diff --git a/add/futil.c b/add/futil.c
index b4d4af1..dacbc25 100644
--- a/add/futil.c
+++ b/add/futil.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ make_hierarchy(char *dir)
 	    }
 	}
 	else {
-	    if (vsystem("/bin/mkdir %s", dir)) {
+	    if (mkdir(dir, 0777) == -1) {
 		if (cp2)
 		    *cp2 = '/';
 		return FAIL;
diff --git a/add/main.c b/add/main.c
index bf77f4f..7afe99b 100644
--- a/add/main.c
+++ b/add/main.c
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     int ch, error;
     char **start;
     char *cp, *packagesite = NULL, *remotepkg = NULL, *ptr;
-    static char temppackageroot[MAXPATHLEN];
-    static char pkgaddpath[MAXPATHLEN];
+    static char temppackageroot[FILENAME_MAX];
+    static char pkgaddpath[FILENAME_MAX];
 
     if (*argv[0] != '/' && strchr(argv[0], '/') != NULL)
 	PkgAddCmd = realpath(argv[0], pkgaddpath);
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	/* Get all the remaining package names, if any */
 	for (ch = 0; *argv; ch++, argv++) {
-	    char temp[MAXPATHLEN];
+	    char temp[FILENAME_MAX];
     	    if (Remote) {
 		if ((packagesite = getpackagesite()) == NULL)
 		    errx(1, "package name too long");
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ static char *
 getpackagesite(void)
 {
     int reldate, i;
-    static char sitepath[MAXPATHLEN];
+    static char sitepath[FILENAME_MAX];
     struct utsname u;
 
     if (getenv("PACKAGESITE")) {
diff --git a/add/perform.c b/add/perform.c
index ece3e95..eb98d27 100644
--- a/add/perform.c
+++ b/add/perform.c
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ pkg_do(char *pkg)
     char pre_arg[FILENAME_MAX], post_arg[FILENAME_MAX];
     char *conflict[2];
     char **matched;
+    int fd;
 
     conflictsfound = 0;
     code = 0;
@@ -298,7 +299,7 @@ pkg_do(char *pkg)
 	    char path[FILENAME_MAX], *cp = NULL;
 
 	    if (!Fake) {
-		char prefixArg[2 + MAXPATHLEN]; /* "-P" + Prefix */
+		char prefixArg[2 + FILENAME_MAX]; /* "-P" + Prefix */
 		if (PrefixRecursive) {
 		    strlcpy(prefixArg, "-P", sizeof(prefixArg));
 		    strlcat(prefixArg, Prefix, sizeof(prefixArg));
@@ -371,8 +372,10 @@ pkg_do(char *pkg)
 	goto bomb;
 
     /* Look for the requirements file */
-    if (fexists(REQUIRE_FNAME)) {
-	vsystem("/bin/chmod +x %s", REQUIRE_FNAME);	/* be sure */
+    if ((fd = open(REQUIRE_FNAME, O_RDWR)) != -1) {
+	fstat(fd, &sb);
+	fchmod(fd, sb.st_mode | S_IXALL);	/* be sure, chmod a+x */
+	close(fd);
 	if (Verbose)
 	    printf("Running requirements file first for %s..\n", Plist.name);
 	if (!Fake && vsystem("./%s %s INSTALL", REQUIRE_FNAME, Plist.name)) {
@@ -404,8 +407,10 @@ pkg_do(char *pkg)
     }
 
     /* If we're really installing, and have an installation file, run it */
-    if (!NoInstall && fexists(pre_script)) {
-	vsystem("/bin/chmod +x %s", pre_script);	/* make sure */
+    if (!NoInstall && (fd = open(pre_script, O_RDWR)) != -1) {
+	fstat(fd, &sb);
+	fchmod(fd, sb.st_mode | S_IXALL);	/* be sure, chmod a+x */
+	close(fd);
 	if (Verbose)
 	    printf("Running pre-install for %s..\n", Plist.name);
 	if (!Fake && vsystem("./%s %s %s", pre_script, Plist.name, pre_arg)) {
@@ -433,8 +438,10 @@ pkg_do(char *pkg)
     }
 
