diff --git a/Shorewall-core/install.sh b/Shorewall-core/install.sh
index 44a30273a..1fe40556a 100755
--- a/Shorewall-core/install.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-core/install.sh
@@ -276,40 +276,26 @@ echo "Installing $Product Version $VERSION"
 #
 # Create directories
 #
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/shorewall
-chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/shorewall
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/shorewall 0755
 
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/shorewall
-chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/shorewall
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/shorewall 0755
 
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}
-chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR} 0755
 
-if [ -n "${SYSCONFDIR}" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}
-    chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}
-fi
+[ -n "${SYSCONFDIR}" ] && make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR} 0755
 
 if [ -z "${SERVICEDIR}" ]; then
     SERVICEDIR="$SYSTEMD"
 fi
 
-if [ -n "${SERVICEDIR}" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}
-    chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}
-fi
+[ -n "${SERVICEDIR}" ] && make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR} 0755
 
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR}
-chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR}
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR} 0755
 
-if [ -n "${MANDIR}" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}
-    chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}
-fi
+[ -n "${MANDIR}" ] && make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR} 0755
 
 if [ -n "${INITFILE}" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR}
-    chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR}
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR} 0755
 
     if [ -n "$AUXINITSOURCE" -a -f "$AUXINITSOURCE" ]; then
 	install_file $AUXINITSOURCE ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR}/$AUXINITFILE 0544
@@ -360,7 +346,7 @@ fi
 if [ -n "$MANDIR" ]; then
     cd manpages
 
-    [ -n "$INSTALLD" ] || mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man8/
+    [ -n "$INSTALLD" ] || make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man8 0755
 
     for f in *.8; do
 	gzip -9c $f > $f.gz
diff --git a/Shorewall-init/install.sh b/Shorewall-init/install.sh
index 24b33b44b..8cbfcb31a 100755
--- a/Shorewall-init/install.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-init/install.sh
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ if [ -n "$DESTDIR" ]; then
 	OWNERSHIP=""
     fi
     
-    make_directory ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR} 0755
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR} 0755
 fi
 
 echo "Installing $Product Version $VERSION"
@@ -284,16 +284,13 @@ else
     first_install="Yes"
 fi
 
-if [ -n "$DESTDIR" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/logrotate.d
-    chmod 0755 ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/logrotate.d
-fi
+[ -n "$DESTDIR" ] && make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/logrotate.d 0755
 
 #
 # Install the Firewall Script
 #
 if [ -n "$INITFILE" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR}
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR} 0755
     install_file $INITSOURCE ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR}/$INITFILE 0544
     [ "${SHAREDIR}" = /usr/share ] || eval sed -i \'s\|/usr/share/\|${SHAREDIR}/\|\' ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR}/$INITFILE
     
@@ -312,15 +309,12 @@ if [ -z "${SERVICEDIR}" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ -n "$SERVICEDIR" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR} 0755
     [ -z "$SERVICEFILE" ] && SERVICEFILE=$PRODUCT.service
     install_file $SERVICEFILE ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}/$PRODUCT.service 0644
     [ ${SBINDIR} != /sbin ] && eval sed -i \'s\|/sbin/\|${SBINDIR}/\|\' ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}/$PRODUCT.service
     echo "Service file $SERVICEFILE installed as ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}/$PRODUCT.service"
-    if [ -n "$DESTDIR" -o $configure -eq 0 ]; then
-	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR}
-        chmod 0755 ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR}
-    fi
+    [ -n "$DESTDIR" -o $configure -eq 0 ] && make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR} 0755
     install_file $PRODUCT ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT 0700
     [ "${SHAREDIR}" = /usr/share ] || eval sed -i \'s\|/usr/share/\|${SHAREDIR}/\|\' ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT
     echo "CLI installed as ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR}/$PRODUCT"
@@ -329,8 +323,7 @@ fi
 #
 # Create /usr/share/shorewall-init if needed
 #
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT
-chmod 0755 ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT 0755
 
 #
 # Install logrotate file
@@ -356,21 +349,19 @@ fi
 
 if [ $HOST = debian ]; then
     if [ -n "${DESTDIR}" ]; then
-	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/network/if-up.d/
-	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/network/if-down.d/
-	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/network/if-post-down.d/
+	make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/network/if-up.d 0755
+	make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/network/if-down.d 0755
+	make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/network/if-post-down.d 0755
     elif [ $configure -eq 0 ]; then
-	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/network/if-up.d/
-	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/network/if-down.d/
-	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/network/if-post-down.d/
+	make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/network/if-up.d 0755
+	make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/network/if-down.d 0755
+	make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/network/if-post-down.d 0755
     fi
 
     if [ ! -f ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/default/$PRODUCT ]; then
-	if [ -n "${DESTDIR}" ]; then
-	    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/default
-	fi
+	[ -n "${DESTDIR}" ] && make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/default 0755
 
