diff --git a/lib/core/fs.js b/lib/core/fs.js
index cb52d5914..5e340e966 100644
--- a/lib/core/fs.js
+++ b/lib/core/fs.js
@@ -77,24 +77,21 @@ function removeSync() {
   return fs.removeSync.apply(fs.removeSync, arguments);
 }
 
-function embarkPath() {
-  const _embarkPath = process.env.EMBARK_PATH;
-  if (!_embarkPath) {
-    const errMsg = 'process.env.EMBARK_PATH was not set'.bold.red;
-    console.error(errMsg);
+function anchoredPath(envAnchor, ...args) {
+  const anchor = process.env[envAnchor];
+  if (!anchor) {
+    console.error(`process.env.${envAnchor} was not set`.bold.red);
     process.exit(1);
   }
-  return utils.joinPath(_embarkPath, ...arguments);
+  return utils.joinPath(anchor, ...args);
+}
+
+function embarkPath() {
+  return anchoredPath('EMBARK_PATH', ...arguments);
 }
 
 function dappPath() {
-  const _dappPath = process.env.DAPP_PATH;
-  if (!_dappPath) {
-    const errMsg = 'process.env.DAPP_PATH was not set'.bold.red;
-    console.error(errMsg);
-    process.exit(1);
-  }
-  return utils.joinPath(_dappPath, ...arguments);
+  return anchoredPath('DAPP_PATH', ...arguments);
 }
 
 function createWriteStream() {