diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f0f435c07aa4e..bf3bbd9c36a7a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,14 +29,18 @@ Fork this repository or create a new branch to work in. Within the new branch,
 ### Step 2: test the recipe
 
 When the recipe
-is ready, you can test it in the docker container with:
+is ready first test it with your local conda installation via
 
-    docker run -t -v `pwd`:/tmp/conda-recipes bioconda/bioconda-builder /bin/build-packages.sh your_package
+    conda build recipes/your_package
+
+Then, you can test it in the docker container with:
+
+    docker run -t -v `pwd`:/tmp/conda-recipes bioconda/bioconda-builder /tmp/conda-recipes --packages your_package
 
 To optionally build for a specific Python version, provide the `CONDA_PY`
 environmental variable. For example, to build specifically for Python 3.4:
 
-    docker run -e CONDA_PY=34 -t -v `pwd`:/tmp/conda-recipes bioconda/bioconda-builder /bin/build-packages.sh your_package
+    docker run -e CONDA_PY=34 -t -v `pwd`:/tmp/conda-recipes bioconda/bioconda-builder /tmp/conda-recipes --packages your_package
 
 To optionally build all packages (if they don't already exist), leave off the
 package name:
diff --git a/scripts/Dockerfile b/scripts/Dockerfile
index 603bffb9a2d13..4e90327a5d3d0 100644
--- a/scripts/Dockerfile
+++ b/scripts/Dockerfile
@@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ RUN conda install -y conda conda-build anaconda-client pyyaml toolz jinja2 nose
 RUN conda config --add channels bioconda
 COPY build-packages.py /bin/build-packages.py
 ENTRYPOINT ["build-packages.py"]
-CMD ["--help"]
+CMD []
diff --git a/scripts/build-packages.py b/scripts/build-packages.py
index e7a127bc82936..3d4028251dd01 100755
--- a/scripts/build-packages.py
+++ b/scripts/build-packages.py
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ def test_recipes():
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     p = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Build bioconda packages")
-    p.add_argument("repository",
+    p.add_argument("--repository",
+                   default="/bioconda-recipes",
                    help="Path to checkout of bioconda recipes repository.")
     p.add_argument("--packages",
                    nargs="+",
diff --git a/scripts/travis.sh b/scripts/travis.sh
index 1d7e207ff6fb6..6fb77d9489d11 100755
--- a/scripts/travis.sh
+++ b/scripts/travis.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 if [[ $TRAVIS_OS_NAME = "linux" ]]
 then
     # run CentOS5 based docker container
-    docker run -e TRAVIS_BRANCH -e TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST -e ANACONDA_TOKEN -e CONDA_PY -e CONDA_NPY -v `pwd`:/tmp/conda-recipes bioconda/bioconda-builder /tmp/conda-recipes
+    docker run -e TRAVIS_BRANCH -e TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST -e ANACONDA_TOKEN -e CONDA_PY -e CONDA_NPY -v `pwd`:/bioconda-recipes bioconda/bioconda-builder
     exit $?
 else
     # install conda
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@ else
     conda config --add channels bioconda
 
     # build packages
-    scripts/build-packages.py .
+    scripts/build-packages.py --repository .
     exit $?
 fi