diff --git a/.github/workflows/stale.yml b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
index e8f3ae7d..69e7d139 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/stale.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/stale@v7
+    - uses: actions/stale@v8
       with:
         repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         stale-issue-message: 'This issue is stale because it has been open for 120 days with no activity. Remove the `stale` label or comment or this will be closed in 15 days'
diff --git a/docs/en/development.rst b/docs/en/development.rst
index 735c4183..2efb76b2 100644
--- a/docs/en/development.rst
+++ b/docs/en/development.rst
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ dependencies in your templates you can include template overrides in your
 application templates. These overrides work similar to overriding other plugin
 templates.
 
-#. Create a new directory **/templates/plugin/Bake/**.
+#. Create a new directory **/templates/plugin/Bake/bake/**.
 #. Copy any templates you want to override from
    **vendor/cakephp/bake/templates/bake/** to matching files in your
    application.
diff --git a/phpcs.xml b/phpcs.xml
index c68ff65c..d1748477 100644
--- a/phpcs.xml
+++ b/phpcs.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <ruleset name="CakePHP Bake">
     <config name="installed_paths" value="../../cakephp/cakephp-codesniffer" />
+    <arg value="ns"/>
+
+    <file>src/</file>
+    <file>tests/</file>
 
     <rule ref="CakePHP" />
 
diff --git a/src/Command/BakeCommand.php b/src/Command/BakeCommand.php
index a03596eb..ac0ce16f 100644
--- a/src/Command/BakeCommand.php
+++ b/src/Command/BakeCommand.php
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 use Cake\Event\Event;
 use Cake\Event\EventManager;
 use InvalidArgumentException;
+use function Cake\Core\pluginSplit;
 
 /**
  * Base class for commands that bake can use.
diff --git a/src/Command/ModelCommand.php b/src/Command/ModelCommand.php
index 12f94599..2b006f50 100644
--- a/src/Command/ModelCommand.php
+++ b/src/Command/ModelCommand.php
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 use Cake\Datasource\ConnectionManager;
 use Cake\ORM\Table;
 use Cake\Utility\Inflector;
+use function Cake\Core\pluginSplit;
 
 /**
  * Command for generating model files.
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ public function getAssociations(Table $table, Arguments $args, ConsoleIo $io): a
         ];
 
         $primary = $table->getPrimaryKey();
-        $associations = $this->findBelongsTo($table, $associations);
+        $associations = $this->findBelongsTo($table, $associations, $args);
 
         if (is_array($primary) && count($primary) > 1) {
             $io->warning(
@@ -329,9 +330,10 @@ public function getAssociationInfo(Table $table): array
      *
      * @param \Cake\ORM\Table $model Database\Table instance of table being generated.
      * @param array $associations Array of in progress associations
+     * @param \Cake\Console\Arguments|null $args CLI arguments
      * @return array Associations with belongsTo added in.
      */
-    public function findBelongsTo(Table $model, array $associations): array
+    public function findBelongsTo(Table $model, array $associations, ?Arguments $args = null): array
     {
         $schema = $model->getSchema();
         foreach ($schema->columns() as $fieldName) {
@@ -362,11 +364,13 @@ public function findBelongsTo(Table $model, array $associations): array
                     get_class($associationTable) === Table::class &&
                     !in_array(Inflector::tableize($tmpModelName), $tables, true)
                 ) {
+                    $allowAliasRelations = $args && $args->getOption('skip-relation-check');
                     $found = $this->findTableReferencedBy($schema, $fieldName);
-                    if (!$found) {
+                    if ($found) {
+                        $tmpModelName = Inflector::camelize($found);
+                    } elseif (!$allowAliasRelations) {
                         continue;
                     }
-                    $tmpModelName = Inflector::camelize($found);
                 }
                 $assoc = [
                     'alias' => $tmpModelName,
@@ -1319,6 +1323,10 @@ public function buildOptionParser(ConsoleOptionParser $parser): ConsoleOptionPar
         ])->addOption('no-fixture', [
             'boolean' => true,
             'help' => 'Do not generate a test fixture skeleton.',
+        ])->addOption('skip-relation-check', [
+            'boolean' => true,
+            'help' => 'Generate relations for all "example_id" fields'
+            . ' without checking the database if a table "examples" exists.',
         ])->setEpilog(
             'Omitting all arguments and options will list the table names you can generate models for.'
         );
diff --git a/src/Command/PluginCommand.php b/src/Command/PluginCommand.php
index 5855ef3a..3cf8f130 100644
--- a/src/Command/PluginCommand.php
+++ b/src/Command/PluginCommand.php
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 use Cake\Utility\Filesystem;
 use Cake\Utility\Inflector;
 use RuntimeException;
+use function Cake\Core\env;
 
