diff --git a/src/unix/vpkEnv.Mod b/src/unix/vpkEnv.Mod
index 2cbfaf1..3abef4a 100644
--- a/src/unix/vpkEnv.Mod
+++ b/src/unix/vpkEnv.Mod
@@ -52,6 +52,41 @@ BEGIN
   Strings.Append(vpkSettings.vpkConfDir, path);
 END mkConfDirPath;
 
+PROCEDURE mkBldDir*(VAR prefix: ARRAY OF CHAR): StringList.pstring;
+VAR
+  builddir: StringList.pstring;
+  ln : INTEGER;
+BEGIN
+  ln := 3 + Strings.Length(prefix) + Strings.Length(vpkSettings.vpkBldDir);
+  NEW(builddir, ln); 
+  COPY(prefix, builddir^);
+  createIfNotThere(builddir^);
+  Strings.Append("/", builddir^);
+  Strings.Append(vpkSettings.vpkBldDir, builddir^);
+  createIfNotThere(builddir^);
+  Strings.Append("/", builddir^);
+  RETURN builddir
+END mkBldDir;
+
+PROCEDURE mkdefBldDir*(): StringList.pstring;
+VAR
+  builddir: StringList.pstring;
+  ln: INTEGER;
+  home: ARRAY 128 OF CHAR;
+BEGIN
+  getHome(home);
+  ln := 2 + Strings.Length(home) + Strings.Length(vpkSettings.vpkPkgDir) + Strings.Length(vpkSettings.vpkBldDir);
+  NEW(builddir, ln);
+  COPY(home, builddir^);
+  Strings.Append("/", builddir^);
+  Strings.Append(vpkSettings.vpkPkgDir, builddir^);
+  createIfNotThere(builddir^);
+  Strings.Append("/", builddir^);
+  Strings.Append(vpkSettings.vpkBldDir, builddir^);
+  createIfNotThere(builddir^);
+  RETURN builddir
+END mkdefBldDir;
+
 PROCEDURE mkdefPkgDirPath*(VAR name, path: ARRAY OF CHAR);
 VAR
   home: ARRAY 128 OF CHAR;
@@ -60,11 +95,11 @@ BEGIN
   COPY(home, path);
   Strings.Append("/", path);
   Strings.Append(vpkSettings.vpkPkgDir, path);
-  Strings.Append("/", path);
   createIfNotThere(path);
+  Strings.Append("/", path);
   Strings.Append(vpkSettings.vpkDepDir, path);
-  Strings.Append("/", path);
   createIfNotThere(path);
+  Strings.Append("/", path);
   Strings.Append(name, path);
   createIfNotThere(path);
   Strings.Append("/", path);
@@ -82,21 +117,6 @@ BEGIN
   Strings.Append("/", path);
 END mkPkgDirPath;
 
-PROCEDURE mkBldDir*(VAR prefix: ARRAY OF CHAR): StringList.pstring;
-VAR
-  builddir: StringList.pstring;
-  ln : INTEGER;
-BEGIN
-  ln := 3 + Strings.Length(prefix) + Strings.Length(vpkSettings.vpkBldDir);
-  NEW(builddir, ln); 
-  COPY(prefix, builddir^);
-  createIfNotThere(builddir^);
-  Strings.Append("/", builddir^);
-  Strings.Append(vpkSettings.vpkBldDir, builddir^);
-  createIfNotThere(builddir^);
-  Strings.Append("/", builddir^);
-  RETURN builddir
-END mkBldDir;
 
 PROCEDURE mkCmd*(VAR p0, p1: ARRAY OF CHAR): StringList.pstring;
 VAR
diff --git a/src/vipack.Mod b/src/vipack.Mod
index dce3d0a..6a487eb 100644
--- a/src/vipack.Mod
+++ b/src/vipack.Mod
@@ -195,7 +195,13 @@ BEGIN
  
   opts.valOfOpt("-p", foptions, package);
   opts.valOfOpt("-P", foptions, prefix);
+  IF prefix = "" THEN
+    Out.String(" will use the default prefix location"); Out.Ln;
+  END;
   opts.valOfOpt("-t", foptions, pkgTree);
+  IF pkgTree = "" THEN
+    Out.String(" will use the default package tree location"); Out.Ln;
+  END;
 
   IF pkgTree # "" THEN vpkConf.setTreeDir(pkgTree) END;
 
diff --git a/src/vpkInstaller.Mod b/src/vpkInstaller.Mod
index 0093d49..0c29d3f 100644
--- a/src/vpkInstaller.Mod
+++ b/src/vpkInstaller.Mod
@@ -71,7 +71,11 @@ VAR
       builddir, cmd, srcPath: StringList.pstring;
       res: INTEGER;
 BEGIN
-  builddir := vpkEnv.mkBldDir(prefix);
+  IF prefix # "" THEN 
+    builddir := vpkEnv.mkBldDir(prefix)
+  ELSE
+    builddir := vpkEnv.mkdefBldDir();
+  END;
   depTree := resolve(package);
   IF a THEN ask END; 
   i := 0;