     /* Run the installation script one last time? */
-    if (!NoInstall && fexists(post_script)) {
-	vsystem("/bin/chmod +x %s", post_script);	/* make sure */
+    if (!NoInstall && (fd = open(post_script, O_RDWR)) != -1) {
+	fstat(fd, &sb);
+	fchmod(fd, sb.st_mode | S_IXALL);	/* be sure, chmod a+x */
+	close(fd);
 	if (Verbose)
 	    printf("Running post-install for %s..\n", Plist.name);
 	if (!Fake && vsystem("./%s %s %s", post_script, Plist.name, post_arg)) {
@@ -466,7 +473,10 @@ pkg_do(char *pkg)
 	    goto success;	/* close enough for government work */
 	}
 	/* Make sure pkg_info can read the entry */
-	vsystem("/bin/chmod a+rx %s", LogDir);
+	fd = open(LogDir, O_RDWR);
+	fstat(fd, &sb);
+	fchmod(fd, sb.st_mode | S_IRALL | S_IXALL);	/* be sure, chmod a+rx */
+	close(fd);
 	move_file(".", DESC_FNAME, LogDir);
 	move_file(".", COMMENT_FNAME, LogDir);
 	if (fexists(INSTALL_FNAME))
diff --git a/create/perform.c b/create/perform.c
index 8a7ff84..d4d137a 100644
--- a/create/perform.c
+++ b/create/perform.c
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ create_from_installed(const char *ipkg, const char *pkg, const char *suf)
 {
     FILE *fp;
     Package plist;
-    char homedir[MAXPATHLEN], log_dir[FILENAME_MAX];
+    char homedir[FILENAME_MAX], log_dir[FILENAME_MAX];
 
     snprintf(log_dir, sizeof(log_dir), "%s/%s", LOG_DIR, ipkg);
     if (!fexists(log_dir)) {
diff --git a/delete/perform.c b/delete/perform.c
index 13726ba..a245ff4 100644
--- a/delete/perform.c
+++ b/delete/perform.c
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ pkg_do(char *pkg)
     const char *post_script, *pre_arg, *post_arg;
     struct reqr_by_entry *rb_entry;
     struct reqr_by_head *rb_list;
+    int fd;
+    struct stat sb;
 
     if (!pkg || !(len = strlen(pkg)))
 	return 1;
@@ -221,10 +223,12 @@ pkg_do(char *pkg)
 
     setenv(PKG_PREFIX_VNAME, p->name, 1);
 
-    if (fexists(REQUIRE_FNAME)) {
+    if ((fd = open(REQUIRE_FNAME, O_RDWR)) != -1) {
+	fstat(fd, &sb);
+	fchmod(fd, sb.st_mode | S_IXALL);       /* be sure, chmod a+x */
+	close(fd);
 	if (Verbose)
 	    printf("Executing 'require' script.\n");
-	vsystem("/bin/chmod +x %s", REQUIRE_FNAME);	/* be sure */
 	if (vsystem("./%s %s DEINSTALL", REQUIRE_FNAME, pkg)) {
 	    warnx("package %s fails requirements %s", pkg,
 		   Force ? "" : "- not deleted");
@@ -250,11 +254,13 @@ pkg_do(char *pkg)
 	post_script = pre_arg = post_arg = NULL;
     }
 
-    if (!NoDeInstall && pre_script != NULL && fexists(pre_script)) {
+    if (!NoDeInstall && pre_script != NULL && (fd = open(pre_script, O_RDWR)) != -1) {
 	if (Fake)
 	    printf("Would execute de-install script at this point.\n");
 	else {
-	    vsystem("/bin/chmod +x %s", pre_script);	/* make sure */
+	    fstat(fd, &sb);
+	    fchmod(fd, sb.st_mode | S_IXALL);       /* be sure, chmod a+x */
+	    close(fd);
 	    if (vsystem("./%s %s %s", pre_script, pkg, pre_arg)) {
 		warnx("deinstall script returned error status");
 		if (!Force)
@@ -326,11 +332,13 @@ pkg_do(char *pkg)
  	return 1;
     }
 
