diff --git a/core/cli/autoloads.el b/core/cli/autoloads.el
index c9add4dca..155757330 100644
--- a/core/cli/autoloads.el
+++ b/core/cli/autoloads.el
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ This should be run whenever your `doom!' block or update your packages."
   (print-group!
    (if (and (not force-p)
             (file-exists-p doom-package-autoload-file)
-            (not (file-newer-than-file-p doom-elpa-dir doom-package-autoload-file))
+            (not (file-newer-than-file-p package-user-dir doom-package-autoload-file))
             (not (cl-loop for dir in (straight--directory-files (straight--build-dir))
                           if (cl-find-if
                               (lambda (dir)
diff --git a/core/cli/packages.el b/core/cli/packages.el
index c9f8e8e55..2b2faf15d 100644
--- a/core/cli/packages.el
+++ b/core/cli/packages.el
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ a list of packages that will be updated."
     (package-initialize))
   (let ((packages (cl-loop for (package desc) in package-alist
                            for dir = (package-desc-dir desc)
-                           if (file-in-directory-p dir doom-elpa-dir)
+                           if (file-in-directory-p dir package-user-dir)
                            collect (cons package dir))))
     (if (not package-alist)
         (progn (print! (info "No ELPA packages to purge"))
diff --git a/core/core-packages.el b/core/core-packages.el
index 8c96430ff..ae8283283 100644
--- a/core/core-packages.el
+++ b/core/core-packages.el
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ missing) and shouldn't be deleted.")
 ;; shouldn't be using it, but it may be convenient for quick package testing.
 (setq package--init-file-ensured t
       package-enable-at-startup nil
-      package-user-dir doom-elpa-dir
-      package-gnupghome-dir (expand-file-name "gpg" doom-elpa-dir)
+      package-user-dir (concat doom-local-dir "elpa/")
+      package-gnupghome-dir (expand-file-name "gpg" package-user-dir)
       ;; I omit Marmalade because its packages are manually submitted rather
       ;; than pulled, so packages are often out of date with upstream.
       package-archives
diff --git a/core/core.el b/core/core.el
index b488e48a1..7bbfae875 100644
--- a/core/core.el
+++ b/core/core.el
@@ -61,9 +61,6 @@ dependencies or long-term shared data. Must end with a slash.")
 
 Use this for files that change often, like cache files. Must end with a slash.")
 
-(defvar doom-elpa-dir (concat doom-local-dir "elpa/")
-  "Where package.el plugins (and their caches) are stored. Must end with a slash.")
-
 (defvar doom-docs-dir (concat doom-emacs-dir "docs/")
   "Where Doom's documentation files are stored. Must end with a slash.")
 
@@ -517,8 +514,7 @@ to least)."
         ;; Create all our core directories to quell file errors
         (dolist (dir (list doom-local-dir
                            doom-etc-dir
-                           doom-cache-dir
-                           doom-elpa-dir))
+                           doom-cache-dir))
           (unless (file-directory-p dir)
             (make-directory dir 'parents)))