diff --git a/board/common/cleanups.sh b/board/common/cleanups.sh
index 472269c36b..2df8a41740 100755
--- a/board/common/cleanups.sh
+++ b/board/common/cleanups.sh
@@ -191,7 +191,6 @@ rm -f $TARGET/usr/bin/v4l2-compliance
 rm -rf $TARGET/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/samba/
 rm -rf $TARGET/usr/lib/python2.7/ensurepip/
 rm -rf $TARGET/usr/lib/python2.7/config/
-rm -rf $TARGET/usr/lib/python2.7/distutils/
 rm -rf $TARGET/usr/lib/python2.7/unittest/
 
 # buildroot default startup scripts
diff --git a/board/common/mkimage.sh b/board/common/mkimage.sh
index 2b8a9def24..2b5e8e8600 100755
--- a/board/common/mkimage.sh
+++ b/board/common/mkimage.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ fi
 test "root" != "$USER" && exec sudo -E $0 "$@"
 
 function msg() {
-    echo ":: $1"
+    echo " * $1"
 }
 
 function cleanup {
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ ROOT_IMG=$IMG_DIR/root.img
 ROOT_SIZE="180" # MB
 
 DISK_SIZE="220" # MB
-OS_NAME=$(source $IMG_DIR/../../../board/common/overlay/etc/version && echo $os_short_name)
+
+COMMON_DIR=$(cd $IMG_DIR/../../../board/common; pwd)
+OS_NAME=$(source $COMMON_DIR/overlay/etc/version && echo $os_short_name)
 
 # boot filesystem
 msg "creating boot loop device"
@@ -79,6 +81,26 @@ mount -o loop $loop_dev $ROOT
 msg "copying root filesystem contents"
 tar -xpsf $ROOT_SRC -C $ROOT
 
+# set internal OS name, prefix and version according to env variables
+if [ -f $ROOT/etc/version ]; then
+    if [ -n "$THINGOS_NAME" ]; then
+        msg "setting OS name to $THINGOS_NAME"
+        sed -ri "s/os_name=\".*\"/os_name=\"$THINGOS_NAME\"/" $ROOT/etc/version
+    fi
+    if [ -n "$THINGOS_SHORT_NAME" ]; then
+        msg "setting OS short name to $THINGOS_SHORT_NAME"
+        sed -ri "s/os_short_name=\".*\"/os_short_name=\"$THINGOS_SHORT_NAME\"/" $ROOT/etc/version
+    fi
+    if [ -n "$THINGOS_PREFIX" ]; then
+        msg "setting OS prefix to $THINGOS_PREFIX"
+        sed -ri "s/os_prefix=\".*\"/os_prefix=\"$THINGOS_PREFIX\"/" $ROOT/etc/version
+    fi
+    if [ -n "$THINGOS_VERSION" ]; then
+        msg "setting OS version to $THINGOS_VERSION"
+        sed -ri "s/os_version=\".*\"/os_version=\"$THINGOS_VERSION\"/" $ROOT/etc/version
+    fi
+fi
+
 msg "unmounting root filesystem"
 umount $ROOT
 
diff --git a/board/common/overlay/sbin/fwupdate b/board/common/overlay/sbin/fwupdate
index 7cec9b4617..9514b9a93e 100755
--- a/board/common/overlay/sbin/fwupdate
+++ b/board/common/overlay/sbin/fwupdate
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ ROOT_INFO_FILE=root_info
 BOOT_READY_FILE=boot_flash_ready
 
 FW_DIR=/data/.fwupdate
-FW_FILE=firmware.img.gz
+FW_FILE_GZ=firmware.img.gz
+FW_FILE_XZ=firmware.img.xz
 FW_FILE_EXTR=firmware.img
 
 CURL_LOG_FILE=curl.log
@@ -53,6 +54,9 @@ CURL_PID_FILE=curl.pid
 GUNZIP_LOG_FILE=gunzip.log
 GUNZIP_PID_FILE=gunzip.pid
 
+XZCAT_LOG_FILE=xzcat.log
+XZCAT_PID_FILE=xzcat.pid
+
 DD_LOG_FILE=dd.log
 DD_PID_FILE=dd.pid
 
@@ -101,7 +105,7 @@ function show_current() {
 function do_download() {
     echo "downloading..."
 