-	[ $configure -eq 1 ] || mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/default
+	[ $configure -eq 1 ] || make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/default 0755
 	install_file sysconfig ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/default/$PRODUCT 0644
 	echo "sysconfig file installed in ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/${PRODUCT}"
     fi
@@ -378,12 +369,12 @@ if [ $HOST = debian ]; then
     IFUPDOWN=ifupdown.debian.sh
 else
     if [ -n "$DESTDIR" ]; then
-	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}
+	make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR} 0755
 
 	if [ -z "$RPM" ]; then
 	    if [ $HOST = suse ]; then
-		mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/sysconfig/network/if-up.d
-		mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/sysconfig/network/if-down.d
+		make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/sysconfig/network/if-up.d 0755
+		make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/sysconfig/network/if-down.d 0755
 	    elif [ $HOST = gentoo ]; then
 		# Gentoo does not support if-{up,down}.d
 		/bin/true
@@ -391,7 +382,7 @@ else
 		# Not implemented on openwrt
 		/bin/true
 	    else
-		mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}/${ETC}/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d
+		make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}/${ETC}/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d 0755
 	    fi
 	fi
     fi
@@ -413,13 +404,13 @@ if [ $HOST != openwrt ]; then
 
     [ "${SHAREDIR}" = /usr/share ] || eval sed -i \'s\|/usr/share/\|${SHAREDIR}/\|\' ifupdown
 
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/$PRODUCT
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/$PRODUCT 0755
 
     install_file ifupdown ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/$PRODUCT/ifupdown 0544
 fi
 
 if [ -d ${DESTDIR}/etc/NetworkManager ]; then
-    [ $configure -eq 1 ] || mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/
+    [ $configure -eq 1 ] || make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d 0755
     install_file ifupdown ${DESTDIR}${ETC}/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/01-shorewall 0544
 fi
 
@@ -438,8 +429,8 @@ case $HOST in
     suse)
 	if [ -z "$RPM" ]; then
 	    if [ $configure -eq 0 ]; then
-		mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/network/if-up.d/
-		mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/network/if-down.d/
+		make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/network/if-up.d 0755
+		make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/network/if-down.d 0755
 	    fi
 
 	    install_file ifupdown ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/network/if-up.d/shorewall 0544
@@ -542,7 +533,7 @@ else
     if [ $configure -eq 1 -a -n "$first_install" ]; then
 	if [ $HOST = debian -a -z "$SERVICEDIR" ]; then
 	    if [ -n "${DESTDIR}" ]; then
-		mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}/etc/rcS.d
+		make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}/etc/rcS.d 0755
 	    fi
 
 	    ln -sf ../init.d/$PRODUCT ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/rcS.d/S38${PRODUCT}
@@ -557,7 +548,7 @@ if [ -d ${DESTDIR}/etc/ppp ]; then
     case $HOST in
 	debian|suse)
 	    for directory in ip-up.d ip-down.d ipv6-up.d ipv6-down.d; do
-		mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}/etc/ppp/$directory #SuSE doesn't create the IPv6 directories
+		make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}/etc/ppp/$directory 0755 #SuSE doesn't create the IPv6 directories
 		cp -fp ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/$PRODUCT/ifupdown ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/ppp/$directory/shorewall
 	    done
 	    ;;
diff --git a/Shorewall-lite/install.sh b/Shorewall-lite/install.sh
index 293db7e85..9790b37e4 100755
--- a/Shorewall-lite/install.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-lite/install.sh
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ if [ -n "$DESTDIR" ]; then
 	OWNERSHIP=""
     fi
 
-    make_directory ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR} 755
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR} 0755
 
 else
     if [ ! -f ${SHAREDIR}/shorewall/coreversion ]; then
@@ -319,25 +319,20 @@ fi
 
 delete_file ${DESTDIR}/usr/share/$PRODUCT/xmodules
 
-[ -n "${INITFILE}" ] && make_directory ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR} 755
+[ -n "${INITFILE}" ] && make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR} 0755
 
 #
 # Create ${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT, /usr/share/$PRODUCT and /var/lib/$PRODUCT if needed
 #
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/$PRODUCT
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR}
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${VARDIR}
-
-chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT
-chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT 0755
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT 0755
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/$PRODUCT 0755
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR} 0755
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${VARDIR} 0755
 
 if [ -n "$DESTDIR" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/logrotate.d
-    chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/logrotate.d
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR}
-    chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR}
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/logrotate.d 0755
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${INITDIR} 0755
 fi
 
 if [ -n "$INITFILE" ]; then
@@ -358,7 +353,7 @@ if [ -z "${SERVICEDIR}" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ -n "$SERVICEDIR" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR} 0755
     [ -z "$SERVICEFILE" ] && SERVICEFILE=$PRODUCT.service
     install_file $SERVICEFILE ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}/$PRODUCT.service 644
     [ ${SBINDIR} != /sbin ] && eval sed -i \'s\|/sbin/\|${SBINDIR}/\|\' ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}/$PRODUCT.service
@@ -440,7 +435,7 @@ done
 if [ -d manpages -a -n "$MANDIR" ]; then
     cd manpages
 
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man5/
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man5 0755
 
     for f in *.5; do
 	gzip -c $f > $f.gz
@@ -448,7 +443,7 @@ if [ -d manpages -a -n "$MANDIR" ]; then
 	echo "Man page $f.gz installed to ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man5/$f.gz"
     done
 
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man8/
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man8 0755
 
     for f in *.8; do
 	gzip -c $f > $f.gz
@@ -493,10 +488,7 @@ ln -sf shorewall ${DESTDIR}${SBINDIR}/${PRODUCT}
 # Note -- not all packages will have the SYSCONFFILE so we need to check for its existance here
 #
 if [ -n "$SYSCONFFILE" -a -f "$SYSCONFFILE" -a ! -f ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/${PRODUCT} ]; then
-    if [ ${DESTDIR} ]; then
-	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}
-	chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}
-    fi
+    [ ${DESTDIR} ] && make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR} 0755
 
     install_file ${SYSCONFFILE} ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/${PRODUCT} 0640
     echo "$SYSCONFFILE file installed in ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/${PRODUCT}"
diff --git a/Shorewall/install.sh b/Shorewall/install.sh
index 09cff22e4..40dc7fc18 100755
--- a/Shorewall/install.sh
+++ b/Shorewall/install.sh
@@ -367,22 +367,16 @@ fi
 #
 # Create /etc/$PRODUCT and other directories
 #
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/$PRODUCT
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${PERLLIBDIR}/Shorewall
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT/configfiles
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT/deprecated
-mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${VARDIR}
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT 0755
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/$PRODUCT 0755
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${PERLLIBDIR}/Shorewall 0755
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT/configfiles 0755
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT/deprecated 0755
+make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${VARDIR} 0755
 
-chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/$PRODUCT
-chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT
-chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT/configfiles
-chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT/deprecated
+chmod 0755 ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT
 
-if [ -n "$DESTDIR" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/logrotate.d
-    chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/logrotate.d
-fi
+[ -n "$DESTDIR" ] && make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${CONFDIR}/logrotate.d 0755
 
 #
 # Install the .service file
@@ -392,7 +386,7 @@ if [ -z "${SERVICEDIR}" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ -n "$SERVICEDIR" ]; then
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR} 0755
     [ -z "$SERVICEFILE" ] && SERVICEFILE=$PRODUCT.service
     run_install $OWNERSHIP -m 644 $SERVICEFILE ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}/$PRODUCT.service
     [ ${SBINDIR} != /sbin ] && eval sed -i \'s\|/sbin/\|${SBINDIR}/\|\' ${DESTDIR}${SERVICEDIR}/$PRODUCT.service
@@ -1077,8 +1071,7 @@ if [ -d Perl ]; then
     #
     # ${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT/$Product if needed
     #
-    mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT/$Product
-    chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT/$Product
+    make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SHAREDIR}/$PRODUCT/$Product 0755
     #
     # Install the Compiler
     #
@@ -1145,7 +1138,7 @@ if [ -n "$MANDIR" ]; then
 
 cd manpages
 
-[ -n "$INSTALLD" ] || mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man5/
+[ -n "$INSTALLD" ] || make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man5 0755
 
 for f in *.5; do
     gzip -9c $f > $f.gz
@@ -1153,7 +1146,7 @@ for f in *.5; do
     echo "Man page $f.gz installed to ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man5/$f.gz"
 done
 
-[ -n "$INSTALLD" ] || mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man8/
+[ -n "$INSTALLD" ] || make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${MANDIR}/man8 0755
 
 for f in *.8; do
     gzip -9c $f > $f.gz
@@ -1176,8 +1169,7 @@ fi
 #
 if [ -n "$SYSCONFFILE" -a -f "$SYSCONFFILE" -a ! -f ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/${PRODUCT} ]; then
     if [ ${DESTDIR} ]; then
-	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}
-	chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}
+	make_parent_directory ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR} 0755
     fi
 
     run_install $OWNERSHIP -m 0644 ${SYSCONFFILE} ${DESTDIR}${SYSCONFDIR}/$PRODUCT