diff --git a/scripts/populate.in b/scripts/populate.in
index e8a3718a..9bb5afb7 100644
--- a/scripts/populate.in
+++ b/scripts/populate.in
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ CT_SYSROOT_DIR="$(cd "${CT_BIN_DIR}/../@@CT_TARGET@@/sys-root"; pwd)"
 
 myname=$(basename "$0")
 
-# Use the tols discovered by crosstool-NG's ./configure:
+# Use the tools discovered by crosstool-NG's ./configure:
 install="@@CT_install@@"
 grep="@@CT_grep@@"
 sed="@@CT_sed@@"
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ OPTIONS
     -f  force execution: if destination directory already exists, it will be
         removed first; if a specified library (above) was not found, continue.
 
-    -v  Be verbose
+    -v  Be verbose. By default, populate is absolutely silent.
 
 _EOF_
 }
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ CT_ROOT_DST_DIR=
 CT_LIB_LIST=
 CT_LIB_FILE=
 CT_FORCE=no
-CT_ECHO=true
+CT_PRINTF=:
 OPTIND=1
 while getopts ":s:d:l:L:fvh" CT_OPT; do
     case "${CT_OPT}" in
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ while getopts ":s:d:l:L:fvh" CT_OPT; do
         l)  CT_LIB_LIST="${CT_LIB_LIST}:${OPTARG}";;
         L)  CT_LIB_FILE="${OPTARG}";;
         f)  CT_FORCE=y;;
-        v)  CT_ECHO=echo;;
+        v)  CT_PRINTF=printf;;
         h)  doHelp
             exit 0
             ;;
@@ -104,9 +104,9 @@ if [ -d "${CT_ROOT_DST_DIR}" -a "${CT_FORCE}" != "y" ]; then
     echo "$myname: '${CT_ROOT_DST_DIR}': already exists"
     exit 1
 fi
-src_inode=$(ls -di "${CT_ROOT_SRC_DIR}")
-dst_inode=$(ls -di "${CT_ROOT_DST_DIR}" 2>/dev/null)
-if [ "${src_inode}" = "${dst_inode}" ]; then
+src_inode=$(stat -c '%i' "${CT_ROOT_SRC_DIR}/.")
+dst_inode=$(stat -c '%i' "${CT_ROOT_DST_DIR}/." 2>/dev/null || true)
+if [ "${src_inode}" -eq "$((dst_inode+0))" ]; then
     echo "$myname: source and destination are the same!"
     exit 1
 fi
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ CT_ROOT_DST_DIR=$(cd "${CT_ROOT_DST_DIR}"; pwd)
 
 # Populate the destination directory with files form the source directory
 pushd "${CT_ROOT_SRC_DIR}" >/dev/null
-tar cf - . |(cd "${CT_ROOT_DST_DIR}"; tar xf -)
+tar cf - . |tar xf - -C "${CT_ROOT_DST_DIR}"
 popd >/dev/null
 
 # A function do search for a library
@@ -139,18 +139,24 @@ do_add_lib() {
     local libname="$1"
     local true_libname
     local dir
+    local mode
+
     for dir in lib usr/lib; do
-        ${CT_ECHO} -n "    trying in '${dir}'"
+        ${CT_PRINTF} "    trying in '%s'" "${dir}"
         libfile="${CT_SYSROOT_DIR}/${dir}/${libname}"
-        ${CT_ECHO} ": '${libfile}'"
+        ${CT_PRINTF} ": '%s'\n" "${libfile}"
         if [ -e "${libfile}" ]; then
             mkdir -p "${dir}"
             true_libname=$("${CT_READELF}" -d "${libfile}"          \
                            |"${grep}" "Library soname:"             \
                            |"${sed}" -r -e 's,.+\[(.+)\] *$,\1,;'   \
                           )
-            ${CT_ECHO} "      installing as '${dir}/${true_libname}'"
-            "${install}" -m 0644 "${libfile}" "${dir}/${true_libname}"
+            case "${libfile}" in
+                */ld*)  mode=0755;;
+                *)      mode=0644;;
+            esac
+            ${CT_PRINTF} "      installing as '%s/%s', mode='%s'\n" "${dir}" "${true_libname}" "${mode}"
+            "${install}" -m "${mode}" "${libfile}" "${dir}/${true_libname}"
             return 0
             break
         fi
@@ -158,6 +164,9 @@ do_add_lib() {
     return 1
 }
 
