diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 16383566..2f00c30f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Build configuration
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# This directory will be completely deleted by the `clean` rule
+BUILD_DIRECTORY ?= release
+
+# See http://stackoverflow.com/a/20763842/1641422
+BUILD_DIRECTORY_PARENT = $(dir $(BUILD_DIRECTORY))
+ifeq ($(wildcard $(BUILD_DIRECTORY_PARENT).),)
+$(error $(BUILD_DIRECTORY_PARENT) does not exist)
+endif
+
+BUILD_TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY = $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/.tmp
+BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY = $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/out
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Application configuration
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -89,7 +105,6 @@ ifeq ($(TARGET_ARCH),x64)
 	TARGET_ARCH_DEBIAN = amd64
 endif
 
-TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY = release/.tmp
 APPLICATION_NAME_LOWERCASE = $(shell echo $(APPLICATION_NAME) | tr A-Z a-z)
 APPLICATION_VERSION_DEBIAN = $(shell echo $(APPLICATION_VERSION) | tr "-" "~")
 
@@ -104,37 +119,55 @@ define execute-command
 
 endef
 
-release/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies/node_modules: package.json npm-shrinkwrap.json
+$(BUILD_DIRECTORY):
+	mkdir $@
+
+$(BUILD_TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY): | $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)
+	mkdir $@
+
+$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies: | $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)
+	mkdir $@
+
+$(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY): | $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)
+	mkdir $@
+
+$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies/node_modules: package.json npm-shrinkwrap.json \
+	| $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies
 	./scripts/build/dependencies-npm.sh -p \
 		-r "$(TARGET_ARCH)" \
 		-v "$(ELECTRON_VERSION)" \
-		-x $(dir $@) \
+		-x $| \
 		-t electron \
 		-s "$(TARGET_PLATFORM)"
 
-release/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies/bower_components: bower.json
-	./scripts/build/dependencies-bower.sh -p -x $(dir $@)
+$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies/bower_components: bower.json \
+	| $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies
+	./scripts/build/dependencies-bower.sh -p -x $|
 
-release/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-app: \
-	release/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies/node_modules \
-	release/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies/bower_components
+$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-app: \
+	$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies/node_modules \
+	$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-dependencies/bower_components \
+	| $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)
 	./scripts/build/electron-create-resources-app.sh -s . -f "$(APPLICATION_FILES)" -o $@
 	$(foreach prerequisite,$^,$(call execute-command,cp -rf $(prerequisite) $@))
 
-release/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-app.asar: \
-	release/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-app
+$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-app.asar: \
+	$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-app \
+	| $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)
 	./scripts/build/electron-create-asar.sh -d $< -o $@
 
-release/electron-$(ELECTRON_VERSION)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip:
+$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(ELECTRON_VERSION)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip: \
+	| $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)
 	./scripts/build/electron-download-package.sh \
 		-r "$(TARGET_ARCH)" \
 		-v "$(ELECTRON_VERSION)" \
 		-s "$(TARGET_PLATFORM)" \
 		-o $@
 
-release/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH): \
-	release/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-app.asar \
-	release/electron-$(ELECTRON_VERSION)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip
+$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH): \
+	$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-app.asar \
+	$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/electron-$(ELECTRON_VERSION)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip \
+	| $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)
 ifeq ($(TARGET_PLATFORM),darwin)
 	./scripts/build/electron-configure-package-darwin.sh -p $(word 2,$^) -a $< \
 		-n "$(APPLICATION_NAME)" \
@@ -153,22 +186,25 @@ ifeq ($(TARGET_PLATFORM),linux)
 		-o $@
 endif
 
-release/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-rw.dmg: \
-	release/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-darwin-$(TARGET_ARCH)
+$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-rw.dmg: \
+	$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-darwin-$(TARGET_ARCH) \
+	| $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)
 	./scripts/build/electron-create-readwrite-dmg-darwin.sh -p $< -o $@ \
 		-n "$(APPLICATION_NAME)" \
 		-i assets/icon.icns \
 		-b assets/osx/installer.png
 