-    rm -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE 
+    rm -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_GZ $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_XZ
     rm -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_EXTR
     rm -f $FW_DIR/$BOOT_READY_FILE
 
@@ -111,7 +115,7 @@ function do_download() {
     version=$1
 
     if ! [[ "$url" == http* ]]; then  # a version was given
-        url=$(show_versions true | grep "^$1" | cut -d ' ' -f 2)
+        url=$(show_versions true | sed -rn '/^'"$version"' http.*\.img\.[a-z]+$/ {; /.*\.xz$/ {;s/^'"$version"' (.*)/\1/ p;q;}; /.*\.gz$/ {;h;b finish;};}; :finish; $ {;x;s/^'"$version"' (.*)/\1/ p;}')
     else
         version="custom"
     fi
@@ -127,6 +131,12 @@ function do_download() {
         exit 1
     fi
 
+    outfile=$FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_GZ
+    format=$(echo $url | sed -rn 's/.*\.img\.([a-z]+)$/\1/ p')
+    if [ "$format" == "xz" ]; then
+        outfile=$FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_XZ
+    fi
+
     rm -rf $FW_DIR/*
     mkdir -p $FW_DIR
     echo $version > $FW_DIR/$VER_FILE
@@ -136,10 +146,15 @@ function do_download() {
         curl_opts+=" --user $os_firmware_username:$os_firmware_password"
     fi
 
-    curl $curl_opts -o $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE "$url" &> $FW_DIR/$CURL_LOG_FILE &
+    curl $curl_opts -o $outfile "$url" &> $FW_DIR/$CURL_LOG_FILE &
     pid=$!
     echo $pid > $FW_DIR/$CURL_PID_FILE
     wait $pid
+    
+    if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
+        cat $FW_DIR/$CURL_LOG_FILE
+        exit 1
+    fi
 }
 
 function download_status() {
@@ -151,7 +166,7 @@ function download_status() {
         fi
     fi
 
-    if [ -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE ]; then
+    if [ -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_GZ -o -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_XZ ]; then
         echo "done"
     fi
 }
@@ -165,23 +180,52 @@ function do_extract() {
     rm -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_EXTR
     rm -f $FW_DIR/$BOOT_READY_FILE
 
-    if ! [ -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE ]; then
+    if ! [ -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_GZ -o -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_XZ ]; then
         echo "firmware file not downloaded" 1>&2
         exit 1
     fi
 
-    rm -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_EXTR
+    format="gz"
+    if [ -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_XZ ]; then
+        format="xz"
+    fi
 
-    gunzip -k -c $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE > $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_EXTR 2>$FW_DIR/$GUNZIP_LOG_FILE &
+    rm -f $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_EXTR
+    rm -f $FW_DIR/$GUNZIP_PID_FILE $FW_DIR/$XZCAT_PID_FILE
+
+    if [ "$format" == "xz" ]; then
+        DECOMPRESS_LOG_FILE=$FW_DIR/$XZCAT_LOG_FILE
+        DECOMPRESS_PID_FILE=$FW_DIR/$XZCAT_PID_FILE
+        xzcat $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_XZ > $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_EXTR 2>$FW_DIR/$XZCAT_LOG_FILE &
+    elif [ "$format" == "gz" ]; then
+        DECOMPRESS_LOG_FILE=$FW_DIR/$GUNZIP_LOG_FILE
+        DECOMPRESS_PID_FILE=$FW_DIR/$GUNZIP_PID_FILE
+        gunzip -k -c $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_GZ > $FW_DIR/$FW_FILE_EXTR 2>$FW_DIR/$GUNZIP_LOG_FILE &
+    else
+        echo "firmware compression format $format not supported" 1>&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    
     pid=$!
-    echo $pid > $FW_DIR/$GUNZIP_PID_FILE
+    echo $pid > $DECOMPRESS_PID_FILE
     wait $pid
 
