diff --git a/ipv6/tayga/Makefile b/ipv6/tayga/Makefile
index 8b645650f..ba0d196c1 100644
--- a/ipv6/tayga/Makefile
+++ b/ipv6/tayga/Makefile
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ PKG_MD5SUM:=7a7b24165ce008df772f398d86fa280e
 PKG_LICENSE:=GPL-2.0
 PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=COPYING
 
-PKG_CAT:=bzcat
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/tayga-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_FIXUP:=autoreconf
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
diff --git a/lang/lualanes/Makefile b/lang/lualanes/Makefile
index 4a8e9dc18..06bc1e286 100644
--- a/lang/lualanes/Makefile
+++ b/lang/lualanes/Makefile
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ PKG_SOURCE_SUBDIR:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_INSTALL:=1
 PKG_BUILD_PARALLEL:=1
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(BUILD_VARIANT)/$(PKG_SOURCE_SUBDIR)
 PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS:=lua/host luac/host
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
diff --git a/libs/libdmapsharing/Makefile b/libs/libdmapsharing/Makefile
index 0b7eec6ca..557b31e20 100644
--- a/libs/libdmapsharing/Makefile
+++ b/libs/libdmapsharing/Makefile
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ PKG_MAINTAINER:=W. Michael Petullo <mike@flyn.org>
 PKG_LICENSE:=LGPLv2.1
 PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=COPYING
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/libdmapsharing-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE:=libdmapsharing-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://www.flyn.org/projects/libdmapsharing/
 PKG_MD5SUM:=25de55d128d432d82f2a1ec010d7069a
diff --git a/libs/libesmtp/Makefile b/libs/libesmtp/Makefile
index 205084f58..cd6269623 100644
--- a/libs/libesmtp/Makefile
+++ b/libs/libesmtp/Makefile
@@ -18,10 +18,6 @@ PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=COPYING
 
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://www.stafford.uklinux.net/libesmtp
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
-PKG_CAT:=zcat
-
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
-PKG_INSTALL_DIR:=$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/ipkg-install
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 
diff --git a/libs/libevhtp/Makefile b/libs/libevhtp/Makefile
index 5838870f9..f6f61def5 100644
--- a/libs/libevhtp/Makefile
+++ b/libs/libevhtp/Makefile
@@ -12,11 +12,10 @@ PKG_VERSION:=1.2.9
 PKG_RELEASE:=1
 PKG_LICENSE:=BSD-3-Clause
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=https://github.com/ellzey/libevhtp/archive/
 PKG_MD5SUM:=428a8d179fcc0cadedd914ed6456e08f
-PKG_CAT:=zcat
+
 PKG_INSTALL:=1
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
diff --git a/libs/libsodium/Makefile b/libs/libsodium/Makefile
index a666afb17..bd4cb9f39 100644
--- a/libs/libsodium/Makefile
+++ b/libs/libsodium/Makefile
@@ -11,11 +11,9 @@ PKG_NAME:=libsodium
 PKG_VERSION:=1.0.2
 PKG_RELEASE:=1
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=https://download.libsodium.org/libsodium/releases
 PKG_MD5SUM:=dc40eb23e293448c6fc908757738003f
-PKG_CAT:=zcat
 
 PKG_FIXUP:=libtool autoreconf
 PKG_USE_MIPS16:=0
diff --git a/libs/libupnpp/Makefile b/libs/libupnpp/Makefile
index 58a3222b0..8c9071db5 100644
--- a/libs/libupnpp/Makefile
+++ b/libs/libupnpp/Makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ PKG_NAME:=libupnpp
 PKG_VERSION:=0.9.0
 PKG_RELEASE:=1
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://www.lesbonscomptes.com/upmpdcli/downloads
 PKG_MD5SUM:=ff218bbe2df6cf70b73843d951ef838e
diff --git a/libs/libvorbisidec/Makefile b/libs/libvorbisidec/Makefile
index 5a026d701..dce109001 100644
--- a/libs/libvorbisidec/Makefile
+++ b/libs/libvorbisidec/Makefile
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ PKG_SOURCE_SUBDIR:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE_VERSION:=b56ffce0c0773ec5ca04c466bc00b1bbcaf65aef
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
-
 PKG_MAINTAINER:=Ted Hess <thess@kitschensync.net>
 
