diff --git a/.github/workflows/mkosi.yml b/.github/workflows/mkosi.yml
index d46b7d1782..55bbad2bde 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/mkosi.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/mkosi.yml
@@ -80,9 +80,6 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Configure
       run: |
-        # We configure ExtraSearchPaths=build/ so make sure build/ exists.
-        mkdir build/
-
         tee mkosi.conf <<- EOF
         [Distribution]
         Distribution=${{ matrix.distro }}
diff --git a/mkosi.conf.d/10-extra-search-paths.conf b/mkosi.conf.d/10-extra-search-paths.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bd3cdb1de4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mkosi.conf.d/10-extra-search-paths.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
+
+[Match]
+PathExists=build/
+
+[Host]
+ExtraSearchPaths=build/
diff --git a/mkosi.conf.d/10-systemd.conf b/mkosi.conf.d/10-systemd.conf
index adb46e488d..b2921ffc67 100644
--- a/mkosi.conf.d/10-systemd.conf
+++ b/mkosi.conf.d/10-systemd.conf
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ Environment=ASAN_OPTIONS=verify_asan_link_order=false
 [Host]
 @Incremental=yes
 @QemuMem=2G
-ExtraSearchPaths=build/
 # Make sure we don't trigger systemd-firstboot prompting for the root password.
 Credentials=passwd.plaintext-password.root=
 KernelCommandLineExtra=systemd.crash_shell
diff --git a/mkosi.conf.d/10-tools.conf b/mkosi.conf.d/10-tools.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..21bdea5809
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mkosi.conf.d/10-tools.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
+
+[Match]
+PathExists=!build/
+SystemdVersion=<254
+
+[Host]
+ToolsTree=default