diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 021883b5f4..a1461159f6 100755
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ AddOption('--with-systemc-tests', action='store_true',
           help='Build systemc tests')
 
 from gem5_scons import Transform, error, warning, summarize_warnings
-from gem5_scons import TempFileSpawn, parse_build_path
+from gem5_scons import TempFileSpawn, parse_build_path, EnvDefaults
 import gem5_scons
 
 ########################################################################
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ import gem5_scons
 #
 ########################################################################
 
-main = Environment(tools=['default', 'git', TempFileSpawn])
+main = Environment(tools=['default', 'git', TempFileSpawn, EnvDefaults])
 
 main.Tool(SCons.Tool.FindTool(['gcc', 'clang'], main))
 main.Tool(SCons.Tool.FindTool(['g++', 'clang++'], main))
diff --git a/site_scons/gem5_scons/__init__.py b/site_scons/gem5_scons/__init__.py
index 6b167af985..ae407fb5bd 100644
--- a/site_scons/gem5_scons/__init__.py
+++ b/site_scons/gem5_scons/__init__.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import textwrap
 
 from gem5_scons.util import get_termcap
 from gem5_scons.configure import Configure
+from gem5_scons.defaults import EnvDefaults
 import SCons.Script
 
 termcap = get_termcap()
@@ -237,4 +238,7 @@ def parse_build_path(target):
 
     return os.path.join('/', *path_dirs), variant_dir
 
-__all__ = ['Configure', 'Transform', 'warning', 'error', 'parse_build_dir']
+__all__ = [
+        'Configure', 'EnvDefaults', 'Transform', 'warning', 'error',
+        'parse_build_dir'
+]
diff --git a/site_scons/site_tools/default.py b/site_scons/gem5_scons/defaults.py
similarity index 95%
rename from site_scons/site_tools/default.py
rename to site_scons/gem5_scons/defaults.py
index 305a2a27f2..e59b40f0e5 100644
--- a/site_scons/site_tools/default.py
+++ b/site_scons/gem5_scons/defaults.py
@@ -39,14 +39,10 @@
 # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 import os
-import sys
-
-import SCons.Tool
-import SCons.Tool.default
 
 from gem5_python_paths import extra_python_paths
 
-def common_config(env):
+def EnvDefaults(env):
     # export TERM so that clang reports errors in color
     use_vars = set([ 'AS', 'AR', 'CC', 'CXX', 'HOME', 'LD_LIBRARY_PATH',
                      'LIBRARY_PATH', 'PATH', 'PKG_CONFIG_PATH', 'PROTOC',
@@ -75,10 +71,3 @@ def common_config(env):
     # add useful python code PYTHONPATH so it can be used by subprocesses
     # as well
     env.AppendENVPath('PYTHONPATH', extra_python_paths)
-
-def generate(env):
-    common_config(env)
-    SCons.Tool.default.generate(env)
-
-def exists(env):
-    return 1