-release/out/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-darwin-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip: \
-	release/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-darwin-$(TARGET_ARCH)
+$(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-darwin-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip: \
+	$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-darwin-$(TARGET_ARCH) \
+	| $(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)
 ifdef CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY
 	./scripts/build/electron-sign-app-darwin.sh -a $</$(APPLICATION_NAME).app -i "$(CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY)"
 endif
 	./scripts/build/electron-installer-app-zip-darwin.sh -a $</$(APPLICATION_NAME).app -o $@
 
-release/out/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-darwin-$(TARGET_ARCH).dmg: \
-	release/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-rw.dmg
+$(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-darwin-$(TARGET_ARCH).dmg: \
+	$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH)-rw.dmg \
+	| $(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)
 ifdef CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY
 	./scripts/build/electron-sign-dmg-darwin.sh \
 		-n "$(APPLICATION_NAME)" \
@@ -177,17 +213,19 @@ ifdef CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY
 endif
 	./scripts/build/electron-create-readonly-dmg-darwin.sh -d $< -o $@
 
-release/out/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-linux-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip: \
-	release/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-linux-$(TARGET_ARCH)
-	TMPDIR=$(TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY) ./scripts/build/electron-installer-appimage-linux.sh -p $< -o $@ \
+$(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-linux-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip: \
+	$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-linux-$(TARGET_ARCH) \
+	| $(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY) $(BUILD_TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY)
+	TMPDIR=$(BUILD_TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY) ./scripts/build/electron-installer-appimage-linux.sh -p $< -o $@ \
 		-n "$(APPLICATION_NAME)" \
 		-d "$(APPLICATION_DESCRIPTION)" \
 		-r "$(TARGET_ARCH)" \
 		-b "$(APPLICATION_NAME_LOWERCASE)" \
 		-i assets/icon.png
 
-release/out/$(APPLICATION_NAME_LOWERCASE)-electron_$(APPLICATION_VERSION_DEBIAN)_$(TARGET_ARCH_DEBIAN).deb: \
-	release/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-linux-$(TARGET_ARCH)
+$(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME_LOWERCASE)-electron_$(APPLICATION_VERSION_DEBIAN)_$(TARGET_ARCH_DEBIAN).deb: \
+	$(BUILD_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-linux-$(TARGET_ARCH) \
+	| $(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)
 	./scripts/build/electron-installer-debian-linux.sh -p $< -r "$(TARGET_ARCH)" \
 		-c scripts/build/debian/config.json \
 		-o $(dir $@)
@@ -203,8 +241,8 @@ TARGETS = \
 	electron-develop
 
 ifeq ($(TARGET_PLATFORM),darwin)
-electron-installer-app-zip: release/out/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip
-electron-installer-dmg: release/out/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH).dmg
+electron-installer-app-zip: $(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip
+electron-installer-dmg: $(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH).dmg
 TARGETS += \
 	electron-installer-dmg \
 	electron-installer-app-zip
@@ -214,8 +252,8 @@ PUBLISH_AWS_S3 += \
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(TARGET_PLATFORM),linux)
-electron-installer-appimage: release/out/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip
-electron-installer-debian: release/out/$(APPLICATION_NAME_LOWERCASE)-electron_$(APPLICATION_VERSION_DEBIAN)_$(TARGET_ARCH_DEBIAN).deb
+electron-installer-appimage: $(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME)-$(APPLICATION_VERSION)-$(TARGET_PLATFORM)-$(TARGET_ARCH).zip
+electron-installer-debian: $(BUILD_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)/$(APPLICATION_NAME_LOWERCASE)-electron_$(APPLICATION_VERSION_DEBIAN)_$(TARGET_ARCH_DEBIAN).deb
 TARGETS +=  \
 	electron-installer-appimage \
 	electron-installer-debian
@@ -265,6 +303,6 @@ info:
 	@echo "Target arch     : $(TARGET_ARCH)"
 
 clean:
-	rm -rf release
+	rm -rf $(BUILD_DIRECTORY)
 
