diff --git a/circleci.sh b/circleci.sh
index e4ae72863dc5..907431fcbe46 100755
--- a/circleci.sh
+++ b/circleci.sh
@@ -83,16 +83,20 @@ coverage() {
 
     # build dmd, druntime, and phobos
     make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=$DMD all
-    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=$DMD dmd.conf
     make -j$N -C ../druntime -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL
     make -j$N -C ../phobos -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL
 
     # rebuild dmd with coverage enabled
     # use the just build dmd as host compiler this time
-    mv src/dmd src/host_dmd
-    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=./host_dmd clean
-    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=./host_dmd dmd.conf
-    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=./host_dmd ENABLE_COVERAGE=1
+    local build_path=generated/linux/release/$MODEL
+    # `generated` gets cleaned in the next step, so we create another _generated
+    # The nested folder hierarchy is needed to conform to those specified in
+    # the generate dmd.conf
+    mkdir -p _${build_path}
+    cp $build_path/dmd _${build_path}/host_dmd
+    cp $build_path/dmd.conf _${build_path}
+    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=../_${build_path}/host_dmd clean
+    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=../_${build_path}/host_dmd ENABLE_COVERAGE=1
 
     make -j$N -C test MODEL=$MODEL ARGS="-O -inline -release" DMD_TEST_COVERAGE=1
 }
diff --git a/src/posix.mak b/src/posix.mak
index fe8479b469ff..4ba545c691f6 100644
--- a/src/posix.mak
+++ b/src/posix.mak
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ $G/backend.a: $(G_OBJS)
 $G/dmd_frontend: $(FRONT_SRCS) $D/gluelayer.d $(ROOT_SRCS) $G/newdelete.o $(STRING_IMPORT_FILES) $(HOST_DMD_PATH)
 	CC=$(HOST_CXX) $(HOST_DMD_RUN) -of$@ $(MODEL_FLAG) -vtls -J$G -J../res -L-lstdc++ $(DFLAGS) $(filter-out $(STRING_IMPORT_FILES) $(HOST_DMD_PATH),$^) -version=NoBackend
 
-dmd: $G/dmd
+dmd: $G/dmd $G/dmd.conf
 	cp $< .
 
 ifdef ENABLE_LTO
@@ -385,26 +385,45 @@ endif
 
 define DEFAULT_DMD_CONF
 [Environment32]
+DFLAGS=-I%@P%/../../../../../druntime/import -I%@P%/../../../../../phobos -L-L%@P%/../../../../../phobos/generated/$(OS)/release/32$(if $(filter $(OS),osx),, -L--export-dynamic)
+
+[Environment64]
+DFLAGS=-I%@P%/../../../../../druntime/import -I%@P%/../../../../../phobos -L-L%@P%/../../../../../phobos/generated/$(OS)/release/64$(if $(filter $(OS),osx),, -L--export-dynamic)
+endef
+
+export DEFAULT_DMD_CONF
+
+$G/dmd.conf:
+	[ -f $@ ] || echo "$$DEFAULT_DMD_CONF" > $@
+
+######## generate a default dmd.conf (for compatibility)
+######## REMOVE ME after the ddmd -> dmd transition
+
+define DEFAULT_DMD_CONF_LEGACY
+[Environment32]
 DFLAGS=-I%@P%/../../druntime/import -I%@P%/../../phobos -L-L%@P%/../../phobos/generated/$(OS)/release/32$(if $(filter $(OS),osx),, -L--export-dynamic)
 
 [Environment64]
 DFLAGS=-I%@P%/../../druntime/import -I%@P%/../../phobos -L-L%@P%/../../phobos/generated/$(OS)/release/64$(if $(filter $(OS),osx),, -L--export-dynamic)
 endef
 
-export DEFAULT_DMD_CONF
+export DEFAULT_DMD_CONF_LEGACY
 
 dmd.conf:
-	[ -f $@ ] || echo "$$DEFAULT_DMD_CONF" > $@
+	[ -f $@ ] || echo "$$DEFAULT_DMD_CONF_LEGACY" > $@
 
 ######## optabgen generates some source
+optabgen_output = debtab.c optab.c cdxxx.c elxxx.c fltables.c tytab.c
 
 $G/optabgen: $C/optabgen.c $C/cc.h $C/oper.h
 	$(HOST_CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -I$(TK) $< -o $G/optabgen
 	$G/optabgen
 	mv $(optabgen_output) $G
 
-optabgen_output = debtab.c optab.c cdxxx.c elxxx.c fltables.c tytab.c
-$(optabgen_output) : $G/optabgen
+optabgen_files = $(addprefix $G/, $(optabgen_output))
+$(optabgen_files): optabgen.out
+.INTERMEDIATE: optabgen.out
+optabgen.out : $G/optabgen
 
 ######## idgen generates some source
 
@@ -438,11 +457,6 @@ $(shell test $(SYSCONFDIR) != "`cat $G/SYSCONFDIR.imp 2> /dev/null`" \
 		&& printf '$(SYSCONFDIR)' > $G/SYSCONFDIR.imp )
 
 #########
-
-$(G_GLUE_OBJS) : $(idgen_output)
-$(G_OBJS) : $(optabgen_output)
-
-
 # Specific dependencies other than the source file for all objects
 ########################################################################
 # If additional flags are needed for a specific file add a _CXXFLAGS as a
@@ -467,11 +481,13 @@ var.o: $G/optab.c $G/tytab.c
 # matching below.
 #vpath %.c $(C)
 
-$(G_OBJS): $G/%.o: $C/%.c posix.mak
+-include $(DEPS)
+
+$(G_OBJS): $G/%.o: $C/%.c posix.mak $(optabgen_files)
 	@echo "  (CC)  BACK_OBJS  $<"
 	$(CXX) -c -o$@ $(CXXFLAGS) $(BACK_FLAGS) $(MMD) $<
 
-$(G_GLUE_OBJS): $G/%.o: $D/%.c posix.mak
+$(G_GLUE_OBJS): $G/%.o: $D/%.c posix.mak $(optabgen_files)
 	@echo "  (CC)  GLUE_OBJS  $<"
 	$(CXX) -c -o$@ $(CXXFLAGS) $(GLUE_FLAGS) $(MMD) $<
 
@@ -479,9 +495,6 @@ $G/newdelete.o: $G/%.o: $(ROOT)/%.c posix.mak
 	@echo "  (CC)  ROOT_OBJS  $<"
 	$(CXX) -c -o$@ $(CXXFLAGS) $(ROOT_FLAGS) $(MMD) $<
 
-
--include $(DEPS)
-
 ######################################################
 
 install: all
diff --git a/travis.sh b/travis.sh
index 6dee261237c9..c814f67f8f2c 100755
--- a/travis.sh
+++ b/travis.sh
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ clone() {
 # build dmd, druntime, phobos
 build() {
     make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=$DMD ENABLE_RELEASE=1 all
-    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=$DMD dmd.conf
     make -j$N -C ../druntime -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL
     make -j$N -C ../phobos -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL
 }
@@ -44,7 +43,6 @@ build() {
 rebuild() {
     mv src/dmd src/host_dmd
     make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=./host_dmd clean
-    make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=./host_dmd dmd.conf
     make -j$N -C src -f posix.mak MODEL=$MODEL HOST_DMD=./host_dmd ENABLE_RELEASE=1 all
 }