 /**
  * The Plugin Command handles creating an empty plugin, ready to be used
@@ -384,7 +385,7 @@ public function buildOptionParser(ConsoleOptionParser $parser): ConsoleOptionPar
         ])->addOption('theme', [
             'short' => 't',
             'help' => 'The theme to use when baking code.',
-            'default' => Configure::read('Bake.theme') ?? '',
+            'default' => Configure::read('Bake.theme') ?: null,
             'choices' => $this->_getBakeThemes(),
         ]);
 
diff --git a/src/Command/TemplateCommand.php b/src/Command/TemplateCommand.php
index f7de54db..d72379ef 100644
--- a/src/Command/TemplateCommand.php
+++ b/src/Command/TemplateCommand.php
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 use Cake\View\Exception\MissingTemplateException;
 use Exception;
 use RuntimeException;
+use function Cake\Core\namespaceSplit;
 
 /**
  * Task class for creating view template files.
diff --git a/src/Command/TestCommand.php b/src/Command/TestCommand.php
index 8bffadfa..8adc7b07 100644
--- a/src/Command/TestCommand.php
+++ b/src/Command/TestCommand.php
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 use Cake\Utility\Inflector;
 use ReflectionClass;
 use UnexpectedValueException;
+use function Cake\Core\namespaceSplit;
+use function Cake\Core\pluginSplit;
 
 /**
  * Command class for generating test files.
diff --git a/src/Utility/Model/AssociationFilter.php b/src/Utility/Model/AssociationFilter.php
index 7c0f401b..c6f6a47c 100644
--- a/src/Utility/Model/AssociationFilter.php
+++ b/src/Utility/Model/AssociationFilter.php
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 use Cake\ORM\Table;
 use Cake\Utility\Inflector;
 use Exception;
+use function Cake\Core\namespaceSplit;
 
 /**
  * Utility class to filter Model Table associations
diff --git a/src/View/BakeView.php b/src/View/BakeView.php
index b9638c22..31f0a95a 100644
--- a/src/View/BakeView.php
+++ b/src/View/BakeView.php
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 use Cake\Event\EventDispatcherTrait;
 use Cake\Event\EventInterface;
 use Cake\TwigView\View\TwigView;
+use function Cake\Core\pluginSplit;
 
 class BakeView extends TwigView
 {
diff --git a/src/View/Helper/BakeHelper.php b/src/View/Helper/BakeHelper.php
index 3e7b492e..70749111 100644
--- a/src/View/Helper/BakeHelper.php
+++ b/src/View/Helper/BakeHelper.php
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 use Cake\ORM\Table;
 use Cake\Utility\Inflector;
 use Cake\View\Helper;
-use function pluginSplit;
+use function Cake\Collection\collection;
+use function Cake\Core\pluginSplit;
 
 /**
  * Bake helper
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ public function getViewFieldsData(array $fields, SchemaInterface $schema, array
         $immediateAssociations = $associations['BelongsTo'];
         $associationFields = collection($fields)
             ->map(function ($field) use ($immediateAssociations) {
-                foreach ($immediateAssociations as $alias => $details) {
+                foreach ($immediateAssociations as $details) {
                     if ($field === $details['foreignKey']) {
                         return [$field => $details];
                     }
diff --git a/tests/TestCase/CodeGen/FileBuilderTest.php b/tests/TestCase/CodeGen/FileBuilderTest.php
index 2bf6c277..cae82eae 100644
--- a/tests/TestCase/CodeGen/FileBuilderTest.php
+++ b/tests/TestCase/CodeGen/FileBuilderTest.php
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class TestTable{}
         );
 
         $this->expectException(ParseException::class);
-        $builder = new FileBuilder($this->io, 'MyOtherApp\Model', $file);
+        new FileBuilder($this->io, 'MyOtherApp\Model', $file);
     }
 
     public function testUses(): void
diff --git a/tests/TestCase/Command/MailerCommandTest.php b/tests/TestCase/Command/MailerCommandTest.php
index e365bddb..58e0b6f7 100644
--- a/tests/TestCase/Command/MailerCommandTest.php
+++ b/tests/TestCase/Command/MailerCommandTest.php
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ public function testMainPlugin()
     {
         $this->_loadTestPlugin('TestBake');
         $path = Plugin::path('TestBake');
-        $templatePath = Plugin::templatePath('TestBake');
 
