diff --git a/src/bin/lorax b/src/bin/lorax
index e58fb610..abef5db6 100755
--- a/src/bin/lorax
+++ b/src/bin/lorax
@@ -130,5 +130,4 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         sys.stderr.write("Error writing %s/.discinfo file.\n" % (output,))
 
     # clean up
-    trash = [yumconf, treedir, buildinstdir]
-    pylorax.cleanup(trash)
+    pylorax.cleanup()
diff --git a/src/pylorax/__init__.py b/src/pylorax/__init__.py
index 2004e2ea..2c1f3719 100644
--- a/src/pylorax/__init__.py
+++ b/src/pylorax/__init__.py
@@ -201,13 +201,14 @@ def cleanup(trash=[]):
 
     """
 
-    if trash is []:
-        return
+    if trash != []:
+        for item in trash:
+            if os.path.isdir(item):
+               shutil.rmtree(item, ignore_errors=True)
+            else:
+               os.unlink(item)
 
-    for item in trash:
-        if os.path.isdir(item):
-           shutil.rmtree(item, ignore_errors=True)
-        else:
-           os.unlink(item)
+    if os.path.isdir(conf['tmpdir']):
+        shutil.rmtree(conf['tmpdir'], ignore_errors=True)
 
     return