diff --git a/dist/tools/bossa-1.8/Makefile b/dist/tools/bossa-1.8/Makefile
index 72736876b7..6b9b1592a7 100644
--- a/dist/tools/bossa-1.8/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/bossa-1.8/Makefile
@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@ PKG_NAME     = bossa
 PKG_URL      = https://github.com/shumatech/BOSSA
 PKG_VERSION  = 26154375695f345491bba158d57177aa231d6765
 PKG_LICENSE  = BSD-3-Clause
-PKG_BUILDDIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+
+PKG_SOURCE_DIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+PKG_BUILD_OUT_OF_SOURCE = 0
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
 all:
 	@echo "[INFO] compiling bossac from source now"
-	@env -u CXX COMMON_CXXFLAGS="-std=c++11" $(MAKE) BINDIR=$(PKG_BUILDDIR) -C $(PKG_BUILDDIR) strip-bossac
-	@mv $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/bossac $(CURDIR)/bossac
+	@env -u CXX COMMON_CXXFLAGS="-std=c++11" $(MAKE) BINDIR=$(PKG_BUILD_DIR) -C $(PKG_BUILD_DIR) strip-bossac
+	@mv $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/bossac $(CURDIR)/bossac
 
 distclean::
 	@rm -f $(CURDIR)/bossac
diff --git a/dist/tools/bossa-1.9/Makefile b/dist/tools/bossa-1.9/Makefile
index fd7b804808..febb787503 100644
--- a/dist/tools/bossa-1.9/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/bossa-1.9/Makefile
@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@ PKG_NAME     = bossa
 PKG_URL      = https://github.com/shumatech/BOSSA
 PKG_VERSION  = 1.9.1
 PKG_LICENSE  = BSD-3-Clause
-PKG_BUILDDIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+
+PKG_SOURCE_DIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+PKG_BUILD_OUT_OF_SOURCE = 0
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
 all:
 	@echo "[INFO] compiling bossac from source now"
-	@env -u CXX COMMON_CXXFLAGS="-std=c++11" $(MAKE) BINDIR=$(PKG_BUILDDIR) -C $(PKG_BUILDDIR) strip-bossac
-	@mv $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/bossac $(CURDIR)/bossac
+	@env -u CXX COMMON_CXXFLAGS="-std=c++11" $(MAKE) BINDIR=$(PKG_BUILD_DIR) -C $(PKG_BUILD_DIR) strip-bossac
+	@mv $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/bossac $(CURDIR)/bossac
 
 distclean::
 	@rm -f $(CURDIR)/bossac
diff --git a/dist/tools/bossa-nrf52/Makefile b/dist/tools/bossa-nrf52/Makefile
index 850325f49e..45c16dadbd 100644
--- a/dist/tools/bossa-nrf52/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/bossa-nrf52/Makefile
@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@ PKG_NAME     = bossa
 PKG_URL      = https://github.com/arduino/BOSSA
 PKG_VERSION  = 52e0a4a28721296e64083de7780b30580e0fad16
 PKG_LICENSE  = BSD-3-Clause
-PKG_BUILDDIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+
+PKG_SOURCE_DIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+PKG_BUILD_OUT_OF_SOURCE = 0
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
 all:
 	@echo "[INFO] compiling bossac from source now"
-	@env -u CXX COMMON_CXXFLAGS="-std=c++11" $(MAKE) BINDIR=$(PKG_BUILDDIR) -C $(PKG_BUILDDIR) strip-bossac
-	@mv $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/bossac $(CURDIR)/bossac
+	@env -u CXX COMMON_CXXFLAGS="-std=c++11" $(MAKE) BINDIR=$(PKG_BUILD_DIR) -C $(PKG_BUILD_DIR) strip-bossac
+	@mv $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/bossac $(CURDIR)/bossac
 
