diff --git a/functions/exit.sh b/functions/exit.sh
index 32340a481..675afa2de 100755
--- a/functions/exit.sh
+++ b/functions/exit.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Exit ()
 
 	# Skip if we have not yet completed the initial bootstrapping (bootstrap_debootstrap)
 	# (nothing to be done; avoids unhelpful messages)
-	if [ ! -e .build/bootstrap ]; then
+	if ! Stagefile_exists bootstrap; then
 		return ${VALUE}
 	fi
 
@@ -43,10 +43,12 @@ Exit ()
 		done
 	fi
 
-	rm -f .build/chroot_devpts
-	rm -f .build/chroot_proc
-	rm -f .build/chroot_selinuxfs
-	rm -f .build/chroot_sysfs
+	STAGEFILES_DIR="$(Stagefiles_dir)"
+
+	rm -f "${STAGEFILES_DIR}"/chroot_devpts
+	rm -f "${STAGEFILES_DIR}"/chroot_proc
+	rm -f "${STAGEFILES_DIR}"/chroot_selinuxfs
+	rm -f "${STAGEFILES_DIR}"/chroot_sysfs
 
 	Echo_message "Saving caches..."
 
@@ -54,7 +56,7 @@ Exit ()
 	# but let's assume that if there's any binary stage file arround
 	# we are in binary stage.
 
-	if ls .build/binary* > /dev/null 2>&1
+	if ls "${STAGEFILES_DIR}"/binary* > /dev/null 2>&1
 	then
 		Save_package_cache binary
 	else
diff --git a/functions/init.sh b/functions/init.sh
index d39bf1b5a..708e3d275 100755
--- a/functions/init.sh
+++ b/functions/init.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 Auto_build_config ()
 {
 	# Automatically build config
-	if [ -x auto/config ] && [ ! -e .build/config ]; then
+	if [ -x auto/config ] && ! Stagefile_exists config; then
 		Echo_message "Automatically populating config tree."
 		lb config
 	fi
diff --git a/functions/stagefile.sh b/functions/stagefile.sh
index 384aaec2d..8d9281415 100755
--- a/functions/stagefile.sh
+++ b/functions/stagefile.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@
 ## under certain conditions; see COPYING for details.
 
 
+Stagefiles_dir ()
+{
+	echo ".build"
+}
+
 # Get the default filename for a script's stagefile (the name of the script
 # file itself). A suffix can be appended via providing as a param.
 Stagefile_name ()
@@ -19,6 +24,14 @@ Stagefile_name ()
 	echo ${FILENAME}${SUFFIX:+.$SUFFIX}
 }
 
+Stagefile_exists ()
+{
+	if [ -f ".build/${1:-$(Stagefile_name)}" ]; then
+		return 0
+	fi
+	return 1
+}
+
 Check_stagefile ()
 {
 	local FILE
diff --git a/scripts/build/chroot_prep b/scripts/build/chroot_prep
index f9ebdea5f..b62bbb0fa 100755
--- a/scripts/build/chroot_prep
+++ b/scripts/build/chroot_prep
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ if In_list "archives" ${HELPERS} && [ -z "${ARCHIVES_PASS}" ]; then
 	exit 1
 fi
 
-if In_list "archives" ${HELPERS} && [ ! -e .build/bootstrap ]; then
+if In_list "archives" ${HELPERS} && ! Stagefile_exists bootstrap; then
 	Echo_warning "The 'archives' helper is selected, but the bootstrap stage has not completed."
 fi
 
diff --git a/scripts/build/clean b/scripts/build/clean
index b8e613f7f..32a198399 100755
--- a/scripts/build/clean
+++ b/scripts/build/clean
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ else
 	ARGUMENTS="${@}"
 fi
 
+STAGEFILES_DIR="$(Stagefiles_dir)"
+
 for ARGUMENT in ${ARGUMENTS}
 do
 	case "${ARGUMENT}" in
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ do
 			rm -f chroot.packages.live chroot.packages.install
 			rm -f chroot.files
 
-			rm -f .build/chroot*
+			rm -f "${STAGEFILES_DIR}"/chroot*
 			;;
 
 		--binary)
@@ -104,7 +106,7 @@ do
 			rm -rf binary
 			rm -rf tftpboot
 
-			rm -f .build/binary*
+			rm -f "${STAGEFILES_DIR}"/binary*
 			;;
 
 		--remove)
@@ -118,12 +120,12 @@ do
 
 			if [ -e auto/config ]
 			then
-				rm -f .build/config
+				Remove_stagefile config
 			fi
 			;;
 
 		--stage)
-			rm -rf .build/*
+			rm -rf "${STAGEFILES_DIR}"/*
 			;;
 
 		--source)
@@ -136,7 +138,7 @@ do
 
 			rm -rf source
 
-			rm -f .build/source*
+			rm -f "${STAGEFILES_DIR}"/source*
 			;;
 
 		-h|--help)
diff --git a/scripts/build/config b/scripts/build/config
index dc79d08f9..3a79c9f88 100755
--- a/scripts/build/config
+++ b/scripts/build/config
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ fi
 
 # Ignoring --config if CWD already has a config
 # Only print warning from direct execution, not when run from auto script redirection, to avoid repetition
-if [ -e .build/config ] && [ -n "${_CONFIG}" ]
+if Stagefile_exists && [ -n "${_CONFIG}" ]
 then
 	if [ "${1}" != "noauto" ]
 	then