diff --git a/scripts/build b/scripts/build
index fa101fce4d..c5c98b58f4 100755
--- a/scripts/build
+++ b/scripts/build
@@ -31,15 +31,18 @@ if [ ! -f $PKG_DIR/package.mk ]; then
 fi
 
 # set defaults
-  PKG_CONFIGURE_SCRIPT=""
-  PKG_MAKE_OPTS=""
-  PKG_MAKEINSTALL_OPTS=""
+PKG_CONFIGURE_SCRIPT=""
+PKG_MAKE_OPTS=""
+PKG_MAKEINSTALL_OPTS=""
 
-  PACKAGE_NAME=$(echo $1 | awk -F : '{print $1}')
-  TARGET=$(echo $1 | awk -F : '{print $2}')
-  if [ -z "$TARGET" ]; then
-    TARGET="target"
-  fi
+if [ "${1//:/}" != "${1}" ]; then
+  PACKAGE_NAME="${1%:*}"
+  TARGET="${1#*:}"
+else
+  PACKAGE_NAME=$1
+  TARGET=
+fi
+[ -z "$TARGET" ] && TARGET="target"
 
 if [ -n "$PKG_ARCH" -a ! "$PKG_ARCH" = "any" ]; then
   echo "$PKG_ARCH" | grep -q "$TARGET_ARCH" || exit 0
diff --git a/scripts/install b/scripts/install
index 001efff1cd..96ff3b5f25 100755
--- a/scripts/install
+++ b/scripts/install
@@ -32,11 +32,14 @@ if [ -z "$INSTALL" ] ; then
 fi
 
 # set defaults
-PACKAGE_NAME=$(echo $1 | awk -F : '{print $1}')
-TARGET=$(echo $1 | awk -F : '{print $2}')
-if [ -z "$TARGET" ]; then
-  TARGET="target"
+if [ "${1//:/}" != "${1}" ]; then
+  PACKAGE_NAME="${1%:*}"
+  TARGET="${1#*:}"
+else
+  PACKAGE_NAME=$1
+  TARGET=
 fi
+[ -z "$TARGET" ] && TARGET="target"
 
 STAMP=$STAMPS_INSTALL/$PACKAGE_NAME/install_$TARGET
 mkdir -p $STAMPS_INSTALL/$PACKAGE_NAME
diff --git a/scripts/uninstall b/scripts/uninstall
index f354726369..7acd58f9e5 100755
--- a/scripts/uninstall
+++ b/scripts/uninstall
@@ -25,11 +25,14 @@ if [ -z "$1" ]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-  PACKAGE_NAME=$(echo $1 | awk -F : '{print $1}')
-  TARGET=$(echo $1 | awk -F : '{print $2}')
-  if [ -z "$TARGET" ]; then
-    TARGET="target"
-  fi
+if [ "${1//:/}" != "${1}" ]; then
+  PACKAGE_NAME="${1%:*}"
+  TARGET="${1#*:}"
+else
+  PACKAGE_NAME=$1
+  TARGET=
+fi
+[ -z "$TARGET" ] && TARGET="target"
 
 if [ -n "$PKG_ARCH" -a ! "$PKG_ARCH" = "any" ]; then
   echo "$PKG_ARCH" | grep -q "$TARGET_ARCH" || exit 0