+    if [ "$?" != 0 ]; then
+        cat $DECOMPRESS_LOG_FILE
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
     # TODO verify hash
 }
 
 function extract_status() {
-    if [ -f $FW_DIR/$GUNZIP_PID_FILE ]; then
+    if [ -f $FW_DIR/$XZCAT_PID_FILE ]; then
+        pid=$(cat $FW_DIR/$XZCAT_PID_FILE)
+        if kill -0 $pid &>/dev/null; then
+            echo "running"
+            return
+        fi
+    elif [ -f $FW_DIR/$GUNZIP_PID_FILE ]; then
         pid=$(cat $FW_DIR/$GUNZIP_PID_FILE)
         if kill -0 $pid &>/dev/null; then
             echo "running"
diff --git a/board/common/overlay/usr/libexec/list-versions-bitbucket b/board/common/overlay/usr/libexec/list-versions-bitbucket
index e54c188a84..044ea42791 100755
--- a/board/common/overlay/usr/libexec/list-versions-bitbucket
+++ b/board/common/overlay/usr/libexec/list-versions-bitbucket
@@ -5,10 +5,13 @@ if [ -z "$1" ]; then
     exit -1
 fi
 
+extensions=".img.gz .img.xz .img"
 opts="-s -S -f"
 test -n "$FW_USERNAME" && opts+=" --user $FW_USERNAME:$FW_PASSWORD"
 url="https://api.bitbucket.org/2.0/repositories/$1/downloads?pagelen=100&_=$(date +%s)"
-jq_expr='.values[] | [{a: .name | split("-"), url: .links.self.href}] | map((.a[2] | rtrimstr(".img.gz") | rtrimstr(".img")), "false", .a[1], .url) | join("|")'
+
+rtrimstr=$(for e in $extensions; do echo -n " | rtrimstr(\"$e\")"; done)
+jq_expr=".values[] | [{a: .name | split(\"-\"), url: .links.self.href}] | map((.a[2] $rtrimstr), \"false\", .a[1], .url) | join(\"|\")"
 
 curl $opts $url | jq --raw-output "$jq_expr"
 exit ${PIPESTATUS[0]}
diff --git a/board/nanopineo2/boot-fwupdater.cmd b/board/nanopineo2/boot-fwupdater.cmd
index e31c4405e9..1bb0d7388a 100644
--- a/board/nanopineo2/boot-fwupdater.cmd
+++ b/board/nanopineo2/boot-fwupdater.cmd
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 earlyprintk root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootwait ro no_console_suspend panic=10 quiet loglevel=1 ipv6.disable=1
+setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 earlyprintk root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootwait ro no_console_suspend panic=10 quiet loglevel=1 ipv6.disable=1
 
 fatload mmc 0 0x46000000 Image
 fatload mmc 0 0x47000000 rootfs.cpio.uboot
diff --git a/board/nanopineo2/boot.cmd b/board/nanopineo2/boot.cmd
index 462d0b93d7..c81f03256b 100644
--- a/board/nanopineo2/boot.cmd
+++ b/board/nanopineo2/boot.cmd
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 earlyprintk root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootwait ro no_console_suspend panic=10 quiet loglevel=1 ipv6.disable=1
+setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 earlyprintk root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootwait ro no_console_suspend panic=10 quiet loglevel=1 ipv6.disable=1
 