         $this->generatedFiles = [
             $path . 'src/Mailer/ExampleMailer.php',
diff --git a/tests/TestCase/Command/ModelCommandTest.php b/tests/TestCase/Command/ModelCommandTest.php
index f953b067..0e3b3930 100644
--- a/tests/TestCase/Command/ModelCommandTest.php
+++ b/tests/TestCase/Command/ModelCommandTest.php
@@ -497,6 +497,59 @@ public function testGetAssociationsAddAssociationIfTableExist()
         $this->assertEquals($expected, $result);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Test that association generation adds `Anythings` association for `anything_id` field
+     * when using `--skip-relation-check` option, even if no db table exists
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function testGetAssociationsAddAssociationIfNoTableExistButAliasIsAllowed()
+    {
+        $items = $this->getTableLocator()->get('TodoItems');
+
+        $items->setSchema($items->getSchema()->addColumn('anything_id', ['type' => 'integer']));
+        $command = new ModelCommand();
+        $command->connection = 'test';
+
+        $args = new Arguments([], ['skip-relation-check' => true], []);
+        $io = $this->createMock(ConsoleIo::class);
+        $result = $command->getAssociations($items, $args, $io);
+        $expected = [
+            'belongsTo' => [
+                [
+                    'alias' => 'Users',
+                    'foreignKey' => 'user_id',
+                    'joinType' => 'INNER',
+                ],
+                [
+                    'alias' => 'Anythings',
+                    'foreignKey' => 'anything_id',
+                ],
+            ],
+            'hasMany' => [
+                [
+                    'alias' => 'TodoTasks',
+                    'foreignKey' => 'todo_item_id',
+                ],
+            ],
+            'belongsToMany' => [
+                [
+                    'alias' => 'TodoLabels',
+                    'foreignKey' => 'todo_item_id',
+                    'joinTable' => 'todo_items_todo_labels',
+                    'targetForeignKey' => 'todo_label_id',
+                ],
+            ],
+            'hasOne' => [
+                [
+                    'alias' => 'TodoReminders',
+                    'foreignKey' => 'todo_item_id',
+                ],
+            ],
+        ];
+        $this->assertEquals($expected, $result);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Test that association generation ignores `_id` fields
      *
diff --git a/tests/TestCase/Command/PluginCommandTest.php b/tests/TestCase/Command/PluginCommandTest.php
index efd0b004..7273ba09 100644
--- a/tests/TestCase/Command/PluginCommandTest.php
+++ b/tests/TestCase/Command/PluginCommandTest.php
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ class PluginCommandTest extends TestCase
 {
     protected $testAppFile = APP . 'Application.php';
 
+    protected $pluginsPath = TMP . 'plugin_task' . DS;
+
     /**
      * setUp method
      *
@@ -46,12 +48,11 @@ public function setUp(): void
         $this->setAppNamespace('Bake\Test\App');
 
         // Output into a safe place.
-        $path = TMP . 'plugin_task' . DS;
-        Configure::write('App.paths.plugins', [$path]);
+        Configure::write('App.paths.plugins', [$this->pluginsPath]);
 
         // Create the test output path
-        if (!file_exists($path)) {
-            mkdir($path, 0777, true);
+        if (!file_exists($this->pluginsPath)) {
+            mkdir($this->pluginsPath, 0777, true);
         }
 
         if (file_exists(APP . 'Application.php.bak')) {
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ public function setUp(): void
     public function tearDown(): void
     {
         $fs = new Filesystem();
-        $fs->deleteDir(TMP . 'plugin_task');
+        $fs->deleteDir($this->pluginsPath);
 
         if (file_exists(APP . 'Application.php.bak')) {
             rename(APP . 'Application.php.bak', APP . 'Application.php');
@@ -90,6 +91,16 @@ public function testMainBakePluginContents()
         $this->assertPluginContents('SimpleExample');
     }
 
+    public function testBakingWithNonExistentPluginsDir()
+    {
+        $fs = new Filesystem();
+        $fs->deleteDir($this->pluginsPath);
+
+        $this->exec('bake plugin SimpleExample', ['y', 'n']);
+        $this->assertExitCode(CommandInterface::CODE_SUCCESS);
+        $this->assertPluginContents('SimpleExample');
+    }
+
     /**
      * test creating a plugin with a custom app namespace.
      *
@@ -212,7 +223,7 @@ public function testFindPathNonExistent()
         $result = $command->findPath($paths, $io);
 
         $this->assertNull($result, 'no return');
-        $this->assertSame(TMP . 'plugin_task' . DS, $command->path);
+        $this->assertSame($this->pluginsPath, $command->path);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/bootstrap.php b/tests/bootstrap.php
index 2b40072f..a031b40e 100644
--- a/tests/bootstrap.php
+++ b/tests/bootstrap.php
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 // phpcs:ignoreFile
 
+use function Cake\Core\env;
 use Bake\BakePlugin;
 use Cake\Cache\Cache;
 use Cake\Core\Configure;
@@ -38,7 +39,6 @@
 unset($findRoot);
 chdir($root);
 
-require_once 'vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/basics.php';
 require_once 'vendor/autoload.php';
 
 define('ROOT', $root . DS . 'tests' . DS . 'test_app' . DS);
diff --git a/tests/comparisons/Template/testBakeView.php b/tests/comparisons/Template/testBakeView.php
index 56ddb191..382ff664 100644
--- a/tests/comparisons/Template/testBakeView.php
+++ b/tests/comparisons/Template/testBakeView.php
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
                 </tr>
                 <tr>
                     <th><?= __('Profile') ?></th>
-                    <td><?= $author->has('profile') ? $this->Html->link($author->profile->id, ['controller' => 'Profiles', 'action' => 'view', $author->profile->id]) : '' ?></td>
+                    <td><?= $author->has('profile') ? $this->Html->link($author->profile->nick, ['controller' => 'Profiles', 'action' => 'view', $author->profile->id]) : '' ?></td>
                 </tr>
                 <tr>
                     <th><?= __('Id') ?></th>