diff --git a/helper/build_config b/helper/build_config
index f426bf99..525ddf87 100755
--- a/helper/build_config
+++ b/helper/build_config
@@ -12,19 +12,10 @@ if [ "${#:-}" -ne 1 ] ; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-if [ -z "${CONFIG_POOL:-}" ] ; then
-  echo "Error: $CONFIG_POOL is not set." >&2
-  exit 1
-fi
-
-# support for testsuite
-if [ -z "${FUNCTIONS:-}" ] ; then
-  FUNCTIONS='/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/functions/'
-fi
-
-if [ -z "${HELPER:-}" ] ; then
-  HELPER='/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/helper/'
-fi
+# support for testsuite, assume defaults if unset
+CONFIG_POOL="${CONFIG_POOL:-/etc}"
+FUNCTIONS="${FUNCTIONS:-/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/functions/}"
+HELPER="${HELPER:-/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/helper/}"
 
 . ${FUNCTIONS}/main
 
diff --git a/sbin/ngcpcfg b/sbin/ngcpcfg
index d2b5efaf..b31ad0f3 100755
--- a/sbin/ngcpcfg
+++ b/sbin/ngcpcfg
@@ -6,13 +6,8 @@ set -e
 set -u
 
 # support for testsuite
-if [ -z "${FUNCTIONS:-}" ] ; then
-  FUNCTIONS='/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/functions/'
-fi
-
-if [ -z "${SCRIPTS:-}" ] ; then
-  SCRIPTS='/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/scripts/'
-fi
+FUNCTIONS="${FUNCTIONS:-/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/functions/}"
+SCRIPTS="${SCRIPTS:-/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/scripts/}"
 
 if ! [ -r "${FUNCTIONS}/main" ] ; then
   printf "Error: ${FUNCTIONS}/main could not be read. Exiting.\n" >&2
diff --git a/scripts/build b/scripts/build
index 4343de0d..bddd3259 100755
--- a/scripts/build
+++ b/scripts/build
@@ -7,13 +7,8 @@ set -e
 set -u
 
 # support testsuite
-if [ -z "${FUNCTIONS:-}" ] ; then
-  FUNCTIONS='/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/functions/'
-fi
-
-if [ -z "${HELPER:-}" ] ; then
-  HELPER='/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/helper/'
-fi
+FUNCTIONS="${FUNCTIONS:-/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/functions/}"
+HELPER="${HELPER:-/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/helper/}"
 
 if ! [ -r ${FUNCTIONS}/main ] ; then
   printf "Error: ${FUNCTIONS}/main could not be read. Exiting.\n" >&2
diff --git a/scripts/commit b/scripts/commit
index 682068aa..d389efa6 100755
--- a/scripts/commit
+++ b/scripts/commit
@@ -12,10 +12,7 @@ fi
 
 . /usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/functions/main
 
-if [ -z "${HELPER:-}" ] ; then
-  HELPER='/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/helper/'
-fi
-
+HELPER="${HELPER:-/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/helper/}"
 # main script
 
 cd "$NGCPCTL_MAIN"
diff --git a/scripts/encrypt b/scripts/encrypt
index f43d0ebb..1a7f7037 100755
--- a/scripts/encrypt
+++ b/scripts/encrypt
@@ -6,13 +6,8 @@ set -e
 set -u
 
 # support testsuite
-if [ -z "${FUNCTIONS:-}" ] ; then
-  FUNCTIONS='/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/functions/'
-fi
-
-if [ -z "${HELPER:-}" ] ; then
-  HELPER='/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/helper/'
-fi
+FUNCTIONS="${FUNCTIONS:-/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/functions/}"
+HELPER="${HELPER:-/usr/share/ngcp-ngcpcfg/helper/}"
 
 if ! [ -r ${FUNCTIONS}/main ] ; then
   printf "Error: ${FUNCTIONS}/main could not be read. Exiting.\n" >&2