diff --git a/xbps-src/shutils/init_funcs.sh.in b/xbps-src/shutils/init_funcs.sh.in
index ec2299c6f0..0d19d0759f 100644
--- a/xbps-src/shutils/init_funcs.sh.in
+++ b/xbps-src/shutils/init_funcs.sh.in
@@ -29,27 +29,26 @@ set_defvars()
 
 	instsharedir=@@XBPS_INSTALL_SHAREDIR@@
 
-	: ${XBPS_HELPERSDIR:=$instsharedir/helpers}
-	: ${XBPS_SHUTILSDIR:=$instsharedir/shutils}
-	: ${XBPS_COMMONVARSDIR:=$instsharedir/common}
-	: ${XBPS_DBDIR:=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/var/db/xbps}
-	: ${XBPS_META_PATH:=$XBPS_DBDIR/}
-	: ${XBPS_PKGMETADIR:=$XBPS_DBDIR/metadata}
-	: ${XBPS_SRCPKGDIR:=$XBPS_DISTRIBUTIONDIR/srcpkgs}
+	XBPS_HELPERSDIR=$instsharedir/helpers
+	XBPS_SHUTILSDIR=$instsharedir/shutils
+	XBPS_COMMONVARSDIR=$instsharedir/common
+	XBPS_META_PATH=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/var/db/xbps
+	XBPS_PKGMETADIR=$XBPS_META_PATH/metadata
+	XBPS_SRCPKGDIR=$XBPS_DISTRIBUTIONDIR/srcpkgs
 	if [ -n "$IN_CHROOT" ]; then
-		: ${XBPS_DESTDIR:=/destdir}
+		XBPS_DESTDIR=/destdir
 	else
-		: ${XBPS_DESTDIR:=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/destdir}
+		XBPS_DESTDIR=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/destdir
 	fi
 	if [ -n "$XBPS_HOSTDIR" ]; then
-		: ${XBPS_PACKAGESDIR:=$XBPS_HOSTDIR/binpkgs}
-		: ${XBPS_SRCDISTDIR:=$XBPS_HOSTDIR/sources}
+		XBPS_PACKAGESDIR=$XBPS_HOSTDIR/binpkgs
+		XBPS_SRCDISTDIR=$XBPS_HOSTDIR/sources
 	else
-		: ${XBPS_SRCDISTDIR:=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/host/sources}
-		: ${XBPS_PACKAGESDIR:=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/host/binpkgs}
+		XBPS_SRCDISTDIR=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/host/sources
+		XBPS_PACKAGESDIR=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/host/binpkgs
 	fi
-	: ${XBPS_BUILDDIR:=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/builddir}
-	: ${XBPS_TRIGGERSDIR:=$XBPS_SRCPKGDIR/xbps-triggers/files}
+	XBPS_BUILDDIR=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/builddir
+	XBPS_TRIGGERSDIR=$XBPS_SRCPKGDIR/xbps-triggers/files
 
 	DDIRS="TRIGGERSDIR HELPERSDIR SRCPKGDIR COMMONVARSDIR SHUTILSDIR"
 	DDIRS="$DDIRS DISTRIBUTIONDIR"
diff --git a/xbps-src/shutils/metadata.sh b/xbps-src/shutils/metadata.sh
index 9dbb9eca7e..00117bc753 100644
--- a/xbps-src/shutils/metadata.sh
+++ b/xbps-src/shutils/metadata.sh
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ xbps_write_metadata_pkg()
 #
 xbps_write_metadata_pkg_real()
 {
-	local metadir=${DESTDIR}/var/db/xbps/metadata/$pkgname
+	local metadir=${XBPS_PKGMETADIR}/$pkgname
 	local f i j found arch dirat lnkat newlnk lver TMPFLIST TMPFPLIST
 	local fpattern="s|${DESTDIR}||g;s|^\./$||g;/^$/d"
 
diff --git a/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in b/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in
index e871a42923..ea96cc25a0 100644
--- a/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in
+++ b/xbps-src/xbps-src.sh.in
@@ -24,14 +24,14 @@
 # THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #-
 
-: ${XBPS_CONFIG_FILE:=@@XBPS_INSTALL_ETCDIR@@/xbps-src.conf}
+XBPS_CONFIG_FILE=@@XBPS_INSTALL_ETCDIR@@/xbps-src.conf
 
-: ${progname:=$(basename $0)}
-: ${fakeroot_cmd:=/usr/bin/fakeroot}
-: ${fakeroot_cmd_args:=--}
-: ${sudo_cmd:=sudo}
-: ${chroot_cmd:=chroot}
-: ${xbps_machine:=$(uname -m)}
+progname=$(basename $0)
+fakeroot_cmd=/usr/bin/fakeroot
+fakeroot_cmd_args="--"
+sudo_cmd=sudo
+chroot_cmd=chroot
+xbps_machine=$(uname -m)
 
 # Required utilities in host system.
 REQHOST_UTILS="awk bash bison sed gcc msgfmt patch makeinfo \