diff --git a/src/groups/delete.js b/src/groups/delete.js
index 346b2e1ef5..260c4ad381 100644
--- a/src/groups/delete.js
+++ b/src/groups/delete.js
@@ -8,45 +8,48 @@ var batch = require('../batch');
 
 module.exports = function (Groups) {
 	Groups.destroy = function (groupName, callback) {
-		Groups.getGroupsData([groupName], function (err, groupsData) {
-			if (err) {
-				return callback(err);
-			}
-			if (!Array.isArray(groupsData) || !groupsData[0]) {
-				return callback();
-			}
-			var groupObj = groupsData[0];
-
-			async.parallel([
-				async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName),
-				async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'groups:createtime', groupName),
-				async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'groups:visible:createtime', groupName),
-				async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'groups:visible:memberCount', groupName),
-				async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'groups:visible:name', groupName.toLowerCase() + ':' + groupName),
-				async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName + ':members'),
-				async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName + ':pending'),
-				async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName + ':invited'),
-				async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName + ':owners'),
-				async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName + ':member:pids'),
-				async.apply(db.deleteObjectField, 'groupslug:groupname', utils.slugify(groupName)),
-				function (next) {
-					batch.processSortedSet('groups:createtime', function (groupNames, next) {
-						var keys = groupNames.map(function (group) {
-							return 'group:' + group + ':members';
-						});
-						db.sortedSetsRemove(keys, groupName, next);
-					}, {
-						batch: 500,
-					}, next);
-				},
-			], function (err) {
-				if (err) {
-					return callback(err);
+		var groupObj;
+		async.waterfall([
+			function (next) {
+				Groups.getGroupsData([groupName], next);
+			},
+			function (groupsData, next) {
+				if (!Array.isArray(groupsData) || !groupsData[0]) {
+					return callback();
 				}
+				groupObj = groupsData[0];
+
+				async.parallel([
+					async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName),
+					async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'groups:createtime', groupName),
+					async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'groups:visible:createtime', groupName),
+					async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'groups:visible:memberCount', groupName),
+					async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'groups:visible:name', groupName.toLowerCase() + ':' + groupName),
+					async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName + ':members'),
+					async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName + ':pending'),
+					async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName + ':invited'),
+					async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName + ':owners'),
+					async.apply(db.delete, 'group:' + groupName + ':member:pids'),
+					async.apply(db.deleteObjectField, 'groupslug:groupname', utils.slugify(groupName)),
+					function (next) {
+						batch.processSortedSet('groups:createtime', function (groupNames, next) {
+							var keys = groupNames.map(function (group) {
+								return 'group:' + group + ':members';
+							});
+							db.sortedSetsRemove(keys, groupName, next);
+						}, {
+							batch: 500,
+						}, next);
+					},
+				], function (err) {
+					next(err);
+				});
+			},
+			function (next) {
 				Groups.resetCache();
 				plugins.fireHook('action:group.destroy', { group: groupObj });
-				callback();
-			});
-		});
+				next();
+			},
+		], callback);
 	};
 };
diff --git a/src/groups/membership.js b/src/groups/membership.js
index 2660d716e1..1b74badb02 100644
--- a/src/groups/membership.js
+++ b/src/groups/membership.js
@@ -287,13 +287,14 @@ module.exports = function (Groups) {
 
 	Groups.getMemberUsers = function (groupNames, start, stop, callback) {
 		async.map(groupNames, function (groupName, next) {
-			Groups.getMembers(groupName, start, stop, function (err, uids) {
-				if (err) {
-					return next(err);
-				}
-
-				user.getUsersFields(uids, ['uid', 'username', 'picture', 'userslug'], next);
-			});
+			async.waterfall([
+				function (next) {
+					Groups.getMembers(groupName, start, stop, next);
+				},
+				function (uids, next) {
+					user.getUsersFields(uids, ['uid', 'username', 'picture', 'userslug'], next);
+				},
+			], next);
 		}, callback);
 	};
 
diff --git a/src/meta/blacklist.js b/src/meta/blacklist.js
index 31ce06af8c..1ef6cfe0a9 100644
--- a/src/meta/blacklist.js
+++ b/src/meta/blacklist.js
@@ -13,27 +13,24 @@ var Blacklist = {
 
