diff --git a/tools/mkpkg/update_binary-addons b/tools/mkpkg/update_binary-addons
index 0565548943..59f50fee56 100755
--- a/tools/mkpkg/update_binary-addons
+++ b/tools/mkpkg/update_binary-addons
@@ -58,20 +58,18 @@ rm -rf "${TMPDIR}"
 mkdir -p "${TMPDIR}"
 
 KODI_BRANCH="$1"
-KODI_DIR="kodi-${KODI_BRANCH}.git"
+KODI_DIR="kodi.git"
 
 . "${MY_DIR}/update_common_functions"
 
-if [ ! -d ${KODI_DIR} ] ; then
-  git_clone https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc ${KODI_BRANCH} ${KODI_DIR}
-fi
+git_clone https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc ${KODI_DIR} ${KODI_BRANCH}
 
-# kodi-platform
+# kodi-platform, points to repo+githash
 REPO=$(cat $KODI_DIR/cmake/addons/depends/common/kodi-platform/kodi-platform.txt | awk '{print $2}')
 GIT_HASH=$(cat $KODI_DIR/cmake/addons/depends/common/kodi-platform/kodi-platform.txt | awk '{print $3}')
 PKG_NAME="kodi-platform"
 
-git_clone $REPO master $PKG_NAME.git $GIT_HASH
+git_clone $REPO $PKG_NAME.git
 if [ -f "${ROOT}/packages/mediacenter/kodi-platform/package.mk" ] ; then
   # update package.mk
   RESOLVED_HASH=$(resolve_hash $PKG_NAME.git $GIT_HASH)
@@ -84,30 +82,60 @@ fi
 # addons
 for addontxt in $KODI_DIR/cmake/addons/bootstrap/repositories/*-addons.txt ; do
   ADDONS=$(cat $addontxt | awk '{print $1}')
-  ADDONREPO=$(cat $addontxt | awk '{print $2}')
-  GIT_HASH=$(cat $addontxt | awk '{print $3}')
-  git_clone $ADDONREPO ${KODI_BRANCH} $ADDONS.git $GIT_HASH
-  for addon in $ADDONS.git/*.*/ ; do
+  ADDONS_GIT_DIR="${ADDONS}.git"
+  ADDONS_GIT_REPO=$(cat $addontxt | awk '{print $2}')
+  ADDONS_GIT_BRANCH=$(cat $addontxt | awk '{print $3}')
+  git_clone $ADDONS_GIT_REPO $ADDONS_GIT_DIR ${ADDONS_GIT_BRANCH}
+
+  for addon in $ADDONS_GIT_DIR/*.*/ ; do
     ADDON=$(basename $addon)
 
     [[ ${ADDON} =~ ^game.* ]] && continue # ignore game.* addons - handled by update_retroplayer-addons
 
     check_package_excluded "${ADDON}" "${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES}" && continue
 
-    REPO=$(cat $addon/$ADDON.txt | awk '{print $2}')
-    GIT_HASH=$(cat $addon/$ADDON.txt | awk '{print $3}')
+    GIT_DIR="${ADDON}.git"
+    GIT_REPO=$(cat ${addon}/${ADDON}.txt | awk '{print $2}')
+    GIT_BRANCH=$(cat ${addon}/${ADDON}.txt | awk '{print $3}')
 
-    if ! grep -q all $addon/platforms.txt && ! grep -q linux $addon/platforms.txt && ! grep -q ! $addon/platforms.txt; then
+    if ! grep -q all ${addon}/platforms.txt && ! grep -q linux ${addon}/platforms.txt && ! grep -q ! ${addon}/platforms.txt; then
       continue
     fi
 
-    ADDON_PATH="${ROOT}/packages/mediacenter/kodi-binary-addons/$ADDON/"
+    ADDON_PATH="${ROOT}/packages/mediacenter/kodi-binary-addons/${ADDON}/"
     if [ -f "${ADDON_PATH}/package.mk" ] ; then
       # Verify the Kodi repo matches our package repo
       # If different, ignore the addon and process it later as an "unofficial" addon
-      validate_pkg_url "$ADDON" "$REPO" || continue
+      validate_pkg_url "${ADDON}" "${GIT_REPO}" || continue
 