 .DEFAULT_GOAL = help
diff --git a/scripts/build/dependencies-npm.sh b/scripts/build/dependencies-npm.sh
index 9d70a356..4a8a29e8 100755
--- a/scripts/build/dependencies-npm.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/dependencies-npm.sh
@@ -106,7 +106,6 @@ if [ "$ARGV_PRODUCTION" == "true" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ -n "$ARGV_PREFIX" ]; then
-  mkdir -p "$ARGV_PREFIX"
   ln -s "$PWD/package.json" "$ARGV_PREFIX/package.json"
 
   if [ -f "$PWD/npm-shrinkwrap.json" ]; then
diff --git a/scripts/build/electron-configure-package-darwin.sh b/scripts/build/electron-configure-package-darwin.sh
index 72b20bac..a9c18188 100755
--- a/scripts/build/electron-configure-package-darwin.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/electron-configure-package-darwin.sh
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ then
   usage
 fi
 
-mkdir -p $(dirname "$ARGV_OUTPUT")
 unzip "$ARGV_ELECTRON_PACKAGE" -d "$ARGV_OUTPUT"
 
 APPLICATION_OUTPUT="$ARGV_OUTPUT/$ARGV_APPLICATION_NAME.app"
diff --git a/scripts/build/electron-configure-package-linux.sh b/scripts/build/electron-configure-package-linux.sh
index c83117c7..e95fc16d 100755
--- a/scripts/build/electron-configure-package-linux.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/electron-configure-package-linux.sh
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ then
   usage
 fi
 
-mkdir -p $(dirname "$ARGV_OUTPUT")
 unzip "$ARGV_ELECTRON_PACKAGE" -d "$ARGV_OUTPUT"
 
 mv $ARGV_OUTPUT/electron $ARGV_OUTPUT/$(echo "$ARGV_APPLICATION_NAME" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
diff --git a/scripts/build/electron-create-asar.sh b/scripts/build/electron-create-asar.sh
index 8a493e8b..788939e1 100755
--- a/scripts/build/electron-create-asar.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/electron-create-asar.sh
@@ -53,8 +53,6 @@ if [ -z "$ARGV_DIRECTORY" ] || [ -z "$ARGV_OUTPUT" ]; then
   usage
 fi
 
-mkdir -p $(dirname "$ARGV_OUTPUT")
-
 # Omit `*.dll` and `*.node` files from the
 # asar package, otherwise `process.dlopen` and
 # `module.require` can't load them correctly.
diff --git a/scripts/build/electron-create-readonly-dmg-darwin.sh b/scripts/build/electron-create-readonly-dmg-darwin.sh
index 54e6a62f..53119b2b 100755
--- a/scripts/build/electron-create-readonly-dmg-darwin.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/electron-create-readonly-dmg-darwin.sh
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ fi
 
 # Convert temporary DMG image into a production-ready
 # compressed and read-only DMG image.
-mkdir -p "$(dirname "$ARGV_OUTPUT")"
 hdiutil convert "$ARGV_APPLICATION_DMG" \
   -format UDZO \
   -imagekey zlib-level=9 \
diff --git a/scripts/build/electron-download-package.sh b/scripts/build/electron-download-package.sh
index 756a923e..802c963a 100755
--- a/scripts/build/electron-download-package.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/electron-download-package.sh
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ ELECTRON_DOWNLOADS_BASEURL="$ELECTRON_GITHUB_REPOSITORY/releases/download/v$ARGV
 ELECTRON_FILENAME="electron-v$ARGV_ELECTRON_VERSION-$ARGV_OPERATING_SYSTEM-$ELECTRON_ARCHITECTURE.zip"
 ELECTRON_CHECKSUM=$(wget --no-check-certificate -O - "$ELECTRON_DOWNLOADS_BASEURL/SHASUMS256.txt" | grep "$ELECTRON_FILENAME" | cut -d ' ' -f 1)
 
