diff --git a/fs/common.mk b/fs/common.mk
index 20e8446131..224ea5ab69 100644
--- a/fs/common.mk
+++ b/fs/common.mk
@@ -42,6 +42,19 @@ endif
 
 ROOTFS_COMMON_TAR = $(FS_DIR)/rootfs.common.tar
 
+# Command to create the common tarball from the base target directory.
+define ROOTFS_COMMON_TAR_CMD
+	tar cf $(ROOTFS_COMMON_TAR) --numeric-owner \
+		--exclude=$(notdir $(TARGET_DIR_WARNING_FILE)) \
+		-C $(TARGET_DIR) .
+endef
+
+# Command to extract the common tarball into the per-rootfs target directory
+define ROOTFS_COMMON_UNTAR_CMD
+	mkdir -p $(TARGET_DIR)
+	tar xf $(ROOTFS_COMMON_TAR) -C $(TARGET_DIR)
+endef
+
 .PHONY: rootfs-common
 rootfs-common: $(ROOTFS_COMMON_TAR)
 
@@ -49,11 +62,39 @@ ROOTFS_COMMON_DEPENDENCIES = \
 	host-fakeroot host-makedevs \
 	$(if $(PACKAGES_USERS)$(ROOTFS_USERS_TABLES),host-mkpasswd)
 
-.PHONY: $(ROOTFS_COMMON_TAR)
 # When doing the common tarball, we're not really doing a rootfs.
 $(ROOTFS_COMMON_TAR): ROOTFS=
+$(ROOTFS_COMMON_TAR): FAKEROOT_SCRIPT=$(FS_DIR)/fakeroot.fs
 $(ROOTFS_COMMON_TAR): $(ROOTFS_COMMON_DEPENDENCIES) target-finalize
-	@:
+	@$(call MESSAGE,"Generating common rootfs tarball")
+	rm -rf $(FS_DIR)
+	mkdir -p $(FS_DIR)
+	echo '#!/bin/sh' > $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
+	echo "set -e" >> $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
+	echo "chown -h -R 0:0 $(TARGET_DIR)" >> $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
+ifneq ($(ROOTFS_USERS_TABLES),)
+	cat $(ROOTFS_USERS_TABLES) >> $(USERS_TABLE)
+endif
+	$(call PRINTF,$(PACKAGES_USERS)) >> $(USERS_TABLE)
+	PATH=$(BR_PATH) $(TOPDIR)/support/scripts/mkusers $(USERS_TABLE) $(TARGET_DIR) >> $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
+ifneq ($(ROOTFS_DEVICE_TABLES),)
+	cat $(ROOTFS_DEVICE_TABLES) > $(FULL_DEVICE_TABLE)
+ifeq ($(BR2_ROOTFS_DEVICE_CREATION_STATIC),y)
+	$(call PRINTF,$(PACKAGES_DEVICES_TABLE)) >> $(FULL_DEVICE_TABLE)
+endif
+endif
+	$(call PRINTF,$(PACKAGES_PERMISSIONS_TABLE)) >> $(FULL_DEVICE_TABLE)
+	echo "$(HOST_DIR)/bin/makedevs -d $(FULL_DEVICE_TABLE) $(TARGET_DIR)" >> $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
+	$(foreach s,$(call qstrip,$(BR2_ROOTFS_POST_FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)),\
+		echo "echo '$(TERM_BOLD)>>>   Executing fakeroot script $(s)$(TERM_RESET)'" >> $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT); \
+		echo $(EXTRA_ENV) $(s) $(TARGET_DIR) $(BR2_ROOTFS_POST_SCRIPT_ARGS) >> $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)$(sep))
+	$(foreach hook,$(ROOTFS_PRE_CMD_HOOKS),\
+		$(call PRINTF,$($(hook))) >> $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)$(sep))
+	$(call PRINTF,$(ROOTFS_COMMON_TAR_CMD)) >> $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
+	$(foreach hook,$(ROOTFS_POST_CMD_HOOKS),\
+		$(call PRINTF,$($(hook))) >> $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)$(sep))
+	chmod a+x $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
+	PATH=$(BR_PATH) $(HOST_DIR)/bin/fakeroot -- $(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
 
 rootfs-common-show-depends:
 	@echo $(ROOTFS_COMMON_DEPENDENCIES)
@@ -63,7 +104,7 @@ rootfs-common-show-depends:
 define inner-rootfs
 