 PKG_LICENSE:=BSD-3-Clause
diff --git a/libs/libzdb/Makefile b/libs/libzdb/Makefile
index 09beff3f2..96bf3a625 100644
--- a/libs/libzdb/Makefile
+++ b/libs/libzdb/Makefile
@@ -12,11 +12,10 @@ PKG_VERSION:=3.0
 PKG_RELEASE:=1
 PKG_LICENSE:=GPL-3.0
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://www.tildeslash.com/libzdb/dist/
 PKG_MD5SUM:=3bb9efff10a1f3ebc5b76c1055c48635
-PKG_CAT:=zcat
+
 PKG_FIXUP:=autoreconf
 PKG_INSTALL:=1
 
diff --git a/libs/pthsem/Makefile b/libs/pthsem/Makefile
index 0dee689c9..43fd7aec0 100644
--- a/libs/pthsem/Makefile
+++ b/libs/pthsem/Makefile
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)_$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://www.auto.tuwien.ac.at/~mkoegler/pth/
 PKG_MD5SUM:=9144b26dcc27e67498d63dd5456f934c
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_FIXUP:=autoreconf
 PKG_BUILD_PARALLEL:=1
 PKG_INSTALL:=1
diff --git a/mail/mailsend/Makefile b/mail/mailsend/Makefile
index 29010e082..5b63bae8c 100644
--- a/mail/mailsend/Makefile
+++ b/mail/mailsend/Makefile
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ PKG_MAINTAINER:=Ted Hess <thess@kitschensync.net>
 PKG_LICENSE:=BSD-3-Clause
 PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=COPYRIGHT
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
-
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 
 define Package/mailsend
diff --git a/net/bwm-ng/Makefile b/net/bwm-ng/Makefile
index 695f7f07a..be017cc05 100644
--- a/net/bwm-ng/Makefile
+++ b/net/bwm-ng/Makefile
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=COPYING
 PKG_INSTALL:=1
 PKG_BUILD_PARALLEL:=1
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
-
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 
 define Package/bwm-ng
diff --git a/net/dnscrypt-proxy/Makefile b/net/dnscrypt-proxy/Makefile
index 2b4c2c652..22458fbfb 100644
--- a/net/dnscrypt-proxy/Makefile
+++ b/net/dnscrypt-proxy/Makefile
@@ -11,11 +11,9 @@ PKG_NAME:=dnscrypt-proxy
 PKG_VERSION:=1.4.3
 PKG_RELEASE:=1
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://download.dnscrypt.org/dnscrypt-proxy
 PKG_MD5SUM:=54d172236a8f321fb5689ff81767f1ba
-PKG_CAT:=zcat
 
 PKG_FIXUP:=autoreconf
 PKG_INSTALL:=1
diff --git a/net/emailrelay/Makefile b/net/emailrelay/Makefile
index a5a046465..bbcd6148b 100644
--- a/net/emailrelay/Makefile
+++ b/net/emailrelay/Makefile
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ PKG_RELEASE:=1
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)-src.tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=@SF/emailrelay/$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_MD5SUM:=0892fbf993407c6b5a16f96e23299b62
-PKG_INSTALL_DIR:=$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/ipkg-install
+
 PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(BUILD_VARIANT)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
-PKG_CAT :=zcat
+
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/uclibc++.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
diff --git a/net/knot/Makefile b/net/knot/Makefile
index 5abe85050..e1ff39d3d 100644
--- a/net/knot/Makefile
+++ b/net/knot/Makefile
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ PKG_MD5SUM:=acea8f90079c4f90ee841d1cfa3ccd30
 PKG_MAINTAINER:=Daniel Salzman <daniel.salzman@nic.cz>
 PKG_LICENSE:=GPL-2.0+
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_BUILD_PARALLEL:=1
 PKG_FIXUP:=autoreconf
 PKG_INSTALL:=1
diff --git a/net/knxd/Makefile b/net/knxd/Makefile
index 59b346efc..cbf5ab18a 100644
--- a/net/knxd/Makefile
+++ b/net/knxd/Makefile
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ PKG_SOURCE_PROTO:=git
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=git://github.com/Makki1/knxd.git
 PKG_SOURCE_SUBDIR:=$(PKG_NAME)
 PKG_SOURCE_VERSION:=$(PKG_REV)
-PKG_CAT:=zcat
 
 PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)
 PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS:=pthsem argp-standalone
diff --git a/net/krb5/Makefile b/net/krb5/Makefile
index 6eb2e6be6..718b45122 100644
--- a/net/krb5/Makefile
+++ b/net/krb5/Makefile
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ PKG_SOURCE:=krb5-$(PKG_VERSION)-signed.tar
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://web.mit.edu/kerberos/dist/krb5/1.12/
 PKG_MD5SUM:=524b1067b619cb5bf780759b6884c3f5
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
-
 PKG_BUILD_PARALLEL:=1
 PKG_INSTALL:=1
 PKG_CHECK_FORMAT_SECURITY:=0
diff --git a/net/linknx/Makefile b/net/linknx/Makefile
index bfe768392..e3aed3b15 100644
--- a/net/linknx/Makefile
+++ b/net/linknx/Makefile
@@ -17,10 +17,8 @@ PKG_LICENSE:=GPL-2.0+
 
