diff --git a/.circleci/build-toolchains.sh b/.circleci/build-toolchains.sh
index 32560b27..1305617f 100755
--- a/.circleci/build-toolchains.sh
+++ b/.circleci/build-toolchains.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ if [ ! -d "$HOME/esp-tools-install" ]; then
     cd $HOME/
 
     # init all submodules including the tools
-    ./project/scripts/build-toolchains.sh esp-tools
+    REBAR_DIR=$HOME/project ./project/scripts/build-toolchains.sh esp-tools
 fi
 
 if [ ! -d "$HOME/riscv-tools-install" ]; then
@@ -18,5 +18,5 @@ if [ ! -d "$HOME/riscv-tools-install" ]; then
     cd $HOME/
 
     # init all submodules including the tools
-    ./project/scripts/build-toolchains.sh riscv-tools
+    REBAR_DIR=$HOME/project ./project/scripts/build-toolchains.sh riscv-tools
 fi
diff --git a/scripts/build-toolchains.sh b/scripts/build-toolchains.sh
index ddf9b462..3cc25c6a 100755
--- a/scripts/build-toolchains.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-toolchains.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ set -o pipefail
 
 unamestr=$(uname)
 RDIR=$(pwd)
+: ${REBAR_DIR:=$(pwd)} #default value is the PWD unless overridden
 
 if [ $# -ne 0 ]; then
   TOOLCHAIN=$1
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ RISCV="$(pwd)/$INSTALL_DIR"
 
 # install risc-v tools
 export RISCV="$RISCV"
-git submodule update --init --recursive toolchains/$TOOLCHAIN #--jobs 8
+git -C $REBAR_DIR submodule update --init --recursive toolchains/$TOOLCHAIN #--jobs 8
 cd "toolchains/$TOOLCHAIN"
 export MAKEFLAGS="-j16"
 ./build.sh