diff --git a/skel/make.sh b/skel/make.sh
index 7b3ba18..d58943f 100755
--- a/skel/make.sh
+++ b/skel/make.sh
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
 [ -z "${FINALLIBDIR}" ] && FINALLIBDIR="${LIBDIR}"
 [ -z "${FINALINCLUDEDIR}" ] && FINALINCLUDEDIR="${INCLUDEDIR}"
 
+# for SDCC-built firmware
+[ -z "${HEXDIR}" ] && HEXDIR="${PREFIX}/share/firmware"
+[ -z "${SDCC}" ] && SDCC="sdcc"
+
 
 
 # Get version information
@@ -239,7 +243,7 @@ build_target() {
 
     for item in ${ITEMS}
     do
-        do_cmd source ${item} || return 1
+        do_cmd source ${item} || exit 1
     done
     return 0
 }
diff --git a/skel/scripts/build.c++.app/build.app b/skel/scripts/build.c++.app/build.app
index 8f0920b..7e70252 100644
--- a/skel/scripts/build.c++.app/build.app
+++ b/skel/scripts/build.c++.app/build.app
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ then
 
     echo "Building application ${@NAME@}..."
 
-    source src/@NAME@/build.monolithic
+    do_cmd source src/@NAME@/build.monolithic || return 1
 
     MODIFIED=0
     for test in ${MONOLITHIC_TESTS} ${SRC}
diff --git a/skel/scripts/build.c++.lib/build.lib b/skel/scripts/build.c++.lib/build.lib
index 3d34e73..dc01197 100644
--- a/skel/scripts/build.c++.lib/build.lib
+++ b/skel/scripts/build.c++.lib/build.lib
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ then
 
     echo "Building library ${@CNAME@}..."
 
-    source src/@NAME@/build.monolithic
+    do_cmd source src/@NAME@/build.monolithic || return 1
 
     MODIFIED=0
     for test in ${MONOLITHIC_TESTS} ${HDR} ${SRC}
diff --git a/skel/scripts/build.c.app/build.app b/skel/scripts/build.c.app/build.app
index 8f6cdac..f64db08 100644
--- a/skel/scripts/build.c.app/build.app
+++ b/skel/scripts/build.c.app/build.app
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ then
 
     echo "Building application ${@NAME@}..."
 
-    source src/@NAME@/build.monolithic
+    do_cmd source src/@NAME@/build.monolithic || return 1
 
     MODIFIED=0
     for test in ${MONOLITHIC_TESTS} ${SRC}
diff --git a/skel/scripts/build.c.lib/build.lib b/skel/scripts/build.c.lib/build.lib
index 2b4126f..11324e0 100644
--- a/skel/scripts/build.c.lib/build.lib
+++ b/skel/scripts/build.c.lib/build.lib
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ then
 
     echo "Building library ${@CNAME@}..."
 
-    source src/@NAME@/build.monolithic
+    do_cmd source src/@NAME@/build.monolithic || return 1
 
     MODIFIED=0
     for test in ${MONOLITHIC_TESTS} ${HDR} ${SRC}
diff --git a/skel/scripts/build.sdcc.firmware/build.firmware b/skel/scripts/build.sdcc.firmware/build.firmware
index d151ccf..397b457 100644
--- a/skel/scripts/build.sdcc.firmware/build.firmware
+++ b/skel/scripts/build.sdcc.firmware/build.firmware
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@
 #  @NAME@_BUILT
 #
 
-# HACK -- this should probably be in the top-level makefile
-[ -z "${SDCC}" ] && SDCC=sdcc
-[ -z "${SDCCFLAGS}" ] && SDCCFLAGS="@TODO@"
-
 if [ -z ${@NAME@_BUILT} ]
 then
     @NAME@="obj/@NAME@.hex"