diff --git a/srcpkgs/chroot-file/template b/srcpkgs/chroot-file/template
index 83521e85366..713949028a2 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/chroot-file/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/chroot-file/template
@@ -23,16 +23,17 @@ done
 pre_configure() {
 	if [ "$CROSS_BUILD" ]; then
 		# Build host file first.
-		CC= CFLAGS= LDFLAGS= AR= RANLIB= ./configure
+		[ ! -d host-build ] && mkdir host-build
+		cd host-build
+		CC= CFLAGS= LDFLAGS= AR= RANLIB= ../configure
 		make ${makejobs}
-		install -Dm755 src/file ${wrksrc}/hostbin/file
-		make distclean
+		install -m755 src/file ${wrksrc}/host-build/
 	fi
 }
 
 pre_build() {
 	if [ "$CROSS_BUILD" ]; then
-		export PATH=${wrksrc}/hostbin:$PATH
+		export PATH=${wrksrc}/host-build:$PATH
 	fi
 }