-      update_to_latest_tag "${ADDON_PATH}" ${ADDON} ${REPO} ${KODI_BRANCH} ${GIT_HASH}
+      git_clone ${GIT_REPO} ${GIT_DIR} ${GIT_BRANCH}
+
+      NO_TAG=""
+      NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_tag_in_branch ${GIT_DIR} ${GIT_BRANCH})
+      if [ -z "${NEW_VERSION}" ]; then
+        NO_TAG="yes"
+        echo "========================================================================"
+        msg_warn "WARNING: no tag found for addon ${ADDON}, falling back to HEAD"
+        echo "========================================================================"
+        NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_hash_in_branch "${GIT_DIR}" "${GIT_BRANCH}")
+      fi
+
+      echo "Resolved version for ${ADDON}: ${GIT_BRANCH} => ${NEW_VERSION}"
+
+      if update_pkg "${ADDON_PATH}" ${ADDON} ${NEW_VERSION}; then
+        if [ -n "${NO_TAG}" ]; then
+          # always bump PKG_REV on updates as we have no info if version changed
+          bump_pkg_rev "${ADDON_PATH}" "${ADDON}"
+        else
+          reset_pkg_rev "${ADDON_PATH}" "${ADDON}"
+        fi
+      else
+        [ "${BUMP_PKG_REV}" = "yes" ] && bump_pkg_rev "${ADDON_PATH}" "${ADDON}"
+      fi
+
+      if [ "${KEEP_GIT_DIRS}" != "yes" ]; then
+        rm -rf "${GIT_DIR}"
+      fi
     else
       echo "[mkpkg] Skipped $ADDON"
       SKIPPED_ADDONS="$SKIPPED_ADDONS $ADDON"
@@ -131,12 +159,13 @@ for ADDON in $(ls -1 "${ROOT}/packages/mediacenter/kodi-binary-addons"); do
   check_package_excluded "${ADDON}" "${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES}" && continue
 
   # Obtain git url - ignore if not a suitable repo
-  REPO="$(geturl "${ADDON}")" || continue
+  GIT_DIR="${ADDON}.git"
+  GIT_REPO="$(geturl "${ADDON}")" || continue
 
-  git_clone $REPO ${KODI_BRANCH} $ADDON.git HEAD
+  git_clone ${GIT_REPO} ${GIT_DIR}
 
   # update package.mk for stale github.com packages
-  RESOLVED_HASH=$(resolve_hash ${ADDON}.git HEAD) || continue
+  RESOLVED_HASH=$(resolve_hash_in_branch ${ADDON}.git HEAD) || continue
   echo "Resolving hash for ${ADDON}: HEAD => ${RESOLVED_HASH}"
   if update_pkg "${ROOT}/packages/mediacenter/kodi-binary-addons/$ADDON" ${ADDON} ${RESOLVED_HASH}; then
     # always bump PKG_REV when updating untagged addons
@@ -144,7 +173,7 @@ for ADDON in $(ls -1 "${ROOT}/packages/mediacenter/kodi-binary-addons"); do
   fi
 
   if [ "${KEEP_GIT_DIRS}" != "yes" ]; then
-    rm -rf $ADDON.git
+    rm -rf ${GIT_DIR}
   fi
 done
 
diff --git a/tools/mkpkg/update_common_functions b/tools/mkpkg/update_common_functions
index 2d0e124446..3f59569ee2 100644
--- a/tools/mkpkg/update_common_functions
+++ b/tools/mkpkg/update_common_functions
@@ -23,31 +23,18 @@ msg_info() {
 }
 
 git_clone() {
-  # git_clone https://repo.url branch ./target_dir [githash]
+  # git_clone https://repo.url target_dir [branch]
   echo "[mkpkg] Checking out $1 ..."
-  if [ ! -d "$3" ]; then
-    git clone "$1" "$3"
-    # Try to switch to specified branch if it exist, if not then use default branch
-    if [ -n "$2" ]; then
-      cd "$3"
-      git checkout $2 >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
-      cd ..
-    fi
+  if [ ! -d "$2" ]; then
+    git clone "$1" "$2"
   else
-    if [ -d "$3" ] ; then
-      cd "$3"
-      git checkout $2 >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
-      git pull
-      cd ..
-    fi
+    cd "$2"
+    git fetch
+    cd ..
   fi
-
-  if [ ! -z "$4" ] ; then
-    cd "$3"
-    git fetch >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
-    git branch -D $4 >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
-    git checkout $4 >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
-    git checkout -b ref-$4 >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
+  if [ -n "$3" ]; then
+    cd "$2"
+    git checkout -q origin/"$3";
     cd ..
   fi
 }
@@ -66,10 +53,17 @@ resolve_hash() {
   fi
 }
 
