diff --git a/mixin/build.go b/mixin/build.go
index b6bc92e..6006ff4 100644
--- a/mixin/build.go
+++ b/mixin/build.go
@@ -135,6 +135,13 @@ func buildMix(prepNeeded bool) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	mixVer := incrementMixVerIfNeeded(ver*1000, mixFlagFile)
+
+	err = os.Chdir(mixWS)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = os.Remove(mixFlagFile)
+		return err
+	}
+
 	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(filepath.Join(mixWS, "builder.conf"))
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = os.Remove(mixFlagFile)
@@ -152,12 +159,6 @@ func buildMix(prepNeeded bool) error {
 	// generation.
 	b.State.Mix.PreviousMixVer = strconv.Itoa(lastVer)
 
-	err = os.Chdir(mixWS)
-	if err != nil {
-		_ = os.Remove(mixFlagFile)
-		return err
-	}
-
 	if prepNeeded {
 		var rpms []string
 		rpms, err = helpers.ListVisibleFiles(b.Config.Mixer.LocalRPMDir)
diff --git a/mixin/repo.go b/mixin/repo.go
index caf9299..8ead040 100644
--- a/mixin/repo.go
+++ b/mixin/repo.go
@@ -108,12 +108,13 @@ func runAddRepo(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
-	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(configFile)
+
+	err = os.Chdir(mixWS)
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
 
-	err = os.Chdir(mixWS)
+	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(configFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
@@ -135,12 +136,13 @@ func runRemoveRepo(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
-	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(configFile)
+
+	err = os.Chdir(mixWS)
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
 
-	err = os.Chdir(mixWS)
+	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(configFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
@@ -157,12 +159,13 @@ func runListRepos(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
-	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(configFile)
+
+	err = os.Chdir(mixWS)
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
 
-	err = os.Chdir(mixWS)
+	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(configFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
@@ -178,10 +181,6 @@ func runInitRepo(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
-	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(configFile)
-	if err != nil {
-		fail(err)
-	}
 
 	// save working directory so we can come back,
 	// this function may be called other than by commandline
@@ -198,6 +197,11 @@ func runInitRepo(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		_ = os.Chdir(wd)
 	}()
 
+	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(configFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		fail(err)
+	}
+
 	err = b.NewDNFConfIfNeeded()
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
@@ -210,12 +214,12 @@ func runSetURLRepo(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		fail(err)
 	}
 
-	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(configFile)
+	err = os.Chdir(mixWS)
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}
 
-	err = os.Chdir(mixWS)
+	b, err := builder.NewFromConfig(configFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		fail(err)
 	}