diff --git a/xbps.sh b/xbps.sh
index 389d0aa01c..1ccc77ac16 100755
--- a/xbps.sh
+++ b/xbps.sh
@@ -213,6 +213,16 @@ check_config_vars()
 			[ $? -ne 0 ] && msg_error "couldn't create '$f' directory"
 		fi
 	done
+
+	if [ "$xbps_machine" = "x86_64" ]; then
+		[ ! -d $XBPS_MASTERDIR/lib ] && mkdir -p $XBPS_MASTERDIR/lib
+		[ ! -h $XBPS_MASTERDIR/lib64 ] && \
+			cd $XBPS_MASTERDIR && ln -s lib lib64
+		[ ! -d $XBPS_MASTERDIR/usr/lib ] && \
+			mkdir -p $XBPS_MASTERDIR/usr/lib
+		[ ! -h $XBPS_MASTERDIR/usr/lib64 ] && \
+			cd $XBPS_MASTERDIR/usr && ln -s lib lib64
+	fi
 }
 
 #
@@ -306,8 +316,8 @@ prepare_tmpl()
 	if [ -z "$in_chroot" ]; then
 		export PATH="$XBPS_MASTERDIR/bin:$XBPS_MASTERDIR/sbin"
 		export PATH="$PATH:$XBPS_MASTERDIR/usr/bin:$XBPS_MASTERDIR/usr/sbin"
+		export PATH="$PATH:/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin"
 	fi
-	export PATH="$PATH:/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin"
 }
 
 #