diff --git a/features.in/build-vm/generate.mk b/features.in/build-vm/generate.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..399baf74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features.in/build-vm/generate.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# copy tar2vm helper into generated profile to enable standalone builds
+
+all:
+	@install -pD $(MKIMAGE_PROFILES)/bin/tar2vm $(BUILDDIR)/bin/tar2vm
diff --git a/features.in/syslinux/generate.mk b/features.in/syslinux/generate.mk
index 9e6a47d4..63cb049b 100644
--- a/features.in/syslinux/generate.mk
+++ b/features.in/syslinux/generate.mk
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ endif
 # 01defaults.cfg is included indefinitely
 SYSLINUX_CFG := $(SYSLINUX_CFG) $(notdir $(SUBPROFILES)) defaults
 
-### have to operate BUILDDIR, not pretty...
 DSTDIR := $(BUILDDIR)/stage1/files/syslinux/.in
 
 # we can do SYSLINUX_{CFG,MODULES,FILES}
diff --git a/main.mk b/main.mk
index 5cb8b71c..e5f97f4f 100644
--- a/main.mk
+++ b/main.mk
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@
 # --- in BUILDDIR
 # 4. build subprofiles and subsequently an image
 
-MKIMAGE_PROFILES := $(dir $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
-
 # deal with one target at a time
 IMAGE_TARGET := $(firstword $(MAKECMDGOALS))#	ve/generic.tar.gz
 ifeq (./,$(dir $(IMAGE_TARGET)))#		convenience fallback
@@ -26,6 +24,8 @@ else
 BUILDDIR_PREFIX ?= mkimage-profiles.build/$(IMAGE_CONF).$(ARCH)
 endif
 
+export MKIMAGE_PROFILES := $(realpath $(dir $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))
+
 # preferences
 -include $(HOME)/.mkimage/profiles.mk