 Blacklist.load = function (callback) {
 	callback = callback || function () {};
+
 	async.waterfall([
 		Blacklist.get,
 		Blacklist.validate,
-	], function (err, rules) {
-		if (err) {
-			return callback(err);
-		}
-
-		winston.verbose('[meta/blacklist] Loading ' + rules.valid.length + ' blacklist rules');
-		if (rules.invalid.length) {
-			winston.warn('[meta/blacklist] ' + rules.invalid.length + ' invalid blacklist rule(s) were ignored.');
-		}
-
-		Blacklist._rules = {
-			ipv4: rules.ipv4,
-			ipv6: rules.ipv6,
-			cidr: rules.cidr,
-		};
-
-		callback();
-	});
+		function (rules, next) {
+			winston.verbose('[meta/blacklist] Loading ' + rules.valid.length + ' blacklist rules');
+			if (rules.invalid.length) {
+				winston.warn('[meta/blacklist] ' + rules.invalid.length + ' invalid blacklist rule(s) were ignored.');
+			}
+
+			Blacklist._rules = {
+				ipv4: rules.ipv4,
+				ipv6: rules.ipv6,
+				cidr: rules.cidr,
+			};
+			next();
+		},
+	], callback);
 };
 
 pubsub.on('blacklist:reload', Blacklist.load);
diff --git a/src/meta/cacheBuster.js b/src/meta/cacheBuster.js
index 461bcaf801..d402fe16f7 100644
--- a/src/meta/cacheBuster.js
+++ b/src/meta/cacheBuster.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 
+var async = require('async');
 var fs = require('fs');
 var path = require('path');
 var mkdirp = require('mkdirp');
@@ -15,13 +16,14 @@ function generate() {
 }
 
 exports.write = function write(callback) {
-	mkdirp(path.dirname(filePath), function (err) {
-		if (err) {
-			return callback(err);
-		}
-
-		fs.writeFile(filePath, generate(), callback);
-	});
+	async.waterfall([
+		function (next) {
+			mkdirp(path.dirname(filePath), next);
+		},
+		function (data, next) {
+			fs.writeFile(filePath, generate(), next);
+		},
+	], callback);
 };
 
 exports.read = function read(callback) {
diff --git a/src/meta/logs.js b/src/meta/logs.js
index 4df96261cc..30dd983a36 100644
--- a/src/meta/logs.js
+++ b/src/meta/logs.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 var path = require('path');
 var fs = require('fs');
-var winston = require('winston');
 
 module.exports = function (Meta) {
 	Meta.logs = {
@@ -12,13 +11,7 @@ module.exports = function (Meta) {
 	Meta.logs.get = function (callback) {
 		fs.readFile(Meta.logs.path, {
 			encoding: 'utf-8',
-		}, function (err, logs) {
-			if (err) {
-				winston.error('[meta/logs] Could not retrieve logs: ' + err.message);
-			}
-
-			callback(undefined, logs || '');
-		});
+		}, callback);
 	};
 
 	Meta.logs.clear = function (callback) {
diff --git a/src/meta/templates.js b/src/meta/templates.js
index 9420959694..f6776f64e1 100644
--- a/src/meta/templates.js
+++ b/src/meta/templates.js
@@ -11,14 +11,75 @@ var nconf = require('nconf');
 var plugins = require('../plugins');
 var file = require('../file');
 
-var Templates = {};
+var Templates = module.exports;
 
 Templates.compile = function (callback) {
 	callback = callback || function () {};
 
-	compile(callback);
-};
+	var themeConfig = require(nconf.get('theme_config'));
+	var baseTemplatesPaths = themeConfig.baseTheme ? getBaseTemplates(themeConfig.baseTheme) : [nconf.get('base_templates_path')];
+	var viewsPath = nconf.get('views_dir');
+
+	function processImports(paths, relativePath, source, callback) {
+		var regex = /<!-- IMPORT (.+?) -->/;
+
+		var matches = source.match(regex);
+
+		if (!matches) {
+			return callback(null, source);
+		}
+
+		var partial = '/' + matches[1];
+		if (paths[partial] && relativePath !== partial) {
+			fs.readFile(paths[partial], function (err, file) {
+				if (err) {
+					return callback(err);
+				}
+
+				var partialSource = file.toString();
+				source = source.replace(regex, partialSource);
+
+				processImports(paths, relativePath, source, callback);
+			});
+		} else {
+			winston.warn('[meta/templates] Partial not loaded: ' + matches[1]);
+			source = source.replace(regex, '');
+
+			processImports(paths, relativePath, source, callback);
+		}
+	}
 
