diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index 1ab82f27..09b81f97 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -69,21 +69,16 @@ def isolateAllTests(tests: Seq[TestDefinition]) = tests map { test =>
 // Subproject definitions begin
 //
 // NB: FIRRTL should not be a managed dependency of chisel or rocketchip.
-// Instead, they will get firrtl from the JAR file placed in /lib
+// Instead, they will get firrtl from the JAR file placed in lib/
 lazy val chisel  = (project in rocketChipDir / "chisel3")
 
-lazy val firrtl = (project in file("tools/firrtl"))
-  .settings(commonSettings)
-
 lazy val firrtl_interpreter = (project in file("tools/firrtl-interpreter"))
-  .dependsOn(firrtl)
   .settings(commonSettings)
 
-lazy val treadle = freshProject("treadle", file("tools/treadle"))
-  .dependsOn(firrtl)
+lazy val treadle = (project in file("tools/treadle"))
   .settings(commonSettings)
 
-lazy val `chisel-testers` = freshProject("chisel-testers", file("./tools/chisel-testers"))
+lazy val `chisel-testers` = freshProject("chisel-testers", file("tools/chisel-testers"))
   .dependsOn(treadle, firrtl_interpreter, chisel)
   .settings(
       commonSettings,