 ROOTFS_$(2)_DIR = $$(FS_DIR)/$(1)
-ROOTFS_$(2)_TARGET_DIR = $$(BASE_TARGET_DIR)
+ROOTFS_$(2)_TARGET_DIR = $$(ROOTFS_$(2)_DIR)/target
 
 ROOTFS_$(2)_DEPENDENCIES += rootfs-common
 
@@ -100,39 +141,17 @@ $$(BINARIES_DIR)/rootfs.$(1): ROOTFS=$(2)
 $$(BINARIES_DIR)/rootfs.$(1): FAKEROOT_SCRIPT=$$(ROOTFS_$(2)_DIR)/fakeroot
 $$(BINARIES_DIR)/rootfs.$(1): $$(ROOTFS_$(2)_DEPENDENCIES)
 	@$$(call MESSAGE,"Generating root filesystem image rootfs.$(1)")
-	rm -rf $(FS_DIR) $$(ROOTFS_$(2)_DIR)
-	mkdir -p $(FS_DIR) $$(ROOTFS_$(2)_DIR)
+	rm -rf $$(ROOTFS_$(2)_DIR)
+	mkdir -p $$(ROOTFS_$(2)_DIR)
 	echo '#!/bin/sh' > $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
 	echo "set -e" >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
+	$$(call PRINTF,$$(ROOTFS_COMMON_UNTAR_CMD)) >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
 	$$(foreach hook,$$(ROOTFS_$(2)_PRE_GEN_HOOKS),\
 		$$(call PRINTF,$$($$(hook))) >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)$$(sep))
-	echo "chown -h -R 0:0 $$(TARGET_DIR)" >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
-ifneq ($$(ROOTFS_USERS_TABLES),)
-	cat $$(ROOTFS_USERS_TABLES) >> $$(USERS_TABLE)
-endif
-	$$(call PRINTF,$$(PACKAGES_USERS)) >> $$(USERS_TABLE)
-	PATH=$$(BR_PATH) $$(TOPDIR)/support/scripts/mkusers $$(USERS_TABLE) $$(TARGET_DIR) >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
-ifneq ($$(ROOTFS_DEVICE_TABLES),)
-	cat $$(ROOTFS_DEVICE_TABLES) > $$(FULL_DEVICE_TABLE)
-ifeq ($$(BR2_ROOTFS_DEVICE_CREATION_STATIC),y)
-	$$(call PRINTF,$$(PACKAGES_DEVICES_TABLE)) >> $$(FULL_DEVICE_TABLE)
-endif
-endif
-	$$(call PRINTF,$$(PACKAGES_PERMISSIONS_TABLE)) >> $$(FULL_DEVICE_TABLE)
-	echo "$$(HOST_DIR)/bin/makedevs -d $$(FULL_DEVICE_TABLE) $$(TARGET_DIR)" >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
-	$$(foreach s,$$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_ROOTFS_POST_FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)),\
-		echo "echo '$$(TERM_BOLD)>>>   Executing fakeroot script $$(s)$$(TERM_RESET)'" >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT); \
-		echo $$(EXTRA_ENV) $$(s) $$(TARGET_DIR) $$(BR2_ROOTFS_POST_SCRIPT_ARGS) >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)$$(sep))
-	$$(foreach hook,$$(ROOTFS_PRE_CMD_HOOKS),\
-		$$(call PRINTF,$$($$(hook))) >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)$$(sep))
 	$$(call PRINTF,$$(ROOTFS_REPRODUCIBLE)) >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
 	$$(call PRINTF,$$(ROOTFS_$(2)_CMD)) >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
-	$$(foreach hook,$$(ROOTFS_POST_CMD_HOOKS),\
-		$$(call PRINTF,$$($$(hook))) >> $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)$$(sep))
 	chmod a+x $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
-	rm -f $$(TARGET_DIR_WARNING_FILE)
 	PATH=$$(BR_PATH) $$(HOST_DIR)/bin/fakeroot -- $$(FAKEROOT_SCRIPT)
-	$$(INSTALL) -m 0644 support/misc/target-dir-warning.txt $$(TARGET_DIR_WARNING_FILE)
 ifneq ($$(ROOTFS_$(2)_COMPRESS_CMD),)
 	PATH=$$(BR_PATH) $$(ROOTFS_$(2)_COMPRESS_CMD) $$@ > $$@$$(ROOTFS_$(2)_COMPRESS_EXT)
 endif