 distclean::
 	@rm -f $(CURDIR)/bossac
diff --git a/dist/tools/cc2538-bsl/Makefile b/dist/tools/cc2538-bsl/Makefile
index a436bc9c03..2611e00821 100644
--- a/dist/tools/cc2538-bsl/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/cc2538-bsl/Makefile
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@ PKG_BUILDDIR=$(CURDIR)/bin
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
 all:
-	cp $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/cc2538-bsl.py .
+	cp $(PKG_SOURCE_DIR)/cc2538-bsl.py .
diff --git a/dist/tools/edbg/Makefile b/dist/tools/edbg/Makefile
index 13d15c6942..2615814891 100644
--- a/dist/tools/edbg/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/edbg/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ PKG_NAME=edbg
 PKG_URL=https://github.com/ataradov/edbg
 PKG_VERSION=99d15460fcff723f73b16c29c8ca14bff4b33b20
 PKG_LICENSE=BSD-3-Clause
-PKG_BUILDDIR=$(CURDIR)/bin
+
+PKG_SOURCE_DIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+PKG_BUILD_OUT_OF_SOURCE = 0
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
@@ -10,5 +12,5 @@ all:
 # Start edbg build in a clean environment, so variables set by RIOT's build process
 # for cross compiling a specific target platform are reset and edbg can
 # be built cleanly for the native platform.
-	env -i PATH="$(PATH)" TERM="$(TERM)" "$(MAKE)" -C "$(PKG_BUILDDIR)"
-	mv $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/edbg .
+	env -i PATH="$(PATH)" TERM="$(TERM)" "$(MAKE)" -C "$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)"
+	mv $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/edbg .
diff --git a/dist/tools/flatc/.gitignore b/dist/tools/flatc/.gitignore
index baed641328..5d4fade4d2 100644
--- a/dist/tools/flatc/.gitignore
+++ b/dist/tools/flatc/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 flatc
-bin
+bin/
diff --git a/dist/tools/flatc/Makefile b/dist/tools/flatc/Makefile
index 9ac92acf81..12985aa3e0 100644
--- a/dist/tools/flatc/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/flatc/Makefile
@@ -1,16 +1,13 @@
-PKG_NAME=flatc
+PKG_NAME=flatbuffers
 PKG_URL=https://github.com/google/flatbuffers
 PKG_VERSION=9e7e8cbe9f675123dd41b7c62868acad39188cae
 PKG_LICENSE=Apache2.0
 
-PKG_BUILDDIR=$(CURDIR)/bin
-
-FLATC_SOURCE_DIR = $(PKG_BUILDDIR)
-FLATC_BUILD_DIR = $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/build
-
 # manually set some RIOT env vars, so this Makefile can be called stand-alone
 RIOTBASE ?= $(CURDIR)/../../..
 RIOTTOOLS ?= $(CURDIR)/..
+PKGDIRBASE ?= $(RIOTBASE)/build/pkg
+PKG_BUILD_DIR ?= $(CURDIR)/bin
 
 CMAKE_OPTIONS = \
     -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release       \
@@ -26,9 +23,9 @@ endif
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
 all:
-	@env -i PATH="$(PATH)" cmake -G "Unix Makefiles" $(CMAKE_OPTIONS) -H"$(FLATC_SOURCE_DIR)" -B"$(FLATC_BUILD_DIR)"
-	"$(MAKE)" -C "$(FLATC_BUILD_DIR)"
-	@mv "$(FLATC_BUILD_DIR)"/flatc $(CURDIR)/flatc
+	@env -i PATH="$(PATH)" cmake -G "Unix Makefiles" $(CMAKE_OPTIONS) -H"$(PKG_SOURCE_DIR)" -B"$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)"
+	"$(MAKE)" -C "$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)"
+	@mv "$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)"/flatc $(CURDIR)/flatc
 
 distclean::
 	@rm -f $(CURDIR)/flatc
diff --git a/dist/tools/kconfiglib/Makefile b/dist/tools/kconfiglib/Makefile
index cfd758216d..8a82585328 100644
--- a/dist/tools/kconfiglib/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/kconfiglib/Makefile
@@ -2,15 +2,14 @@ PKG_NAME=kconfiglib
 PKG_URL=https://github.com/ulfalizer/Kconfiglib
 PKG_VERSION=82f59179b1b35fcd8b6d188453b283599ea70518
 PKG_LICENSE=ISC
-PKG_BUILDDIR=$(CURDIR)/bin
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
 all:
-	$(Q)cp $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/kconfiglib.py $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/menuconfig.py \
-	   $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/genconfig.py $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/examples/merge_config.py \
+	$(Q)cp $(PKG_SOURCE_DIR)/kconfiglib.py $(PKG_SOURCE_DIR)/menuconfig.py \
+	   $(PKG_SOURCE_DIR)/genconfig.py $(PKG_SOURCE_DIR)/examples/merge_config.py \
 	   .
 
 remove:
-	$(Q)$(RM) -r $(PKG_BUILDDIR) kconfiglib.py menuconfig.py genconfig.py \
+	$(Q)$(RM) -r $(PKG_SOURCE_DIR) kconfiglib.py menuconfig.py genconfig.py \
 	       merge_config.py
diff --git a/dist/tools/mosquitto_rsmb/Makefile b/dist/tools/mosquitto_rsmb/Makefile
index b1065d81bf..ae2c1b1cb9 100644
--- a/dist/tools/mosquitto_rsmb/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/mosquitto_rsmb/Makefile
@@ -2,32 +2,34 @@ PKG_NAME     = mosquitto_rsmb
 PKG_URL      = https://github.com/eclipse/mosquitto.rsmb
 PKG_VERSION  = 9b99a3be9a26635b93aec8fa2ed744e8c49e7262
 PKG_LICENSE  = EPL-1.0
-PKG_BUILDDIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
-
-# set default configuration file
-RSMB_CFG ?= $(CURDIR)/config.cnf
 
 # manually set some RIOT env vars, so this Makefile can be called stand-alone
 RIOTBASE ?= $(CURDIR)/../../..
 RIOTTOOLS ?= $(CURDIR)/..
 
