diff --git a/config/configure.in.in b/config/configure.in.in
index f483f3b8..a9bb8adf 100644
--- a/config/configure.in.in
+++ b/config/configure.in.in
@@ -9,12 +9,6 @@ config CONFIGURE_has_wget
 config CONFIGURE_has_curl
     @KCONFIG_curl@
 
-config CONFIGURE_has_stat_flavor_BSD
-    @KCONFIG_stat_flavor_BSD@
-
-config CONFIGURE_has_stat_flavor_GNU
-    @KCONFIG_stat_flavor_GNU@
-
 config CONFIGURE_has_make_3_81_or_newer
     @KCONFIG_make_3_81_or_newer@
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3f8e9549..5fd69a76 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -138,8 +138,6 @@ AC_CHECK_PROGS([curl], [curl])
 CTNG_SET_KCONFIG_OPTION([curl])
 AC_SUBST([curl])
 
-CTNG_PROG_STAT
-
 CTNG_CPU_COUNT
 
 CTNG_PATH_TOOL_REQ([PATCH], [gpatch patch], [patch])
diff --git a/m4/ctng_prog_stat.m4 b/m4/ctng_prog_stat.m4
deleted file mode 100644
index 8a0b26a6..00000000
--- a/m4/ctng_prog_stat.m4
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-# Check that stat(1) is present and determine the syntax for the format
-# string (BSD or GNU). Defines ac_cv_stat_flavor to either GNU or BSD;
-# and evaluates either IF-GNU or IF-BSD expression.
-#   CTNG_PROG_STAT([IF-GNU], [IF-BSD])
-AC_DEFUN([CTNG_PROG_STAT_FORMAT],
-    [AC_CACHE_CHECK([whether stat takes GNU or BSD format],
-         [ctng_cv_stat_flavor],
-         [touch conftest
-          chmod 642 conftest
-          attr_bsd=$(stat -f '%Lp' conftest 2>conftest.stderr.bsd)
-          CTNG_MSG_LOG_ENVVAR([attr_bsd], [stat -f output])
-          CTNG_MSG_LOG_FILE([conftest.stderr.bsd])
-          attr_gnu=$(stat -c '%a' conftest 2>conftest.stderr.gnu)
-          CTNG_MSG_LOG_ENVVAR([attr_gnu], [stat -c output])
-          CTNG_MSG_LOG_FILE([conftest.stderr.gnu])
-          rm -f conftest conftest.stderr.*
-          AS_IF([test "$attr_bsd" = "642"],
-              [ctng_cv_stat_flavor=BSD],
-              [test "$attr_gnu" = "642"],
-              [ctng_cv_stat_flavor=GNU],
-              [ctng_cv_stat_flavor=unknown])])
-     AS_IF([test "$ctng_cv_stat_flavor" = "GNU" ], [$1],
-        [test "$ctng_cv_stat_flavor" = "BSD" ], [$2],
-        [AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot determine stat(1) format option])])
-    ])
-
-AC_DEFUN([CTNG_PROG_STAT],
-    [AX_REQUIRE_DEFINED([CTNG_CHECK_PROGS_REQ])
-     CTNG_CHECK_PROGS_REQ([stat], [stat])
-     CTNG_PROG_STAT_FORMAT(
-        [CTNG_SET_KCONFIG_OPTION([stat_flavor_GNU], [y])
-         CTNG_SET_KCONFIG_OPTION([stat_flavor_BSD])],
-        [CTNG_SET_KCONFIG_OPTION([stat_flavor_BSD], [y])
-         CTNG_SET_KCONFIG_OPTION([stat_flavor_GNU])])
-    ])
diff --git a/scripts/crosstool-NG.sh b/scripts/crosstool-NG.sh
index b60976cf..3e888d74 100644
--- a/scripts/crosstool-NG.sh
+++ b/scripts/crosstool-NG.sh
@@ -253,11 +253,6 @@ if [    "${CT_SAVE_TARBALLS}" = "y"     \
     CT_SAVE_TARBALLS=
 fi
 
