diff --git a/env.common b/env.common
index 9820b27..293a722 100644
--- a/env.common
+++ b/env.common
@@ -1,18 +1,15 @@
-set -a # exports all variables
-
-# exporting DISTRO*
-DISTRO_OSTREE=$DISTRO_OSTREE
-DISTRO_TYPE=$DISTRO_TYPE
-DISTRO=netmodule-linux$DISTRO_OSTREE$DISTRO_TYPE
+if [ -z "$DISTRO" ]; then
+    echo "No distro selected. Please source a helper script (env.*)"
+fi
 
 if [ -z "$MACHINE" ]; then
     . ./machine_select
 fi
 
-MACHINE_TYPE=$(echo $MACHINE | rev | cut -f2- -d- | rev)
-
 echo Building for machine $MACHINE, distro: $DISTRO
 
-OSTREE_OSNAME=nm-linux
+export DISTRO
+export MACHINE
+export OSTREE_OSNAME=nm-linux
 
 . ./openembedded-core/oe-init-build-env build$BUILD_FOLDER_APPEND
diff --git a/env.image b/env.image
index 6f3b1bc..c7e8550 100644
--- a/env.image
+++ b/env.image
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-DISTRO_OSTREE=""
-DISTRO_TYPE=""
+DISTRO="netmodule-linux"
 BUILD_FOLDER_APPEND=""
-
 . ./env.common
diff --git a/env.image-fct b/env.image-fct
index 4db5920..af4d431 100644
--- a/env.image-fct
+++ b/env.image-fct
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-DISTRO_OSTREE=""
-DISTRO_TYPE="-fct"
-BUILD_FOLDER_APPEND=$DISTRO_TYPE
-
+DISTRO="netmodule-linux-fct"
+BUILD_FOLDER_APPEND="-fct"
 . ./env.common
diff --git a/env.image-lava b/env.image-lava
index 2cb3fd3..71de9c7 100644
--- a/env.image-lava
+++ b/env.image-lava
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-DISTRO_OSTREE=""
-DISTRO_TYPE="-lava"
+DISTRO="netmodule-linux-lava"
 BUILD_FOLDER_APPEND="-fct"
-
 . ./env.common
diff --git a/env.image-minimal b/env.image-minimal
index 6eb5f19..f46764b 100644
--- a/env.image-minimal
+++ b/env.image-minimal
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-DISTRO_OSTREE=""
-DISTRO_TYPE="-minimal"
-BUILD_FOLDER_APPEND=$DISTRO_TYPE
-
+DISTRO="netmodule-linux-minimal"
+BUILD_FOLDER_APPEND="-minimal"
 . ./env.common
diff --git a/env.image-ostree b/env.image-ostree
index 8eed8d9..4d99a4d 100644
--- a/env.image-ostree
+++ b/env.image-ostree
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-DISTRO_OSTREE="-ostree"
-DISTRO_TYPE=""
+DISTRO="netmodule-linux-ostree"
 BUILD_FOLDER_APPEND=""
-
 . ./env.common
diff --git a/env.image-vcu b/env.image-vcu
index 08bb7ce..a0494d4 100644
--- a/env.image-vcu
+++ b/env.image-vcu
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-DISTRO_OSTREE="-ostree"
-DISTRO_TYPE="-vcu"
+DISTRO="netmodule-linux-ostree-vcu"
 BUILD_FOLDER_APPEND=""
-
 . ./env.common
diff --git a/machine_select b/machine_select
index 8dcd246..6e44c1c 100755
--- a/machine_select
+++ b/machine_select
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ HW24="nrhw24 - NB800 facelift"
 HW25="hw25 - TC Router"
 HW26="hw26 - NG800"
 
-set -a
 select opt in HW16 HW18 HW20 HW21 HW23 DLM HW24 HW25 HW26
 do
     case $opt in
@@ -58,3 +57,4 @@ do
 done
 
 echo $MACHINE
+export MACHINE