diff --git a/build.py b/build.py
index 21da3ecb..504aaca0 100755
--- a/build.py
+++ b/build.py
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ import tempfile
 import urllib2
 
 from distutils.dep_util import newer, newer_group
-from buildtools.config  import Config, msg, opj, posixjoin, loadETG, etg2sip, findCmd
+from buildtools.config  import Config, msg, opj, posixjoin, loadETG, etg2sip, findCmd, \
+                               phoenixDir, wxDir
 
 from sphinxtools.postprocess import SphinxIndexes, MakeHeadings, PostProcess, GenGallery
 
@@ -220,21 +221,6 @@ def setDevModeOptions(args):
         args[idx:idx+1] = myDevModeOptions
 
     
-def phoenixDir():
-    return os.path.abspath(os.path.split(__file__)[0])
-
-
-def wxDir():
-    WXWIN = os.environ.get('WXWIN')
-    if not WXWIN:
-        for rel in ['../wxWidgets', '../wx', '..']:
-            path = os.path.join(phoenixDir(), rel)
-            if path and os.path.exists(path) and os.path.isdir(path):
-                WXWIN = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(phoenixDir(), rel))
-                break
-    assert WXWIN not in [None, '']
-    return WXWIN
-
 
 def getMSWSettings(options):
     class MSWsettings(object):
diff --git a/buildtools/config.py b/buildtools/config.py
index a42a0d79..d737abc3 100644
--- a/buildtools/config.py
+++ b/buildtools/config.py
@@ -121,16 +121,7 @@ class Configuration(object):
             self.COMPILER=None
 
         self.WXPLAT2 = None
-
-        
-        if os.environ.has_key('WXWIN'):
-            self.WXDIR = os.environ['WXWIN']
-        else:
-            if os.path.exists('../wxWidgets'):
-                self.WXDIR = '../wxWidgets'  # assumes in parallel SVN tree
-            else:
-                self.WXDIR = '..'  # assumes wxPython is subdir
-            msg("WARNING: WXWIN not set in environment. Assuming '%s'" % self.WXDIR)
+        self.WXDIR = wxDir()
         
         self.includes = ['sip/siplib',  # to get our version of sip.h
                          'src',         # for any hand-written headers
@@ -578,4 +569,20 @@ def findCmd(cmd):
         if os.path.exists(c):
             return c
     return None
-    
\ No newline at end of file
+    
+    
+def phoenixDir():
+    return os.path.abspath(posixjoin(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..'))
+
+
+def wxDir():
+    WXWIN = os.environ.get('WXWIN')
+    if not WXWIN:
+        for rel in ['../wxWidgets', '../wx', '..']:
+            path = os.path.join(phoenixDir(), rel)
+            if path and os.path.exists(path) and os.path.isdir(path):
+                WXWIN = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(phoenixDir(), rel))
+                break
+    assert WXWIN not in [None, '']
+    return WXWIN
+