diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 432ebb5c0..219a15e48 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Ensure emacs always runs from this makefile's PWD
-EMACS = emacs -q --eval "(setq noninteractive 'doom)"
+EMACS = emacs -q --eval "(setq user-emacs-directory default-directory load-prefer-newer t)"
 DOOM  = $(EMACS) --batch -l init.el
 DOOMI = $(subst --batch,,$(DOOM))
 
diff --git a/core/core.el b/core/core.el
index c51e730f7..279391fa2 100644
--- a/core/core.el
+++ b/core/core.el
@@ -9,9 +9,7 @@ line or use --debug-init to enable this.")
 
 ;;
 (defvar doom-emacs-dir
-  (if (eq noninteractive 'doom)
-      default-directory
-    (eval-when-compile (file-truename user-emacs-directory)))
+  (eval-when-compile (file-truename user-emacs-directory))
   "The path to this emacs.d directory.")
 
 (defvar doom-core-dir (concat doom-emacs-dir "core/")
@@ -52,7 +50,6 @@ XDG directory conventions if ~/.config/doom exists.")
 (defconst EMACS26+ (not (version< emacs-version "26")))
 (defconst EMACS27+ (not (version< emacs-version "27")))
 
-(setq user-emacs-directory doom-emacs-dir)
 
 ;;;
 ;; UTF-8 as the default coding system
@@ -71,7 +68,6 @@ XDG directory conventions if ~/.config/doom exists.")
  debug-on-error (and (not noninteractive) doom-debug-mode)
  ffap-machine-p-known 'reject     ; don't ping things that look like domain names
  idle-update-delay 2              ; update ui less often
- load-prefer-newer (or (eq noninteractive 'doom) doom-debug-mode)
  ;; keep the point out of the minibuffer
  minibuffer-prompt-properties '(read-only t point-entered minibuffer-avoid-prompt face minibuffer-prompt)
  ;; History & backup settings (save nothing, that's what git is for)