-mkdir -p $(dirname $ARGV_OUTPUT)
 ./scripts/build/download-tool.sh \
   -u "$ELECTRON_DOWNLOADS_BASEURL/$ELECTRON_FILENAME" \
   -c "$ELECTRON_CHECKSUM" \
diff --git a/scripts/build/electron-installer-app-zip-darwin.sh b/scripts/build/electron-installer-app-zip-darwin.sh
index 314d578e..4bb351de 100755
--- a/scripts/build/electron-installer-app-zip-darwin.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/electron-installer-app-zip-darwin.sh
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ if [ -z "$ARGV_APPLICATION" ] || [ -z "$ARGV_OUTPUT" ]; then
   usage
 fi
 
-mkdir -p "$(dirname "$ARGV_OUTPUT")"
 CWD=$(pwd)
 pushd "$(dirname "$ARGV_APPLICATION")"
 zip -r -9 "$CWD/$ARGV_OUTPUT" "$(basename "$ARGV_APPLICATION")"
diff --git a/scripts/build/electron-installer-appimage-linux.sh b/scripts/build/electron-installer-appimage-linux.sh
index 726597c0..e841703d 100755
--- a/scripts/build/electron-installer-appimage-linux.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/electron-installer-appimage-linux.sh
@@ -83,15 +83,11 @@ then
   usage
 fi
 
-if [ -z "$TMPDIR" ]; then
-  TMPDIR=$(mktemp -d)
-fi
-mkdir -p "$TMPDIR"
-
+TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY=$(mktemp -d)
 OUTPUT_FILENAME="$ARGV_APPLICATION_NAME-linux-$ARGV_ARCHITECTURE.AppImage"
 
 # Create AppDir
-APPDIR_PATH=$TMPDIR/${OUTPUT_FILENAME%.*}.AppDir
+APPDIR_PATH=$TEMPORARY_DIRECTORY/${OUTPUT_FILENAME%.*}.AppDir
 APPDIR_ICON_FILENAME=icon
 rm -rf "$APPDIR_PATH"
 mkdir -p "$APPDIR_PATH/usr/bin"
@@ -124,7 +120,6 @@ else
 fi
 
 # Generate AppImage
-mkdir -p "$(dirname "$ARGV_OUTPUT")"
 rm -f "$ARGV_OUTPUT"
 
 APPIMAGES_TAG=6
diff --git a/scripts/build/electron-installer-debian-linux.sh b/scripts/build/electron-installer-debian-linux.sh
index 4c8712d3..2d2cedcc 100755
--- a/scripts/build/electron-installer-debian-linux.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/electron-installer-debian-linux.sh
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ else
   exit 1
 fi
 
-mkdir -p "$ARGV_OUTPUT"
 cp scripts/build/debian/etcher-electron.sh "$ARGV_DIRECTORY"
 electron-installer-debian \
   --src "$ARGV_DIRECTORY" \
diff --git a/scripts/build/package-cli.sh b/scripts/build/package-cli.sh
index 3edd9c57..593d4bde 100755
--- a/scripts/build/package-cli.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/package-cli.sh
@@ -98,9 +98,6 @@ else
   exit 1
 fi
 
-rm -rf "$ARGV_OUTPUT"
-mkdir -p "$ARGV_OUTPUT"
-
 browserify "$ARGV_ENTRY_POINT" --node --outfile "$ARGV_OUTPUT/index.js"
 BINARY_LOCATION="$ARGV_OUTPUT/$ARGV_APPLICATION_NAME"
 ./scripts/build/download-tool.sh -x \