diff --git a/tools/local/cow-build.sh b/tools/local/cow-build.sh
index 6705b649a..f62212ed0 100755
--- a/tools/local/cow-build.sh
+++ b/tools/local/cow-build.sh
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ parse_arguments() {
 
 parse_arguments $*
 
-DIST_DIRS=`find /workspace/deploy -mindepth 1 -type d -print | grep -v "v1_11" | sort -r`
+DIST_DIRS=$(find /workspace/deploy -mindepth 1 -type d -print | grep -v "v1_11" | sort -r)
 for dir in $DIST_DIRS; do
-    dist=`basename $dir`
+    dist=$(basename $dir)
     cd $dir
     echo Updating $dist builder
-    DIST=$dist cowbuilder --update
+    DIST=$dist cowbuilder --update --basepath /var/cache/pbuilder/base-$dist.cow
     echo Running build for $dist
-    DIST=$dist cowbuilder --build workrave*.dsc
+    DIST=$dist cowbuilder --build workrave*.dsc --basepath /var/cache/pbuilder/base-$dist.cow
 done
diff --git a/tools/local/ppa.sh b/tools/local/ppa.sh
index 660b74809..1fe175a1f 100755
--- a/tools/local/ppa.sh
+++ b/tools/local/ppa.sh
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ build_single() {
 }
 
 build_all() {
-    for series in oracular noble jammy focal; do
+    for series in oracular noble jammy; do
         build_single $series
     done
 }