diff --git a/noun/manage.c b/noun/manage.c
index 66dc00e94f..88bcb30705 100644
--- a/noun/manage.c
+++ b/noun/manage.c
@@ -1496,6 +1496,50 @@ _cm_init(c3_o chk_o)
   }
 }
 
+/* _boot_home(): create ship directory. */
+static void
+_boot_home(c3_c *dir_c, c3_c *pil_c)
+{
+  c3_c    ful_c[2048];
+
+  /* Create subdirectories. */
+  {
+    mkdir(dir_c, 0700);
+
+    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "%s/.urb", dir_c);
+    mkdir(ful_c, 0700);
+
+    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "%s/.urb/get", dir_c);
+    if ( 0 != mkdir(ful_c, 0700) ) {
+      perror(ful_c);
+      exit(1);
+    }
+
+    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "%s/.urb/put", dir_c);
+    if ( 0 != mkdir(ful_c, 0700) ) {
+      perror(ful_c);
+      exit(1);
+    }
+
+    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "%s/.urb/sis", dir_c);
+    if ( 0 != mkdir(ful_c, 0700) ) {
+      perror(ful_c);
+      exit(1);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /* Copy urbit.pill. */
+  {
+    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "cp %s %s/.urb/urbit.pill",
+                    pil_c, dir_c);
+    printf("%s\r\n", ful_c);
+    if ( 0 != system(ful_c) ) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "could not %s\n", ful_c);
+      exit(1);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 /* u3m_boot(): start the u3 system.
 */
 void
@@ -1524,8 +1568,14 @@ u3m_boot(c3_o nuu_o, c3_o bug_o, c3_c* dir_c, c3_c *pil_c)
   /* Install or reactivate the kernel.
   */
   if ( _(nuu_o) ) {
-    printf("boot: loading %s\r\n", pil_c);
-    u3v_make(pil_c);
+    c3_c ful_c[2048];
+
+    _boot_home(dir_c, pil_c);
+
+    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "%s/.urb/urbit.pill", dir_c);
+
+    printf("boot: loading %s\r\n", ful_c);
+    u3v_make(ful_c);
 
     u3v_jack();
   }
diff --git a/vere/sist.c b/vere/sist.c
index e18ec1e8d8..86a6affe9b 100644
--- a/vere/sist.c
+++ b/vere/sist.c
@@ -274,52 +274,11 @@ _sist_sing(u3_noun ovo)
 }
 
 
-/* _sist_home(): create ship directory.
+/* _sist_home(): remains of "create ship directory" after refactor to u3m_boot().
 */
 static void
 _sist_home()
 {
-  c3_c    ful_c[2048];
-
-  //  Create subdirectories.
-  //
-  {
-    mkdir(u3_Host.dir_c, 0700);
-
-    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "%s/.urb", u3_Host.dir_c);
-    mkdir(ful_c, 0700);
-
-    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "%s/.urb/get", u3_Host.dir_c);
-    if ( 0 != mkdir(ful_c, 0700) ) {
-      perror(ful_c);
-      u3_lo_bail();
-    }
-
-    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "%s/.urb/put", u3_Host.dir_c);
-    if ( 0 != mkdir(ful_c, 0700) ) {
-      perror(ful_c);
-      u3_lo_bail();
-    }
-
-    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "%s/.urb/sis", u3_Host.dir_c);
-    if ( 0 != mkdir(ful_c, 0700) ) {
-      perror(ful_c);
-      u3_lo_bail();
-    }
-  }
-
-  //  Copy urbit.pill.
-  //
-  {
-    snprintf(ful_c, 2048, "cp %s %s/.urb",
-                    u3_Host.ops_u.pil_c, u3_Host.dir_c);
-    printf("%s\r\n", ful_c);
-    if ( 0 != system(ful_c) ) {
-      uL(fprintf(uH, "could not %s\n", ful_c));
-      u3_lo_bail();
-    }
-  }
-
 #if 1
   //  Copy zod files, if we're generating a carrier.
   //