+PKG_SOURCE_DIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+PKG_BUILD_OUT_OF_SOURCE = 0
+
 # Include pkg.mk after setting RIOTBASE otherwise it is not found when this
 # Makefile is called stand-alone
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
+# set default configuration file
+RSMB_CFG ?= $(CURDIR)/config.cnf
+
 all:
 # Start mosquitto_rsmb build in a clean environment, so variables set by RIOT's
 # build process for cross compiling a specific target platform are reset and
 # mosquitto_rsmb can be built cleanly for the host platform.
-	env -i PATH=$(PATH) TERM=$(TERM) "$(MAKE)" -C $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/rsmb/src
-	cp $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/rsmb/src/broker_mqtts $(CURDIR)/mosquitto_rsmb
-	cp $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/rsmb/src/Messages.1.* $(CURDIR)/
+	env -i PATH=$(PATH) TERM=$(TERM) "$(MAKE)" -C $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/rsmb/src
+	cp $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/rsmb/src/broker_mqtts $(CURDIR)/mosquitto_rsmb
+	cp $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/rsmb/src/Messages.1.* $(CURDIR)/
 
 run:
 	@$(CURDIR)/mosquitto_rsmb $(RSMB_CFG)
 
 clean::
-	@rm -rf $(CURDIR)/bin
+	@rm -rf $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)
 	@rm -f $(CURDIR)/mosquitto_rsmb
 	@rm -f $(CURDIR)/Messages.1.*
 	@rm -f $(CURDIR)/FFDC.CWNAN.*.dmp
diff --git a/dist/tools/pic32prog/Makefile b/dist/tools/pic32prog/Makefile
index 3fc9b0a1ff..9dc201a554 100644
--- a/dist/tools/pic32prog/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/pic32prog/Makefile
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ PKG_VERSION  = b9f8db3b352804392b02b42475fc42874ac8bf04
 PKG_LICENSE  = GPL-2
 PKG_BUILDDIR = bin
 
+PKG_SOURCE_DIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+PKG_BUILD_OUT_OF_SOURCE = 0
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
 # Building it requires some dependencies, on ubuntu:
@@ -12,8 +14,8 @@ include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
 all:
 	@echo "[INFO] compiling pic32prog from source now"
-	@env -i PATH=$(PATH) TERM=$(TERM) make -C $(PKG_BUILDDIR)
-	@mv $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/pic32prog pic32prog
+	@env -i PATH=$(PATH) TERM=$(TERM) make -C $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)
+	@mv $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/pic32prog pic32prog
 
 distclean::
 	@rm -f pic32prog
diff --git a/dist/tools/setsid/Makefile b/dist/tools/setsid/Makefile
index 4798aa6d12..ef40543033 100644
--- a/dist/tools/setsid/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/setsid/Makefile
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@ PKG_VERSION  = e5b851df41591021baf5cf88d4e41572baf8e08b
 PKG_LICENSE  = BSD-2-Clause
 PKG_BUILDDIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
 
+PKG_SOURCE_DIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+PKG_BUILD_OUT_OF_SOURCE = 0
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
 all:
 	@echo "[INFO] compiling setsid from source now"
-	$(MAKE) BINDIR=$(PKG_BUILDDIR) -C $(PKG_BUILDDIR)
-	@mv $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/setsid $(CURDIR)/setsid
+	$(MAKE) BINDIR=$(PKG_BUILDDIR) -C $(PKG_SOURCE_DIR)
+	@mv $(PKG_SOURCE_DIR)/setsid $(CURDIR)/setsid
 
 distclean::
 	@rm -f $(CURDIR)/setsid
diff --git a/dist/tools/teensy-loader-cli/Makefile b/dist/tools/teensy-loader-cli/Makefile
index 9508b14992..450cf8cef0 100644
--- a/dist/tools/teensy-loader-cli/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/teensy-loader-cli/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 PKG_NAME=teensy-loader-cli
 PKG_LICENSE=GPL-3
-PKG_BUILDDIR=$(CURDIR)/bin
 
 # get sources from repository
 ifeq ($(OS),Darwin)
@@ -12,8 +11,10 @@ else
   PKG_VERSION=76921edbdd81ae99b869b104404c16c06b0a266f
 endif
 
+PKG_SOURCE_DIR = $(CURDIR)/bin
+PKG_BUILD_OUT_OF_SOURCE = 0
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
 
 all:
-	env -i PATH=$(PATH) TERM=$(TERM) "$(MAKE)" -C $(PKG_BUILDDIR)
-	mv $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/teensy_loader_cli ./teensy_loader
+	env -i PATH=$(PATH) TERM=$(TERM) "$(MAKE)" -C $(PKG_SOURCE_DIR)
+	mv $(PKG_SOURCE_DIR)/teensy_loader_cli ./teensy_loader