-# Check now if we can write to the destination directory:
-if [ -d "${CT_PREFIX_DIR}" ]; then
-    CT_TestAndAbort "Destination directory '${CT_PREFIX_DIR}' is not removable" ! -w $(dirname "${CT_PREFIX_DIR}")
-fi
-
 # Good, now grab a bit of informations on the system we're being run on,
 # just in case something goes awok, and it's not our fault:
 CT_SYS_USER=$(id -un)
diff --git a/scripts/functions b/scripts/functions
index 6e545822..e93618c3 100644
--- a/scripts/functions
+++ b/scripts/functions
@@ -582,7 +582,8 @@ CT_Popd() {
 
 # Create a dir and pushd into it
 # Usage: CT_mkdir_pushd <dir/to/create>
-CT_mkdir_pushd() {
+CT_mkdir_pushd()
+{
     local dir="${1}"
 
     mkdir -p "${dir}"
@@ -592,7 +593,8 @@ CT_mkdir_pushd() {
 # Creates a temporary directory
 # $1: variable to assign to
 # Usage: CT_MktempDir foo
-CT_MktempDir() {
+CT_MktempDir()
+{
     # Some mktemp do not allow more than 6 Xs
     eval "$1"=$(mktemp -q -d "${CT_BUILD_DIR}/tmp.XXXXXX")
     CT_TestOrAbort "Could not make temporary directory" -n "${!1}" -a -d "${!1}"
@@ -602,26 +604,29 @@ CT_MktempDir() {
 
 # Removes one or more directories, even if it is read-only, or its parent is
 # Usage: CT_DoForceRmdir dir [...]
-CT_DoForceRmdir() {
+CT_DoForceRmdir()
+{
     local dir
-    local mode
+    local cnt
+
     for dir in "${@}"; do
-        [ -d "${dir}" ] || continue
-        case "${CT_CONFIGURE_has_stat_flavor_GNU},${CT_CONFIGURE_has_stat_flavor_BSD}" in
-            y,*)
-                mode="$(stat -c '%a' "$(dirname "${dir}")")"
-                ;;
-            *,y)
-                mode="$(stat -f '%Lp' "$(dirname "${dir}")")"
-                ;;
-            *)
-                CT_Abort "Unknown stat format options"
-                ;;
-        esac
-        CT_DoExecLog ALL chmod u+w "$(dirname "${dir}")"
-        CT_DoExecLog ALL chmod -R u+w "${dir}"
-        CT_DoExecLog ALL rm -rf "${dir}"
-        CT_DoExecLog ALL chmod ${mode} "$(dirname "${dir}")"
+        [ -e "${dir}" ] || continue
+        CT_TestOrAbort "Cannot remove '${dir}': not a directory" -d "${dir}"
+        CT_DoExecLog ALL chmod -R u+w "${dir}" || :;
+        if CT_DoExecLog ALL rm -rf "${dir}"; then
+            continue
+        fi
+        # If we succeeded in removing the whole directory, good. If not,
+        # but only the top level directory remains - it is fine, too, because
+        # this function is used to remove the directories that are going to be
+        # re-created. Hence, verify we at least succeeded in verifying the
+        # contents of this directory.
+        if [ -d "${dir}" ]; then
+            cnt=$(ls -a "${dir}" | { grep -v '^\.\{1,2\}$' || :; } | wc -l)
+            if [ "${cnt}" != "0" ]; then
+                CT_Abort "Failed to remove '${dir}'"
+            fi
+        fi
     done
 }
 
@@ -630,7 +635,8 @@ CT_DoForceRmdir() {
 # $1: path to add
 # $2: add as 'first' or 'last' path, 'first' is assumed if $2 is empty
 # Usage CT_SetLibPath /some/where/lib [first|last]
-CT_SetLibPath() {
+CT_SetLibPath()
+{
     local path="$1"
     local pos="$2"