+# We'll work in the copied rootfs
+pushd "${CT_ROOT_DST_DIR}" >/dev/null
+
 # First of, copy the forced libraries into the working copy
 if [ -n "${CT_LIB_FILE}" ]; then
     lib_list=$("${sed}" -r -e ':loop; s/#.*//;'         \
@@ -173,44 +182,43 @@ fi
 CT_LIB_LIST=$(echo "${CT_LIB_LIST}:${lib_list}"             \
               |"${sed}" -r -e 's/^:+//; s/:+$//; s/:+/ /g;' \
              )
-${CT_ECHO} "Installing forced libraries..."
-pushd "${CT_ROOT_DST_DIR}" >/dev/null
-for name in ${CT_LIB_LIST}; do
-    [ -z "${name}" ] && continue
-    found=0
-    for libname in "lib${name}.so" "${name}.so" "${name}"; do
-        ${CT_ECHO} "  searching for '${libname}'"
-        if do_add_lib "${libname}"; then
-            found=1
-            break
+if [ -n "${CT_LIB_LIST}" ]; then
+    ${CT_PRINTF} "Installing forced libraries...\n"
+    for name in ${CT_LIB_LIST}; do
+        [ -z "${name}" ] && continue
+        found=0
+        for libname in "lib${name}.so" "${name}.so" "${name}"; do
+            ${CT_PRINTF} "  searching for '%s'\n" "${libname}"
+            if do_add_lib "${libname}"; then
+                found=1
+                break
+            fi
+        done
+        if [ ${found} -eq 0 ]; then
+            echo "$myname: library '${libname}' not found!"
+            [ "${CT_FORCE}" = y ] || exit 1
         fi
     done
-    if [ ${found} -eq 0 ]; then
-        echo "$myname: library '${libname}' not found!"
-        [ "${CT_FORCE}" = y ] || exit 1
-    fi
-done
-popd >/dev/null
+fi
 
 # Parse the working copy for executables and libraries
-pushd "${CT_ROOT_DST_DIR}" >/dev/null
 still_needed=1
 while [ ${still_needed} -eq 1 ]; do
-    ${CT_ECHO} "Looping..."
+    ${CT_PRINTF} "Looping...\n"
     still_needed=0
     for f in $(find . -type f -exec file {} \;                                              \
                |"${grep}" -E ': ELF [[:digit:]]+-bit (L|M)SB (executable|shared object),'   \
                |cut -d ":" -f 1                                                             \
               ); do
-        ${CT_ECHO} "Scanning '${f}'"
+        ${CT_PRINTF} "Scanning '%s'\n" "${f}"
         for libname in $("${CT_READELF}" -d "${f}"                              \
                          |"${grep}" -E '\(NEEDED\)[[:space:]]+Shared library:'  \
                          |"${sed}" -r -e 's,.+\[(.+)\] *$,\1,;'                 \
                         ); do
-            ${CT_ECHO} "  searching for '${libname}'"
+            ${CT_PRINTF} "  searching for '%s'\n" "${libname}"
             if [    -e "lib/${libname}"     \
                  -o -e "usr/lib/${libname}" ]; then
-                ${CT_ECHO} "    already present"
+                ${CT_PRINTF} "    already present\n"
                 continue
             fi
             if do_add_lib "${libname}"; then
@@ -221,4 +229,6 @@ while [ ${still_needed} -eq 1 ]; do
         done
     done
 done
+
+# OK, we're done. Back off.
 popd >/dev/null