diff --git a/HACKERS_README b/HACKERS_README
index 9f196482..46d4b589 100755
--- a/HACKERS_README
+++ b/HACKERS_README
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ set -x
 
 # prepare use (only from top level directory)
 export PATH="$PATH:$(pwd -P)/bin"
-export __cdist_config="$(pwd -P)/conf"
+export __cdist_conf_dir="$(pwd -P)/conf"
 
 # Change paths so we can debug stuff :-)
 export __cdist_out_dir=/tmp/localhost
diff --git a/bin/cdist-bin-transfer b/bin/cdist-bin-transfer
index 9fd00e0f..53037698 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-bin-transfer
+++ b/bin/cdist-bin-transfer
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ __cdist_target_host="$1"; shift
 __cdist_my_remote_out_dir="$1"; shift
 
 # Find directory that contains cdist binaries
-__cdist_config_path=$(which cdist-config)
-__cdist_src_base=${__cdist_config_path%config}
+__cdist_conf_dir_path=$(which cdist-config)
+__cdist_src_base=${__cdist_conf_dir_path%config}
 
 # re-create basedir so it's clean
 ssh "${__cdist_remote_user}@${__cdist_target_host}" \
diff --git a/bin/cdist-config b/bin/cdist-config
index 1976db86..5dccf4ea 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-config
+++ b/bin/cdist-config
@@ -61,11 +61,11 @@ set -au
 : ${__cdist_name_object_finished:=.done}
 
 # Base
-: ${__cdist_config:=/etc/cdist}
-: ${__cdist_explorer_dir:=$__cdist_config/$__cdist_name_explorer}
-: ${__cdist_manifest_dir:=$__cdist_config/$__cdist_name_manifests}
+: ${__cdist_conf_dir:=/etc/cdist}
+: ${__cdist_explorer_dir:=$__cdist_conf_dir/$__cdist_name_explorer}
+: ${__cdist_manifest_dir:=$__cdist_conf_dir/$__cdist_name_manifests}
 : ${__cdist_manifest_init:=$__cdist_manifest_dir/$__cdist_name_init}
-: ${__cdist_type_dir:=$__cdist_config/$__cdist_name_type}
+: ${__cdist_type_dir:=$__cdist_conf_dir/$__cdist_name_type}
 
 # Used for IDs
 __cdist_sane_regexp='[A-Za-z0-9]*[-A-Za-z0-9_]*'