diff --git a/collects/meta/build/build b/collects/meta/build/build
index 840919248f..776b6b5cff 100755
--- a/collects/meta/build/build
+++ b/collects/meta/build/build
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ defbuild() {
 # entries, with misc fields set.  Machines and platforms must be unique.  The
 # "D" first entry is for default field values (missing default makes the field
 # required).  Warning: an `eval "foo=\"bar\""' is used to assign values.
-msets "/machines/D" "platform=" "workdir=/var/tmp" "moveto=" "copytobak=" \
+msets "/machines/D" "workdir=/var/tmp" "moveto=" "copytobak=" \
       "configure_args=" "LDFLAGS=" "ext_lib_paths=" "renice=" \
       "more_setup_args=" "test_gui="
 # defbuild "ccs-solaris" "sparc-solaris" "moveto=/proj/racket" \
@@ -1166,11 +1166,14 @@ DO_COPY_BUILD() { # inputs -- machine-name (for ssh)
 ## ============================================================================
 
 DO_BUILD() { # inputs -- releasing
-
   ## --------------------------------------------------------------------------
   releasing="$1"; shift
   machineget platform workdir moveto copytobak \
              configure_args ext_lib_paths renice more_setup_args test_gui
+  if [[ "${machine:-$workmachine}" != "$workmachine" ]]; then
+    if [[ "$platform" = "" ]]; then machine_suffix=" [$machine]"
+    else machine_suffix=" [$machine($platform)]"; fi
+  fi
 
   header -s "Starting build"
 
@@ -2202,19 +2205,13 @@ if [[ "$1" = "--dispatch" ]]; then
   shift
   while [[ "$1" = *"="* ]]; do eval "export $1"; shift; done
   machine="$1"; go="$2"; shift 2
-  init_repo_vars      # set the repository variables according to the env vars
-  machineget platform # set the global platform for dependable script pieces
-  if [[ "${machine:-$workmachine}" != "$workmachine" ]]; then
-    if [[ "$platform" = "" ]]; then machine_suffix=" [$machine]"
-    else machine_suffix=" [$machine($platform)]"; fi
-  fi
-  if [[ "$platform" = "" ]]; then show "Working on $machine"
-  else show "Working on $machine($platform)"; fi
-  show "Dispatching to $go($*)"
+  init_repo_vars # set the repository variables according to the env vars
+  show "Working on $machine, dispatching to $go($*)"
   "$go" "$@"
-  show "Done working on $machine($platform)"
+  if [[ "x$platform" = "x"]]; then show "Done working on $machine"
+  else show "Done working on $machine($platform)"; fi
 elif [[ "$scriptlog" = "yes" ]]; then
-  show "Working on $machine($platform)"
+  show "Working on $machine"
   rm -f "$maindir/$scriptlogfile"
   { echo "This is the build log, generated by $buildscript"; echo ""
     echo "Search for \"BOOM\" for any errors."; echo ""
@@ -2228,7 +2225,7 @@ elif [[ "$scriptlog" = "yes" ]]; then
     MAIN "$@" 2>&1 | tee -a "$maindir/$scriptlogfile"
   fi
 else
-  show "Working on $machine($platform)"
+  show "Working on $machine"
   MAIN "$@"
 fi