diff --git a/xbps-src/shutils/init_funcs.sh.in b/xbps-src/shutils/init_funcs.sh.in
index 9f8d57eca33..979b8acc344 100644
--- a/xbps-src/shutils/init_funcs.sh.in
+++ b/xbps-src/shutils/init_funcs.sh.in
@@ -42,18 +42,21 @@ set_defvars()
 	: ${XBPS_BUILDDIR:=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/pkg-builddir}
 	: ${XBPS_SRCDISTDIR:=$XBPS_MASTERDIR/pkg-srcdistdir}
 
+	DDIRS="TRIGGERSDIR HELPERSDIR SRCPKGDIR COMMONVARSDIR SHUTILSDIR"
+	DDIRS="$DDIRS DISTRIBUTIONDIR"
+	for i in ${DDIRS}; do
+		eval val="\$XBPS_$i"
+		if [ ! -d "$val" ]; then
+			echo "ERROR: cannot find $i at $val aborting."
+			exit 1
+		fi
+	done
+
 	for i in DESTDIR PACKAGESDIR BUILDDIR SRCDISTDIR; do
 		eval val="\$XBPS_$i"
 		[ ! -d "$val" ] && mkdir -p $val
 	done
 
-	DDIRS="XBPS_TRIGGERSDIR XBPS_HELPERSDIR"
-	DDIRS="$DDIRS XBPS_COMMONVARSDIR XBPS_SHUTILSDIR"
-	for i in ${DDIRS}; do
-		eval val="\$$i"
-		[ ! -d "$val" ] &&  msg_error "cannot find $i, aborting."
-	done
-
 	export XBPS_PKGDB_CMD="xbps-uhelper.static -r $XBPS_MASTERDIR"
 	export XBPS_BIN_CMD="xbps-bin.static -r $XBPS_MASTERDIR"
 	export XBPS_DIGEST_CMD="xbps-uhelper.static digest"