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=@SF/linknx
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
-PKG_CAT:=zcat
 PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS:=pthsem curl libesmtp
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 
 define Package/linknx
diff --git a/net/ntpd/Makefile b/net/ntpd/Makefile
index c3181cf6f..34a8ddae9 100644
--- a/net/ntpd/Makefile
+++ b/net/ntpd/Makefile
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ PKG_MD5SUM:=65d8cdfae4722226fbe29863477641ed
 PKG_LICENSE:=Unique
 PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=COPYRIGHT html/copyright.html
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
-
 PKG_FIXUP:=autoreconf
 PKG_LIBTOOL_PATHS:=. sntp
 PKG_CHECK_FORMAT_SECURITY:=0
diff --git a/net/tcpproxy/Makefile b/net/tcpproxy/Makefile
index 1f120a908..2f7cb4d0f 100644
--- a/net/tcpproxy/Makefile
+++ b/net/tcpproxy/Makefile
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ PKG_NAME:=tcpproxy
 PKG_VERSION:=1.1
 PKG_RELEASE:=1
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://www.spreadspace.org/tcpproxy/releases/
 PKG_MD5SUM:=55126473bcde635f9ee019c6caf19bb7
diff --git a/sound/pulseaudio/Makefile b/sound/pulseaudio/Makefile
index 43a2688eb..e75e2c80c 100644
--- a/sound/pulseaudio/Makefile
+++ b/sound/pulseaudio/Makefile
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ PKG_MD5SUM:=b691e83b7434c678dffacfa3a027750e
 PKG_LICENSE:=LGPL-2.1+
 PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=GPL LICENSE
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS:=intltool/host
 
 PKG_FIXUP:=autoreconf
diff --git a/sound/upmpdcli/Makefile b/sound/upmpdcli/Makefile
index 1286cd42c..385a96bee 100644
--- a/sound/upmpdcli/Makefile
+++ b/sound/upmpdcli/Makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ PKG_NAME:=upmpdcli
 PKG_VERSION:=0.9.0
 PKG_RELEASE:=2
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://www.lesbonscomptes.com/upmpdcli/downloads
 PKG_MD5SUM:=0e7b86037f19ea3a08067409af6f6902
diff --git a/utils/acl/Makefile b/utils/acl/Makefile
index 0e8e4e980..8f3ea7dcc 100644
--- a/utils/acl/Makefile
+++ b/utils/acl/Makefile
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ PKG_SOURCE_URL:=git://git.sv.gnu.org/acl.git
 PKG_SOURCE_PROTO:=git
 PKG_SOURCE_SUBDIR:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE_VERSION:=$(PKG_REV)
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_MAINTAINER:=Maxim Storchak <m.storchak@gmail.com>
 
 PKG_LICENSE:=LGPL-2.1 GPL-2.0
diff --git a/utils/attr/Makefile b/utils/attr/Makefile
index ad067a91c..b32c5e924 100644
--- a/utils/attr/Makefile
+++ b/utils/attr/Makefile
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ PKG_SOURCE_URL:=git://git.sv.gnu.org/attr.git
 PKG_SOURCE_PROTO:=git
 PKG_SOURCE_SUBDIR:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_SOURCE_VERSION:=$(PKG_REV)
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_MAINTAINER:=Maxim Storchak <m.storchak@gmail.com>
 
 PKG_LICENSE:=LGPL-2.1 GPL-2.0
diff --git a/utils/gammu/Makefile b/utils/gammu/Makefile
index 7912ded21..02e9be07e 100644
--- a/utils/gammu/Makefile
+++ b/utils/gammu/Makefile
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ PKG_RELEASE:=1
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://dl.cihar.com/gammu/releases/
 PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.xz
 PKG_MD5SUM:=5bc2508389d9b291ca0b8d4f210d0012
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_MAINTAINER:=Vitaly Protsko <villy@sft.ru>
 PKG_LICENCE:=GPL-2.0
 
diff --git a/utils/haveged/Makefile b/utils/haveged/Makefile
index df2c91c73..f02038478 100644
--- a/utils/haveged/Makefile
+++ b/utils/haveged/Makefile
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://www.issihosts.com/$(PKG_NAME) \
 PKG_MD5SUM:=015ff58cd10607db0e0de60aeca2f5f8
 PKG_LICENSE:=GPLv3
 
-#ensure this is consistent with the dir in the tarball!!!
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_MAINTAINER:=Hannu Nyman <hannu.nyman@iki.fi>
 
 PKG_BUILD_PARALLEL:=1
diff --git a/utils/sumo/Makefile b/utils/sumo/Makefile
index 7aa3c8b0e..02b8fa01e 100644
--- a/utils/sumo/Makefile
+++ b/utils/sumo/Makefile
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ PKG_MAINTAINER:=Álvaro Fernández Rojas <noltari@gmail.com>
 PKG_LICENSE:=GPL-3.0
 PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=COPYING
 
-PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 PKG_INSTALL:=1
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk