diff --git a/development/scons/SConstruct b/development/scons/SConstruct
index 8147cee419..3ab01eee82 100644
--- a/development/scons/SConstruct
+++ b/development/scons/SConstruct
@@ -336,19 +336,7 @@ if platform_name == 'win32':
 else:
     use_vc = False
 
-# lyx will be built to $build/build_dir so it is possible
-# to build multiple build_dirs using the same source
-# $mode can be debug or release
 if env.has_key('build_dir') and env['build_dir'] is not None:
-    # create the directory if needed
-    if not os.path.isdir(env['build_dir']):
-        try:
-            os.makedirs(env['build_dir'])
-        except:
-            pass
-        if not os.path.isdir(env['build_dir']):
-            print 'Can not create directory', env['build_dir']
-            Exit(3)
     env['BUILDDIR'] = env['build_dir']
 else:
     # Determine the name of the build $mode
@@ -753,7 +741,7 @@ print "Creating %s..." % boost_config_h
 #
 utils.createConfigFile(conf,
     config_file = boost_config_h,
-    config_pre = '''/* boost/config.h.  Generated by SCons.  */
+    config_pre = r'''/* boost/config.h.  Generated by SCons.  */
 
 /* -*- C++ -*- */
 /*
@@ -915,7 +903,7 @@ Frontend:
 # create config.h
 result = utils.createConfigFile(conf,
     config_file = config_h,
-    config_pre = '''/* config.h.  Generated by SCons.  */
+    config_pre = r'''/* config.h.  Generated by SCons.  */
 
 /* -*- C++ -*- */
 /*
@@ -1115,7 +1103,7 @@ if env['nls'] and included_gettext:
     # create intl/config.h
     result = utils.createConfigFile(conf,
         config_file = intl_config_h,
-        config_pre = '''/* intl/config.h.  Generated by SCons.  */
+        config_pre = r'''/* intl/config.h.  Generated by SCons.  */
 
 /* -*- C++ -*- */
 /*
@@ -1129,8 +1117,8 @@ if env['nls'] and included_gettext:
 * during the compilation.
 */
 
-#ifndef _CONFIG_H
-#define _CONFIG_H
+#ifndef _INTL_CONFIG_H
+#define _INTL_CONFIG_H
 ''',
         headers = [
             ('unistd.h', 'HAVE_UNISTD_H', 'c'),