-resolve_tag() {
+resolve_hash_in_branch() {
   if [ -d "$1" ] ; then
     cd "$1"
-    git describe --abbrev=0 --tags $2 2>/dev/null
+    git rev-parse origin/$2 2>/dev/null
+  fi
+}
+
+resolve_tag_in_branch() {
+  if [ -d "$1" ] ; then
+    cd "$1"
+    git describe --abbrev=0 --tags origin/$2 2>/dev/null
   fi
 }
 
@@ -140,47 +134,14 @@ update_pkg() {
     download_pkg_file "${pkg_name}"
     set_pkg_sha256 "${pkg_path}"
 
+    msg_info "UPDATED ${pkg_name} from ${old_version} to ${pkg_version}"
+
     return 0
   else
     return 1
   fi
 }
 
-update_to_latest_tag() {
-  local pkg_path="$1" pkg_name="$2" repo="$3" branch="$4" ref="$5"
-  local gitdir=${pkg_name}.git
-  local resolved_version
-  local no_tag=""
-
-  git_clone "${repo}" "${branch}" "${gitdir}" "${ref}"
-
-  resolved_version=$(resolve_tag "${gitdir}" "${ref}")
-  if [ -z "${resolved_version}" ]; then
-    no_tag="yes"
-    echo "========================================================================"
-    msg_warn "WARNING: no tag found for package ${pkg_name}, falling back to HEAD"
-    echo "========================================================================"
-    resolved_version=$(resolve_hash "${gitdir}" "${ref}")
-  fi
-
-  echo "Resolved version for ${pkg_name}: ${ref} => ${resolved_version}"
-
-  if update_pkg "${pkg_path}" "${pkg_name}" "${resolved_version}"; then
-    if [ -n "${no_tag}" ]; then
-      # always bump PKG_REV on updates as we have no info if version changed
-      bump_pkg_rev "${pkg_path}" "${pkg_name}"
-    else
-      reset_pkg_rev "${pkg_path}" "${pkg_name}"
-    fi
-  else
-    [ "${BUMP_PKG_REV}" = "yes" ] && bump_pkg_rev "${pkg_path}" "${pkg_name}"
-  fi
-
-  if [ "${KEEP_GIT_DIRS}" != "yes" ]; then
-    rm -rf "${gitdir}"
-  fi
-}
-
 # Get url in git:// notation for a package.mk, assuming it is a github.com url
 # Return 1 if not a github domain
 geturl() {
diff --git a/tools/mkpkg/update_retroplayer-addons b/tools/mkpkg/update_retroplayer-addons
index 48e7ca224f..160c8c48d1 100755
--- a/tools/mkpkg/update_retroplayer-addons
+++ b/tools/mkpkg/update_retroplayer-addons
@@ -81,11 +81,12 @@ mkdir -p "${TMPDIR}"
 # addons
 for addontxt in "game-binary-addons https://github.com/kodi-game/repo-binary-addons.git ${KODI_BRANCH}" ; do
   ADDONS=$(echo $addontxt | awk '{print $1}')
-  ADDONREPO=$(echo $addontxt | awk '{print $2}')
-  GIT_HASH=$(echo $addontxt | awk '{print $3}')
-  git_clone $ADDONREPO retroplayer $ADDONS.git $GIT_HASH
+  ADDONS_DIR="${ADDONS}.git"
+  ADDONS_REPO=$(echo $addontxt | awk '{print $2}')
+  ADDONS_BRANCH=$(echo $addontxt | awk '{print $3}')
+  git_clone ${ADDONS_REPO} ${ADDONS_DIR} ${ADDONS_BRANCH}
 
-  for addon in $ADDONS.git/*.*/ ; do
+  for addon in ${ADDONS_DIR}/*.*/ ; do
     GAME_ADDON=$(basename ${addon})
 
     [[ "${GAME_ADDON}" =~ ^game. ]] || continue
@@ -121,34 +122,28 @@ for addontxt in "game-binary-addons https://github.com/kodi-game/repo-binary-add
     NO_TAG=""
     CHECK_RETRO=""
 