 fatload mmc 0 0x46000000 Image
 fatload mmc 0 0x48000000 sun50i-h5-nanopi-neo2.dtb
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 039a06f983..c6fbb69458 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 if [ -z "$1" ]; then
-    echo "Usage: $0 <board|all> [mkimage|mkrelease|make_targets...]"
+    echo "Usage: $0 <board|all> [mkimage|mkrelease|clean-target|make-targets...]"
+    echo "    mkimage - creates the OS image (.img)"
+    echo "    mkrelease - creates the compressed OS image (.img.gz, .img.xz)"
+    echo "    clean-target - removes the target dir, preserving the package build dirs"
+    echo ""
+    echo "    for other make targets, see the BuildRoot manual"
     exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -15,6 +20,25 @@ osname=$(source $basedir/board/common/overlay/etc/version && echo $os_short_name
 osversion=$(source $basedir/board/common/overlay/etc/version && echo $os_version)
 gzip=$(which pigz 2> /dev/null || which gzip 2> /dev/null)
 
+# extra environment from local file
+test -f $basedir/.build-env && source $basedir/.build-env
+
+# OS name
+if [ -n "$THINGOS_SHORT_NAME" ]; then
+    osname=$THINGOS_SHORT_NAME
+else
+    osname=$(source $basedir/board/common/overlay/etc/version && echo $os_short_name)
+fi
+
+# OS version
+if [ -n "$THINGOS_VERSION" ]; then
+    osversion=$THINGOS_VERSION
+else
+    osversion=$(source $basedir/board/common/overlay/etc/version && echo $os_version)
+fi
+
+# when the special "all" keyword is used for board,
+# all boards are processed, in turn
 if [ "$board" == "all" ]; then
     boards=$(ls $basedir/configs/*_defconfig | grep -v initramfs | grep -oE '\w+_defconfig$' | cut -d '_' -f 1)
     for b in $boards; do
@@ -42,15 +66,59 @@ fi
 
 if [ "$target" == "mkimage" ]; then
     $boarddir/mkimage.sh
+
 elif [ "$target" == "mkrelease" ]; then
-    $boarddir/mkimage.sh
-    cp $outputdir/images/$osname-$board.img $basedir
-    mv $basedir/$osname-$board.img  $basedir/$osname-$board-$osversion.img
-    rm -f $basedir/$osname-$board-$osversion.img.gz
-    $gzip $basedir/$osname-$board-$osversion.img
-    echo "your image is ready at $basedir/$osname-$board-$osversion.img.gz"
+    test -f $outputdir/images/$osname-$board.img || $boarddir/mkimage.sh
+    cp $outputdir/images/$osname-$board.img $outputdir/images/$osname-$board-$osversion.img
+    
+    echo "preparing compressed xz image"
+    rm -f $outputdir/images/$osname-$board-$osversion.img.xz
+    xz -6ek -T 0 $outputdir/images/$osname-$board-$osversion.img
+    echo "your xz image is ready at $outputdir/images/$osname-$board-$osversion.img.xz"
+    
+    echo "preparing compressed gz image"
+    rm -f $outputdir/images/$osname-$board-$osversion.img.gz
+    $gzip $outputdir/images/$osname-$board-$osversion.img
+    echo "your gz image is ready at $outputdir/images/$osname-$board-$osversion.img.gz"
+    
+    rm -f $outputdir/images/$osname-$board-$osversion.img
+
+elif [ "$target" == "clean-target" ]; then
+    if [ -d $outputdir/target ]; then
+        echo "removing target directory"
+        rm -rf $outputdir/target/*
+
+        echo "removing staging directory"
+        rm -rf $outputdir/staging/*
+
+        echo "removing images directory"
+        rm -rf $outputdir/images/*
+    fi
+
+    if [ -d $outputdir/build ]; then
+        echo "removing .stamp_target_installed files"
+        find $outputdir/build -name .stamp_target_installed | xargs -r rm
+
+        echo "removing .stamp_staging_installed files"
+        find $outputdir/build -name .stamp_staging_installed | xargs -r rm
+
+        echo "removing .stamp_host_installed files"
+        find $outputdir/build -name .stamp_host_installed | xargs -r rm
+    fi
+
+    if [ -f $outputdir/.config ]; then
+        echo "removing .config file"
+        rm -f $outputdir/.config
+    fi
+
+    echo "target is clean"
+
+elif [ "$target" == "all" ]; then
+    make O=$outputdir all
+
 elif [ -n "$target" ]; then
-    make O=$outputdir $target
+    $0 $b all
+
 else
     make O=$outputdir all
     echo "build successful"
diff --git a/configs/orangepione_defconfig b/configs/orangepione_defconfig
index e5c742d652..a4488c3676 100644
--- a/configs/orangepione_defconfig
+++ b/configs/orangepione_defconfig
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ BR2_PACKAGE_UTIL_LINUX_PARTX=y
 BR2_PACKAGE_NANO=y
 BR2_TARGET_UBOOT=y
 BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_BUILD_SYSTEM_KCONFIG=y
+BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_TARBALL=y
+BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_TARBALL_LOCATION="https://github.com/megous/u-boot/archive/8974e5998f60a6ba79d0ef9b9849602f804ee3d3.tar.gz"
 BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_BOARD_DEFCONFIG="orangepi_one"
 BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_NEEDS_DTC=y
 BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_NEEDS_PYLIBFDT=y
diff --git a/configs/raspberrypi_defconfig b/configs/raspberrypi_defconfig
index dc0a18873d..f73655770d 100644
--- a/configs/raspberrypi_defconfig
+++ b/configs/raspberrypi_defconfig
@@ -3,10 +3,15 @@ BR2_arm1176jzf_s=y
 BR2_CCACHE=y
 BR2_CCACHE_DIR="$(TOPDIR)/.buildroot-ccache-raspberrypi"
 BR2_OPTIMIZE_2=y
-BR2_TOOLCHAIN_BUILDROOT_GLIBC=y
-BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_4_9=y
-BR2_GCC_VERSION_4_9_X=y
-BR2_TOOLCHAIN_BUILDROOT_CXX=y
+BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL=y
+BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_DOWNLOAD=y
+BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_URL="https://github.com/raspberrypi/tools/archive/5caa7046982f0539cf5380f94da04b31129ed521.tar.gz"
+BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_REL_BIN_PATH="arm-bcm2708/arm-linux-gnueabihf/bin"
+BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CUSTOM_PREFIX="arm-linux-gnueabihf"
+BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_GCC_4_9=y
+BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_HEADERS_4_1=y
+BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CUSTOM_GLIBC=y
+BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CXX=y
 BR2_TARGET_OPTIMIZATION="-pipe"
 BR2_ROOTFS_SKELETON_CUSTOM=y
 BR2_ROOTFS_SKELETON_CUSTOM_PATH="board/common/skeleton"
diff --git a/package/Config.in b/package/Config.in
index 30afc3c82b..a2401611f3 100644
--- a/package/Config.in
+++ b/package/Config.in
@@ -882,6 +882,7 @@ menu "External python modules"
 	source "package/python-pyxb/Config.in"
 	source "package/python-pyyaml/Config.in"
 	source "package/python-pyzmq/Config.in"
+	source "package/python-redis/Config.in"
 	source "package/python-requests/Config.in"
 	source "package/python-requests-toolbelt/Config.in"
 	source "package/python-rpi-gpio/Config.in"
diff --git a/package/libwebcam/libwebcam.mk b/package/libwebcam/libwebcam.mk
index defdc8638c..090ef6883b 100644
--- a/package/libwebcam/libwebcam.mk
+++ b/package/libwebcam/libwebcam.mk
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ LIBWEBCAM_SITE = http://freefr.dl.sourceforge.net/project/libwebcam/source
 LIBWEBCAM_DEPENDENCIES = libxml2
 
 define LIBWEBCAM_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
-    rm $(@D)/uvcdynctrl/uvcdynctrl-*.gz
     cp $(@D)/uvcdynctrl/uvcdynctrl $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/bin/uvcdynctrl
     cp -d $(@D)/libwebcam/libwebcam.so* $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib
 endef
diff --git a/package/python-redis/Config.in b/package/python-redis/Config.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e396ba0d9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/python-redis/Config.in
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+config BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_REDIS
+	bool "python-redis"
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON
+	help
+	  Python driver for Redis
+
diff --git a/package/python-redis/python-redis.mk b/package/python-redis/python-redis.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..31475ca463
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/python-redis/python-redis.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+################################################################################
+#
+# python-redis
+#
+################################################################################
+
+PYTHON_REDIS_VERSION = 2.10.6
+PYTHON_REDIS_SOURCE = redis-$(PYTHON_REDIS_VERSION).tar.gz
+PYTHON_REDIS_SITE = https://pypi.python.org/packages/09/8d/6d34b75326bf96d4139a2ddd8e74b80840f800a0a79f9294399e212cb9a7
+PYTHON_REDIS_SETUP_TYPE = setuptools
+
+$(eval $(python-package))
+
diff --git a/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk b/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
index dc0588c536..393ff85c63 100644
--- a/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
+++ b/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
@@ -71,13 +71,18 @@ else
 TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_INSTALL_DIR = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_PATH))
 endif
 
+# If binary path unset (known, supported external toolchains), use "bin".
+TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_REL_BIN_PATH = $(or \
+	$(call qstrip,$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_REL_BIN_PATH)), \
+	bin)
+
 ifeq ($(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_INSTALL_DIR),)
 ifneq ($(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_PREFIX),)
 # if no path set, figure it out from path
 TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_BIN := $(dir $(shell which $(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_PREFIX)-gcc))
 endif
 else
-TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_BIN := $(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_INSTALL_DIR)/bin
+TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_BIN := $(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_INSTALL_DIR)/$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_REL_BIN_PATH)
 endif
 
 # If this is a buildroot toolchain, it already has a wrapper which we want to
diff --git a/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options b/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
index a28534080d..e10cc857d8 100644
--- a/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
+++ b/toolchain/toolchain-external/toolchain-external-custom/Config.in.options
@@ -12,6 +12,14 @@ config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_URL
 	help
 	  URL of the custom toolchain tarball to download and install.
 
+config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_REL_BIN_PATH
+    string "Toolchain relative bin path"
+    default "bin"
+    depends on BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_DOWNLOAD
+    help
+      Path to where the binaries (e.g. the compiler) can be found,
+      relative to the downloaded toolchain root directory.
+
 config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CUSTOM_PREFIX
 	string "Toolchain prefix"
 	default "$(ARCH)-linux"
diff --git a/writeimage.sh b/writeimage.sh
index 12364dda7b..36946f8370 100755
--- a/writeimage.sh
+++ b/writeimage.sh
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ fi
 if [[ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]]; then echo "please run as root"; exit 1; fi
 
 function msg() {
-    echo ":: $1"
+    echo " * $1"
 }
 
 while getopts "a:d:f:h:i:lm:n:o:p:s:w" o; do
@@ -76,12 +76,25 @@ if ! [ -f $DISK_IMG ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
-gunzip=$(which unpigz 2> /dev/null || which gunzip 2> /dev/null)
+gunzip=$(which unpigz 2> /dev/null || which gunzip 2> /dev/null || true)
+unxz=$(which unxz 2> /dev/null || true)
 
 if [[ $DISK_IMG == *.gz ]]; then
-    msg "decompressing the gzipped image"
+    if [ -z "$gunzip" ]; then
+        msg "make sure you have the gzip package installed"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    msg "decompressing the .gz compressed image"
     $gunzip -c $DISK_IMG > ${DISK_IMG%???}
     DISK_IMG=${DISK_IMG%???}
+elif [[ $DISK_IMG == *.xz ]]; then
+    if [ -z "$unxz" ]; then
+        msg "make sure you have the xz package installed"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    msg "decompressing the .xz compressed image"
+    $unxz -T 0 -c $DISK_IMG > ${DISK_IMG%???}
+    DISK_IMG=${DISK_IMG%???}
 fi
 
 umount ${SDCARD_DEV}* 2>/dev/null || true