+	async.waterfall([
+		function (next) {
+			preparePaths(baseTemplatesPaths, next);
+		},
+		function (paths, next) {
+			async.each(Object.keys(paths), function (relativePath, next) {
+				async.waterfall([
+					function (next) {
+						fs.readFile(paths[relativePath], next);
+					},
+					function (file, next) {
+						var source = file.toString();
+						processImports(paths, relativePath, source, next);
+					},
+					function (compiled, next) {
+						mkdirp(path.join(viewsPath, path.dirname(relativePath)), function (err) {
+							next(err, compiled);
+						});
+					},
+					function (compiled, next) {
+						fs.writeFile(path.join(viewsPath, relativePath), compiled, next);
+					},
+				], next);
+			}, next);
+		},
+		function (next) {
+			winston.verbose('[meta/templates] Successfully compiled templates.');
+			next();
+		},
+	], callback);
+};
 
 function getBaseTemplates(theme) {
 	var baseTemplatesPaths = [];
@@ -39,7 +100,7 @@ function getBaseTemplates(theme) {
 function preparePaths(baseTemplatesPaths, callback) {
 	var coreTemplatesPath = nconf.get('core_templates_path');
 	var viewsPath = nconf.get('views_dir');
-
+	var pluginTemplates;
 	async.waterfall([
 		function (next) {
 			rimraf(viewsPath, next);
@@ -53,32 +114,31 @@ function preparePaths(baseTemplatesPaths, callback) {
 		function (next) {
 			plugins.getTemplates(next);
 		},
-	], function (err, pluginTemplates) {
-		if (err) {
-			return callback(err);
-		}
+		function (_pluginTemplates, next) {
+			pluginTemplates = _pluginTemplates;
+			winston.verbose('[meta/templates] Compiling templates');
 
-		winston.verbose('[meta/templates] Compiling templates');
-
-		async.parallel({
-			coreTpls: function (next) {
-				file.walk(coreTemplatesPath, next);
-			},
-			baseThemes: function (next) {
-				async.map(baseTemplatesPaths, function (baseTemplatePath, next) {
-					file.walk(baseTemplatePath, function (err, paths) {
-						paths = paths.map(function (tpl) {
-							return {
-								base: baseTemplatePath,
-								path: tpl.replace(baseTemplatePath, ''),
-							};
+			async.parallel({
+				coreTpls: function (next) {
+					file.walk(coreTemplatesPath, next);
+				},
+				baseThemes: function (next) {
+					async.map(baseTemplatesPaths, function (baseTemplatePath, next) {
+						file.walk(baseTemplatePath, function (err, paths) {
+							paths = paths.map(function (tpl) {
+								return {
+									base: baseTemplatePath,
+									path: tpl.replace(baseTemplatePath, ''),
+								};
+							});
+
+							next(err, paths);
 						});
-
-						next(err, paths);
-					});
-				}, next);
-			},
-		}, function (err, data) {
+					}, next);
+				},
+			}, next);
+		},
+		function (data, next) {
 			var baseThemes = data.baseThemes;
 			var coreTpls = data.coreTpls;
 			var paths = {};
@@ -99,79 +159,7 @@ function preparePaths(baseTemplatesPaths, callback) {
 				}
 			}
 
-			callback(err, paths);
-		});
-	});
-}
-
-function compile(callback) {
-	var themeConfig = require(nconf.get('theme_config'));
-	var baseTemplatesPaths = themeConfig.baseTheme ? getBaseTemplates(themeConfig.baseTheme) : [nconf.get('base_templates_path')];
-	var viewsPath = nconf.get('views_dir');
-
-	function processImports(paths, relativePath, source, callback) {
-		var regex = /<!-- IMPORT (.+?) -->/;
-
-		var matches = source.match(regex);
-
-		if (!matches) {
-			return callback(null, source);
-		}
-
-		var partial = '/' + matches[1];
-		if (paths[partial] && relativePath !== partial) {
-			fs.readFile(paths[partial], function (err, file) {
-				if (err) {
-					return callback(err);
-				}
-
-				var partialSource = file.toString();
-				source = source.replace(regex, partialSource);
-
-				processImports(paths, relativePath, source, callback);
-			});
-		} else {
-			winston.warn('[meta/templates] Partial not loaded: ' + matches[1]);
-			source = source.replace(regex, '');
-
-			processImports(paths, relativePath, source, callback);
-		}
-	}
-
-	preparePaths(baseTemplatesPaths, function (err, paths) {
-		if (err) {
-			return callback(err);
-		}
-
-		async.each(Object.keys(paths), function (relativePath, next) {
-			async.waterfall([
-				function (next) {
-					fs.readFile(paths[relativePath], next);
-				},
-				function (file, next) {
-					var source = file.toString();
-					processImports(paths, relativePath, source, next);
-				},
-				function (compiled, next) {
-					mkdirp(path.join(viewsPath, path.dirname(relativePath)), function (err) {
-						next(err, compiled);
-					});
-				},
-				function (compiled, next) {
-					fs.writeFile(path.join(viewsPath, relativePath), compiled, next);
-				},
-			], next);
-		}, function (err) {
-			if (err) {
-				winston.error('[meta/templates] ' + err.stack);
-				return callback(err);
-			}
-
-			winston.verbose('[meta/templates] Successfully compiled templates.');
-
-			callback();
-		});
-	});
+			next(null, paths);
+		},
+	], callback);
 }
-
-module.exports = Templates;
diff --git a/src/meta/themes.js b/src/meta/themes.js
index 0d3be261e0..a41bf52e59 100644
--- a/src/meta/themes.js
+++ b/src/meta/themes.js
@@ -19,27 +19,25 @@ module.exports = function (Meta) {
 			return callback(null, []);
 		}
 
