diff --git a/twisted/scripts/tap2rpm.py b/twisted/scripts/tap2rpm.py
index a3888a7..3f55840 100755
--- a/twisted/scripts/tap2rpm.py
+++ b/twisted/scripts/tap2rpm.py
@@ -167,8 +167,10 @@ type_dict = {
 
 ##########################
 def makeBuildDir(baseDir):
-    '''Set up the temporary directory for building RPMs.
-    Returns: Tuple: ( buildDir, rpmrcFile )
+    '''
+    Set up the temporary directory for building RPMs.
+
+    Returns: buildDir, a randomly-named subdirectory of baseDir.
     '''
     import random, string
 
@@ -189,21 +191,7 @@ def makeBuildDir(baseDir):
     os.makedirs(os.path.join(tmpDir, 'SOURCES'))
     os.makedirs(os.path.join(tmpDir, 'SRPMS'))
 
-    #  set up rpmmacros file
-    macroFile = os.path.join(tmpDir, 'rpmmacros')
-    rcFile = os.path.join(tmpDir, 'rpmrc')
-    rpmrcData = open('/usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc', 'r').read()
-    rpmrcData = string.replace(rpmrcData, '~/.rpmmacros', macroFile)
-    fp = open(macroFile, 'w')
-    fp.write('%%_topdir %s\n' % tmpDir)
-    fp.close()
-
-    #  set up the rpmrc file
-    fp = open(rcFile, 'w')
-    fp.write(rpmrcData)
-    fp.close()
-
-    return(( tmpDir, rcFile ))
+    return tmpDir
 
 
 ##########
@@ -236,7 +224,7 @@ def run(options=None):
         maintainer = 'tap2rpm'
 
     #  create source archive directory
-    tmp_dir, rpmrc_file = makeBuildDir('/var/tmp')
+    tmp_dir = makeBuildDir('/var/tmp')
     source_dir = os.path.join(tmp_dir, directory)
     os.makedirs(source_dir)
 
@@ -257,7 +245,7 @@ def run(options=None):
     print 'Starting build...'
     print '=' * 70
     sys.stdout.flush()
-    os.system('rpmbuild -ta --rcfile "%s" %s' % ( rpmrc_file, tarfile_name ))
+    os.system('rpmbuild --define "_topdir %s" -ta %s' % ( tmp_dir, tarfile_name ))
     print 'Done with build...'
     print '=' * 70