--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/controller/building.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/controller/building.py
@@ -992,19 +992,18 @@ class BuildDriver(MozbuildObject):
         target is used.
         """
         warnings_path = self._get_state_filename('warnings.json')
         monitor = self._spawn(BuildMonitor)
         monitor.init(warnings_path)
         ccache_start = monitor.ccache_stats()
         footer = BuildProgressFooter(self.log_manager.terminal, monitor)
 
-        # Disable indexing in objdir because it is not necessary and can slow
-        # down builds.
-        mkdir(self.topobjdir, not_indexed=True)
+        if self._prepare_objdir():
+            return 1
 
         with BuildOutputManager(self.log_manager, monitor, footer) as output:
             monitor.start()
 
             if directory is not None and not what:
                 print('Can only use -C/--directory with an explicit target '
                     'name.')
                 return 1
@@ -1269,19 +1268,18 @@ class BuildDriver(MozbuildObject):
                 # Ignore Exceptions in case we can't find config.status (such
                 # as when doing OSX Universal builds)
                 pass
 
         return status
 
     def configure(self, options=None, buildstatus_messages=False,
                   line_handler=None):
-        # Disable indexing in objdir because it is not necessary and can slow
-        # down builds.
-        mkdir(self.topobjdir, not_indexed=True)
+        if self._prepare_objdir():
+            return 1
 
         def on_line(line):
             self.log(logging.INFO, 'build_output', {'line': line}, '{line}')
 
         line_handler = line_handler or on_line
 
         options = ' '.join(shell_quote(o) for o in options or ())
         append_env = {b'CONFIGURE_ARGS': options.encode('utf-8')}
@@ -1312,27 +1310,30 @@ class BuildDriver(MozbuildObject):
             # If we don't actually have a list of tests to install we install
             # test and support files wholesale.
             self._run_make(target='install-test-files', pass_thru=True,
                            print_directory=False)
         else:
             install_test_files(mozpath.normpath(self.topsrcdir), self.topobjdir,
                                '_tests', test_objs)
 
-    def _run_client_mk(self, target=None, line_handler=None, jobs=0,
-                       verbose=None, keep_going=False, append_env=None):
-        append_env = dict(append_env or {})
-        append_env['TOPSRCDIR'] = self.topsrcdir
+    def _prepare_objdir(self):
+        """Prepare the objdir for performing a build.
 
-        append_env['CONFIG_GUESS'] = self.resolve_config_guess()
-
+        This essentially puts things into place that allow us to invoke
+        client.mk.
+        """
         mozconfig = self.mozconfig
 
         if self._check_clobber(mozconfig, os.environ):
-            return 1
+            return True
+
+        # Disable indexing in objdir because it is not necessary and can slow
+        # down builds.
+        mkdir(self.topobjdir, not_indexed=True)
 
         mozconfig_make_lines = []
         for arg in mozconfig['make_extra'] or []:
             mozconfig_make_lines.append(arg)
 
         if mozconfig['make_flags']:
             mozconfig_make_lines.append(b'MOZ_MAKE_FLAGS=%s' %
                                         b' '.join(mozconfig['make_flags']))
@@ -1380,16 +1381,21 @@ class BuildDriver(MozbuildObject):
                     raise
 
         if mozconfig_make_lines:
             self.log(logging.WARNING, 'mozconfig_content', {
                 'path': mozconfig['path'],
                 'content': '\n    '.join(mozconfig_make_lines),
             }, 'Adding make options from {path}\n    {content}')
 
+    def _run_client_mk(self, target=None, line_handler=None, jobs=0,
+                       verbose=None, keep_going=False, append_env=None):
+        append_env = dict(append_env or {})
+        append_env['TOPSRCDIR'] = self.topsrcdir
+        append_env['CONFIG_GUESS'] = self.resolve_config_guess()
         append_env['OBJDIR'] = mozpath.normsep(self.topobjdir)
 
         return self._run_make(srcdir=True,
                               filename='client.mk',
                               allow_parallel=False,
                               ensure_exit_code=False,
                               print_directory=False,
                               target=target,