-		fs.readdir(themePath, function (err, files) {
-			if (err) {
-				return callback(err);
-			}
-
-			async.filter(files, function (file, next) {
-				fs.stat(path.join(themePath, file), function (err, fileStat) {
-					if (err) {
-						if (err.code === 'ENOENT') {
-							return next(null, false);
+		async.waterfall([
+			function (next) {
+				fs.readdir(themePath, next);
+			},
+			function (files, next) {
+				async.filter(files, function (file, next) {
+					fs.stat(path.join(themePath, file), function (err, fileStat) {
+						if (err) {
+							if (err.code === 'ENOENT') {
+								return next(null, false);
+							}
+							return next(err);
 						}
-						return next(err);
-					}
-
-					next(null, (fileStat.isDirectory() && file.slice(0, 13) === 'nodebb-theme-'));
-				});
-			}, function (err, themes) {
-				if (err) {
-					return callback(err);
-				}
 
+						next(null, (fileStat.isDirectory() && file.slice(0, 13) === 'nodebb-theme-'));
+					});
+				}, next);
+			},
+			function (themes, next) {
 				async.map(themes, function (theme, next) {
 					var config = path.join(themePath, theme, 'theme.json');
 
@@ -66,16 +64,13 @@ module.exports = function (Meta) {
 							next(null, null);
 						}
 					});
-				}, function (err, themes) {
-					if (err) {
-						return callback(err);
-					}
-
-					themes = themes.filter(Boolean);
-					callback(null, themes);
-				});
-			});
-		});
+				}, next);
+			},
+			function (themes, next) {
+				themes = themes.filter(Boolean);
+				next(null, themes);
+			},
+		], callback);
 	};
 
 	Meta.themes.set = function (data, callback) {
@@ -134,33 +129,34 @@ module.exports = function (Meta) {
 	};
 
 	Meta.themes.setupPaths = function (callback) {
-		async.parallel({
-			themesData: Meta.themes.get,
-			currentThemeId: function (next) {
-				db.getObjectField('config', 'theme:id', next);
+		async.waterfall([
+			function (next) {
+				async.parallel({
+					themesData: Meta.themes.get,
+					currentThemeId: function (next) {
+						db.getObjectField('config', 'theme:id', next);
+					},
+				}, next);
 			},
-		}, function (err, data) {
-			if (err) {
-				return callback(err);
-			}
-
-			var themeId = data.currentThemeId || 'nodebb-theme-persona';
+			function (data, next) {
+				var themeId = data.currentThemeId || 'nodebb-theme-persona';
 
-			var	themeObj = data.themesData.filter(function (themeObj) {
-				return themeObj.id === themeId;
-			})[0];
+				var	themeObj = data.themesData.filter(function (themeObj) {
+					return themeObj.id === themeId;
+				})[0];
 
-			if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
-				winston.info('[themes] Using theme ' + themeId);
-			}
+				if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
+					winston.info('[themes] Using theme ' + themeId);
+				}
 
-			if (!themeObj) {
-				return callback(new Error('[[error:theme-not-found]]'));
-			}
+				if (!themeObj) {
+					return callback(new Error('[[error:theme-not-found]]'));
+				}
 
-			Meta.themes.setPath(themeObj);
-			callback();
-		});
+				Meta.themes.setPath(themeObj);
+				next();
+			},
+		], callback);
 	};
 
 	Meta.themes.setPath = function (themeObj) {