diff --git a/cibuild.sh b/cibuild.sh
index d89a2510..2cd0bd72 100755
--- a/cibuild.sh
+++ b/cibuild.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ export WEBROOT=${WEBROOT:-/tmp/web}
 export DEBUG=${DEBUG:-false}
 export PGDATA=${PGROOT}/base
 export PGUSER=postgres
+export PGPATCH=${WORKSPACE}/patches
 
 
 # exit on error
diff --git a/cibuild/linkexport.sh b/cibuild/linkexport.sh
index 1286757e..c484cd03 100644
--- a/cibuild/linkexport.sh
+++ b/cibuild/linkexport.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ pushd ${WORKSPACE}
 
     OBJDUMP=patches/dump.wasm-objdump PGDUMP=patches/dump.postgres \
      python3 cibuild/getsyms.py exports > patches/exports.pglite
-    cp patches/exports.pglite $PGROOT/
 popd
 
 echo "============= link export : end ==============="
diff --git a/cibuild/linkimports.sh b/cibuild/linkimports.sh
index 16c73403..7ca5fea1 100644
--- a/cibuild/linkimports.sh
+++ b/cibuild/linkimports.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ echo "============= link imports : begin ==============="
 #_emscripten_copy_to_end
 
 # copyFrom,copyTo,copyToEnd
-    cat $PGROOT/imports.* | sort | uniq > /tmp/symbols
+    cat ${WORKSPACE}/patches/imports.* | sort | uniq > /tmp/symbols
 
     echo "Requesting $(wc -l /tmp/symbols) symbols from PGlite"
 
diff --git a/cibuild/linkweb.sh b/cibuild/linkweb.sh
index f2719d37..dcf68e03 100755
--- a/cibuild/linkweb.sh
+++ b/cibuild/linkweb.sh
@@ -143,35 +143,35 @@ pushd src/backend
     then
         # link with MAIN_MODULE=1 ( ie export all ) and extract all sym.
         . ${WORKSPACE}/cibuild/linkexport.sh
-    else
-        echo "
 
-_________________________________________________________
-    WARNING: using cached/provided exported symbol list
-_________________________________________________________
+        if [ -f ${WORKSPACE}/patches/exports.pglite ]
+        then
+            echo "PGLite can export $(wc -l ${WORKSPACE}/patchesexports.pglite) symbols"
+            . ${WORKSPACE}/cibuild/linkimports.sh
 
+        else
+            echo "
 
-"
-        cp patches/exports.pglite $PGROOT/
-    fi
+    _________________________________________________________
+        WARNING: using cached/provided imported symbol list
+    _________________________________________________________
 
 
-    if [ -f ${PGROOT}/exports.pglite ]
-    then
-        echo "PGLite can export $(wc -l $PGROOT/exports.pglite) symbols"
-        . ${WORKSPACE}/cibuild/linkimports.sh
+    "
+        fi
 
     else
         echo "
 
 _________________________________________________________
-    WARNING: using cached/provided imported symbol list
+    WARNING: using cached/provided exported symbol list
 _________________________________________________________
 
 
 "
     fi
 
+
     cat ${WORKSPACE}/patches/exports > exports
 
     # min
diff --git a/cibuild/pack_extension.py b/cibuild/pack_extension.py
index d40d676e..bde291ab 100644
--- a/cibuild/pack_extension.py
+++ b/cibuild/pack_extension.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def is_extension(path:Path, fullpath:Path):
             EXTNAME = path.stem
             if os.environ.get('OBJDUMP',''):
                 os.system(f"wasm-objdump -x {fullpath} > {PGROOT}/dump.{EXTNAME}")
-                os.system(f"OBJDUMP={PGROOT}/dump.{EXTNAME} python3 cibuild/getsyms.py imports > {PGROOT}/imports.{EXTNAME}")
+                os.system(f"OBJDUMP={PGROOT}/dump.{EXTNAME} python3 cibuild/getsyms.py imports > {PGPATCH}/imports.{EXTNAME}")
                 with open(f"{PGROOT}/imports.{EXTNAME}","r") as f:
                     SYMBOLS=f.readlines()
 
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ async def archive(target_folder):
                     print("custom:", test)
 
 
+PGPATCH=Path(os.environ.get('PGPATCH', PGROOT)
 PGROOT=Path(os.environ.get('PGROOT',"/tmp/pglite"))
 
 INSTALLED = []