-    if (!NoDeInstall && post_script != NULL && fexists(post_script)) {
+    if (!NoDeInstall && post_script != NULL && (fd = open(post_script, O_RDWR)) != -1) {
  	if (Fake)
  	    printf("Would execute post-deinstall script at this point.\n");
  	else {
- 	    vsystem("/bin/chmod +x %s", post_script);	/* make sure */
+	    fstat(fd, &sb);
+	    fchmod(fd, sb.st_mode | S_IXALL);       /* be sure, chmod a+x */
+	    close(fd);
  	    if (vsystem("./%s %s %s", post_script, pkg, post_arg)) {
  		warnx("post-deinstall script returned error status");
  		if (!Force)
diff --git a/info/perform.c b/info/perform.c
index 658f645..77b9783 100644
--- a/info/perform.c
+++ b/info/perform.c
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ abspath(const char *pathname)
     int len;
 
     if (pathname[0] != '/') {
-	cwd = getcwd(NULL, MAXPATHLEN);
+	cwd = getcwd(NULL, FILENAME_MAX);
 	asprintf(&resolved_path, "%s/%s/", cwd, pathname);
     } else
 	asprintf(&resolved_path, "%s/", pathname);
diff --git a/lib/exec.c b/lib/exec.c
index 8da2001..39e88fe 100644
--- a/lib/exec.c
+++ b/lib/exec.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ vpipe(const char *fmt, ...)
    int maxargs;
    va_list args;
 
-    rp = malloc(MAXPATHLEN);
+    rp = malloc(FILENAME_MAX);
     if (!rp) {
 	warnx("vpipe can't alloc buffer space");
 	return NULL;
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ vpipe(const char *fmt, ...)
 	warnx("popen() failed");
 	return NULL;
     }
-    get_string(rp, MAXPATHLEN, fp);
+    get_string(rp, FILENAME_MAX, fp);
 #ifdef DEBUG
     fprintf(stderr, "Returned %s\n", rp);
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/file.c b/lib/file.c
index 2442400..9032711 100644
--- a/lib/file.c
+++ b/lib/file.c
@@ -31,10 +31,13 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD: src/usr.sbin/pkg_install/lib/file.c,v 1.68 2004/07/28 16:03:
 Boolean
 fexists(const char *fname)
 {
-    struct stat dummy;
-    if (!lstat(fname, &dummy))
-	return TRUE;
-    return FALSE;
+    int fd;
+
+    if ((fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY)) == -1)
+	return FALSE;
+
+    close(fd);
+    return TRUE;
 }
 
 /* Quick check to see if something is a directory or symlink to a directory */
@@ -279,17 +282,23 @@ copy_file(const char *dir, const char *fname, const char *to)
 }
 
 void
-move_file(const char *dir, const char *fname, const char *to)
+move_file(const char *dir, const char *fname, const char *tdir)
 {
-    char cmd[FILENAME_MAX];
+    char from[FILENAME_MAX];
+    char to[FILENAME_MAX];
 
     if (fname[0] == '/')
-	snprintf(cmd, FILENAME_MAX, "/bin/mv %s %s", fname, to);
+	strncpy(from, fname, FILENAME_MAX);
     else
-	snprintf(cmd, FILENAME_MAX, "/bin/mv %s/%s %s", dir, fname, to);
-    if (vsystem(cmd)) {
-	cleanup(0);
-	errx(2, "%s: could not perform '%s'", __func__, cmd);
+	snprintf(from, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/%s", dir, fname);
+
+    snprintf(to, FILENAME_MAX, "%s/%s", tdir, fname);
+
+    if (rename(from, to) == -1) {
+        if (vsystem("/bin/mv %s %s", from, to)) {
+	    cleanup(0);
+	    errx(2, "%s: could not move '%s' to '%s'", __func__, from, to);
+	}
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/lib.h b/lib/lib.h
index ebd032c..c76d337 100644
--- a/lib/lib.h
+++ b/lib/lib.h
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@
 #define YES		2
 #define NO		1
 
+/* Some more stat macros. */
+#define S_IRALL		0000444
+#define S_IWALL		0000222
+#define S_IXALL		0000111
+
 /* Usually "rm", but often "echo" during debugging! */
 #define REMOVE_CMD	"/bin/rm"
 
diff --git a/updating/main.c b/updating/main.c
index e5e649b..a91e1d1 100644
--- a/updating/main.c
+++ b/updating/main.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	char originline[LINE_MAX];				/* Line of +CONTENTS */
 	/* Temporary variable to create path to +CONTENTS for installed ports. */
-	char tmp_file[MAXPATHLEN];
+	char tmp_file[FILENAME_MAX];
 	char updatingline[LINE_MAX];			/* Line of UPDATING */
 
 	int ch;									/* Char used by getopt */