'The TEMPLATE_ENGINE directory to search for microsite templates
in non-mako templates must be loaded before the django startup'

def enable_microsites_pre_startup(self, log):

    microsites_root = settings.MICROSITE_ROOT_DIR
    if self.has_configuration_set():
        settings.MAKO_TEMPLATES['main'].insert(0, microsites_root)
        settings.DEFAULT_TEMPLATE_ENGINE['DIRS'].append(microsites_root)