-    git_clone "${GAME_GIT_REPO}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}" "${GAME_GIT_DIR}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}"
-    GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_tag "${GAME_GIT_DIR}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}")
+    git_clone "${GAME_GIT_REPO}" "${GAME_GIT_DIR}"
+    GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_tag_in_branch "${GAME_GIT_DIR}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}")
     if [ -z "${GAME_NEW_VERSION}" ]; then
       NO_TAG="yes"
       echo "========================================================================"
       msg_warn "WARNING: no tag found for addon ${GAME_ADDON}, falling back to HEAD"
       echo "========================================================================"
-      GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_hash "${GAME_GIT_DIR}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}")
+      GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_hash_in_branch "${GAME_GIT_DIR}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}")
     fi
 
     if [ "${KEEP_GIT_DIRS}" != "yes" ]; then
       rm -rf "${GAME_GIT_DIR}"
     fi
 
-    GAME_VERSION=$(get_pkg_var "${GAME_ADDON}" PKG_VERSION)
-
-    if [ "${GAME_VERSION}" != "${GAME_NEW_VERSION}" ]; then
+    if update_pkg "${GAME_PATH}" "${GAME_ADDON}" "${GAME_NEW_VERSION}"; then
       BUMPED_ADDON="yes"
       [ -n "${RETRO_NAME}" ] && CHECK_RETRO="yes"
-      set_pkg_version "${GAME_PATH}" "${GAME_NEW_VERSION}"
-      download_pkg_file "${GAME_ADDON}"
-      set_pkg_sha256 "${GAME_PATH}"
-      msg_info "UPDATED ${GAME_ADDON} from ${GAME_VERSION} to ${GAME_NEW_VERSION}"
-    fi
-
-    if [ -n "${FORCE_LIBRETRO_BUMP}" -a -n "${RETRO_NAME}" -a -z "${CHECK_RETRO}" ]; then
-      download_pkg_file "${GAME_ADDON}"
-      CHECK_RETRO="yes"
+    else
+      if [ -n "${FORCE_LIBRETRO_BUMP}" -a -n "${RETRO_NAME}" ]; then
+        download_pkg_file "${GAME_ADDON}"
+        CHECK_RETRO="yes"
+      fi
     fi
 
     if [ -n "${CHECK_RETRO}" ]; then
@@ -172,21 +167,17 @@ for addontxt in "game-binary-addons https://github.com/kodi-game/repo-binary-add
       VERSION_INFO=$(grep "^${RETRO_NAME}" "${RETRO_VERSION_FILE}" | head -1)
       if [[ "$VERSION_INFO" =~ .zip$ ]] ; then
         # version referenced by githash
-        RETRO_NEW_HASH=$(sed -e 's|^.*/archive/||' -e 's|\.zip$||' "${RETRO_VERSION_FILE}")
+        RETRO_NEW_VERSION=$(sed -e 's|^.*/archive/||' -e 's|\.zip$||' "${RETRO_VERSION_FILE}")
       else
         msg_warn "unmanaged version in kodi package: ${VERSION_INFO}"
         # unmanaged version, repo plus branch
         RETRO_SITE=$(echo "${VERSION_INFO}" | awk '{print $2}')
         RETRO_BRANCH=$(echo "${VERSION_INFO}" | awk '{print $3}')
-        RETRO_NEW_HASH=$(git ls-remote "${RETRO_SITE}" "${RETRO_BRANCH}" | awk '{print $1}')
+        RETRO_NEW_VERSION=$(git ls-remote "${RETRO_SITE}" "${RETRO_BRANCH}" | awk '{print $1}')
       fi
 
-      if [ "${RETRO_VERSION}" != "${RETRO_NEW_HASH}" ]; then
+      if update_pkg "${RETRO_PATH}" "${RETRO_ADDON}" "${RETRO_NEW_VERSION}"; then
         BUMPED_RETRO="yes"
-        set_pkg_version "${RETRO_PATH}" "${RETRO_NEW_HASH}"
-        download_pkg_file "${RETRO_ADDON}"
-        set_pkg_sha256 "${RETRO_PATH}"
-        msg_info "UPDATED ${RETRO_ADDON} from ${RETRO_VERSION} to ${RETRO_NEW_HASH}"
       fi
     fi