         }
 
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ export module layout {
 
     function getDisplayMetrics(): android.util.DisplayMetrics {
         if (!metrics) {
-            metrics = application.android.context.getResources().getDisplayMetrics();
+            metrics = ad.getApplicationContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics();
         }
 
         return metrics;
@@ -49,6 +48,10 @@ export module layout {
 
 // We are using "ad" here to avoid namespace collision with the global android object
 export module ad {
+
+    export function getApplication() { return <android.app.Application>(<any>com.tns).NativeScriptApplication.getInstance(); }
+    export function getApplicationContext() { return <android.content.Context>getApplication().getApplicationContext(); }
+
     export module collections {
         export function stringArrayToStringSet(str: string[]): any {
             var hashSet = new java.util.HashSet();
@@ -84,9 +87,8 @@ export module ad {
         }
 
         export function getId(name: string): number {
-            var context = application.android.context;
-            var resources = context.getResources();
-            var packageName = context.getPackageName();
+            var resources = getApplicationContext().getResources();
+            var packageName = getApplicationContext().getPackageName();
             var uri = packageName + name;
             return resources.getIdentifier(uri, null, null);
         }
diff --git a/utils/utils.d.ts b/utils/utils.d.ts
index 9c65e2796..98713938b 100644
--- a/utils/utils.d.ts
+++ b/utils/utils.d.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,16 @@
      * Module with android specific utilities.
      */
     module ad {
+        /**
+         * Gets the native Android application instance.
+         */
+        export function getApplication(): android.app.Application;
+
+        /**
+         * Gets the Android application context.
+         */
+        export function getApplicationContext(): android.content.Context;
+
         /**
          * Utility module dealing with some android collections.
          */