diff --git a/httprunner/loader.py b/httprunner/loader.py
index 6f07f601..6c3ada5e 100644
--- a/httprunner/loader.py
+++ b/httprunner/loader.py
@@ -170,43 +170,49 @@ def load_dot_env_file(path):
 ##   debugtalk.py module loader
 ###############################################################################
 
-def locate_debugtalk_py(start_dir_path):
+def locate_debugtalk_py(start_path):
     """ locate debugtalk.py module and return module name.
+        searching will be recursive upward until current working directory.
 
     Args:
-        start_dir_path (str): start locating directory path
+        start_path (str): start locating path, maybe file path or directory path
 
     Returns:
         str: located module name. None if module not found.
 
-    Examples:
-        # CWD/debugtalk.py
-        >>> locate_debugtalk_py("/path/to/CWD")
-        debugtalk
-
-        # CWD/tests/debugtalk.py
-        >>> locate_debugtalk_py("/path/to/CWD")
-        tests.debugtalk
+    Raises:
+        exceptions.FileNotFound: If failed to locate debugtalk.py module.
 
     """
+    if os.path.isfile(start_path):
+        start_dir_path = os.path.dirname(start_path)
+    elif os.path.isdir(start_path):
+        start_dir_path = start_path
+    else:
+        raise exceptions.FileNotFound("invalid path: {}".format(start_path))
+
     module_path = os.path.join(start_dir_path, "debugtalk.py")
     if os.path.isfile(module_path):
-        return "debugtalk"
+        if os.path.isabs(module_path):
+            module_path = module_path[len(os.getcwd())+1:]
 
-    # make compatible with former version
-    # TODO: remove this compatiblity
-    module_path = os.path.join(start_dir_path, "tests", "debugtalk.py")
-    if os.path.isfile(module_path):
-        return "tests.debugtalk"
+        module_name = module_path.replace("/", ".").rstrip(".py")
+        return module_name
 
-    return None
+    # current working directory
+    if os.path.abspath(start_dir_path) == os.getcwd():
+        raise exceptions.FileNotFound("debugtalk.py module not found: {}".format(start_path))
+
+    # locate recursive upward
+    return locate_debugtalk_py(os.path.dirname(start_dir_path))
 
 
-def load_debugtalk_module(module_name=None):
+def load_debugtalk_module(start_path=None):
     """ load debugtalk.py module.
 
     Args:
-        module_name (str, optional): module name for debugtalk.py. Defaults to None.
+        start_path (str, optional): start locating path, maybe file path or directory path.
+            Defaults to current working directory.
 
     Returns:
         dict: variables and functions mapping for debugtalk.py
@@ -216,34 +222,22 @@ def load_debugtalk_module(module_name=None):
                 "functions": {}
             }
 
-    Examples:
-        # debugtalk.py
-        >>> load_debugtalk_module()
-        debugtalk
-
-        # tests/debugtalk.py
-        >>> load_debugtalk_module()
-        tests.debugtalk
-
-    Raises:
-        exceptions.ParamsError: If failed to import specified module.
-
     """
-    module_name = module_name or locate_debugtalk_py(os.getcwd())
-
-    if not module_name:
-        return {}
+    start_path = start_path or os.getcwd()
 
     try:
-        imported_module = importlib.import_module(module_name)
-    except ImportError:
-        raise exceptions.ParamsError("module name error: {}".format(module_name))
+        module_name = locate_debugtalk_py(start_path)
+    except exceptions.FileNotFound:
+        return {}
 
-    return {
+    imported_module = importlib.import_module(module_name)
+    debugtalk_module = {
         "variables": utils.filter_module(imported_module, "variable"),
         "functions": utils.filter_module(imported_module, "function")
     }
 
+    return debugtalk_module
+
 
 ###############################################################################
 ##   suite loader
diff --git a/tests/test_loader.py b/tests/test_loader.py
index 102e9a83..2542e42a 100644
--- a/tests/test_loader.py
+++ b/tests/test_loader.py
@@ -144,23 +144,39 @@ class TestFileLoader(unittest.TestCase):
 class TestModuleLoader(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_locate_debugtalk_py(self):
-        self.assertEqual(loader.locate_debugtalk_py(os.getcwd()), "tests.debugtalk")
+        with self.assertRaises(exceptions.FileNotFound):
+            loader.locate_debugtalk_py(os.getcwd())
 
-        start_dir_path = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "tests")
+        with self.assertRaises(exceptions.FileNotFound):
+            loader.locate_debugtalk_py("")
+
+        start_path = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "tests")
         self.assertEqual(
-            loader.locate_debugtalk_py(start_dir_path),
-            "debugtalk"
+            loader.locate_debugtalk_py(start_path),
+            "tests.debugtalk"
         )
-
-        start_dir_path = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "not_exist")
         self.assertEqual(
-            loader.locate_debugtalk_py(start_dir_path),
-            None
+            loader.locate_debugtalk_py("tests/"),
+            "tests.debugtalk"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            loader.locate_debugtalk_py("tests"),
+            "tests.debugtalk"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            loader.locate_debugtalk_py("tests/base.py"),
+            "tests.debugtalk"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            loader.locate_debugtalk_py("tests/data/test.env"),
+            "tests.debugtalk"
         )
 
     def test_load_debugtalk_module(self):
-        imported_module_items = loader.load_debugtalk_module("tests.debugtalk")
-        print(imported_module_items)
+        imported_module_items = loader.load_debugtalk_module()
+        self.assertEqual(imported_module_items, {})
+
+        imported_module_items = loader.load_debugtalk_module("tests")
         self.assertEqual(
             imported_module_items["variables"]["SECRET_KEY"],
             "DebugTalk"
@@ -171,9 +187,6 @@ class TestModuleLoader(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(is_status_code_200(200))
         self.assertFalse(is_status_code_200(500))
 
-        with self.assertRaises(exceptions.ParamsError):
-            loader.load_debugtalk_module("debugtalk")
-
 
 class TestSuiteLoader(unittest.TestCase):