diff --git a/builder.py b/builder.py
index b63fdb0..7b083f9 100644
--- a/builder.py
+++ b/builder.py
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ class BuildJob:
 
     def _after(self, t, rv):
         try:
+            state.check_sane()
             rv = self._after1(t, rv)
         finally:
             self._after2(rv)
@@ -211,7 +212,8 @@ def main(targets, shouldbuildfunc):
         jwack.get_token(t)
         if retcode[0] and not vars.KEEP_GOING:
             break
-        if not state.is_sane():
+        if not state.check_sane():
+            err('.redo directory disappeared; cannot continue.\n')
             retcode[0] = 205
             break
         lock = state.Lock(t)
@@ -234,7 +236,8 @@ def main(targets, shouldbuildfunc):
         if retcode[0] and not vars.KEEP_GOING:
             break
         if locked:
-            if not state.is_sane():
+            if not state.check_sane():
+                err('.redo directory disappeared; cannot continue.\n')
                 retcode[0] = 205
                 break
             t = locked.pop(0)
diff --git a/helpers.py b/helpers.py
index 3765343..ef5f011 100644
--- a/helpers.py
+++ b/helpers.py
@@ -15,24 +15,6 @@ def unlink(f):
             pass  # it doesn't exist, that's what you asked for
 
 
-def mkdirp(d, mode=None):
-    """Recursively create directories on path 'd'.
-
-    Unlike os.makedirs(), it doesn't raise an exception if the last element of
-    the path already exists.
-    """
-    try:
-        if mode:
-            os.makedirs(d, mode)
-        else:
-            os.makedirs(d)
-    except OSError, e:
-        if e.errno == errno.EEXIST:
-            pass
-        else:
-            raise
-
-
 def log_(s):
     sys.stdout.flush()
     if vars.DEBUG_PIDS:
diff --git a/redo-ifchange.py b/redo-ifchange.py
index 5267cfb..2a433cc 100755
--- a/redo-ifchange.py
+++ b/redo-ifchange.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import sys, os, errno, stat
 import vars, state, builder, jwack
-from helpers import debug, debug2, err, mkdirp, unlink
+from helpers import debug, debug2, err, unlink
 
 
 def dirty_deps(f, depth, max_changed):
diff --git a/redo-ifcreate.py b/redo-ifcreate.py
index 9d862c9..d4c190c 100755
--- a/redo-ifcreate.py
+++ b/redo-ifcreate.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import sys, os
 import vars, state
-from helpers import err, mkdirp
+from helpers import err
 
 
 try:
diff --git a/state.py b/state.py
index 661ee3d..beac06e 100644
--- a/state.py
+++ b/state.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import sys, os, errno, glob, stat, sqlite3
 import vars
-from helpers import unlink, err, debug2, debug3, mkdirp, close_on_exec
+from helpers import unlink, err, debug2, debug3, close_on_exec
 import helpers
 
 SCHEMA_VER=1
@@ -13,7 +13,13 @@ def db():
         return _db
     dbdir = '%s/.redo' % vars.BASE
     dbfile = '%s/db.sqlite3' % dbdir
-    mkdirp(dbdir)
+    try:
+        os.mkdir(dbdir)
+    except OSError, e:
+        if e.errno == errno.EEXIST:
+            pass  # if it exists, that's okay
+        else:
+            raise
     must_create = not os.path.exists(dbfile)
     if not must_create:
         _db = sqlite3.connect(dbfile, timeout=TIMEOUT)
@@ -72,6 +78,8 @@ def init():
 
 _wrote = 0
 def _write(q, l):
+    if _insane:
+        return
     global _wrote
     _wrote += 1
     #helpers.log_('W: %r %r\n' % (q,l))
@@ -79,6 +87,8 @@ def _write(q, l):
 
 
 def commit():
+    if _insane:
+        return
     global _wrote
     if _wrote:
         #helpers.log_("COMMIT (%d)\n" % _wrote)
@@ -87,12 +97,10 @@ def commit():
 
 
 _insane = None
-def is_sane():
-    global _insane
+def check_sane():
+    global _insane, _writable
     if not _insane:
         _insane = not os.path.exists('%s/.redo' % vars.BASE)
-        if _insane:
-            err('.redo directory disappeared; cannot continue.\n')
     return not _insane
 
 
@@ -161,9 +169,6 @@ class File(object):
         self._init_from_cols(row)
 
     def save(self):
-        if not os.path.exists('%s/.redo' % vars.BASE):
-            # this might happen if 'make clean' removes the .redo dir
-            return
         _write('update Files set '
                '    is_generated=?, checked_runid=?, changed_runid=?, '
                '    stamp=?, csum=? '