diff --git a/cmd/app/app.go b/cmd/app/app.go
index d702215e..9fa49696 100644
--- a/cmd/app/app.go
+++ b/cmd/app/app.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func parse(id string, base *check.Absolute, r io.Reader) (*hst.Config, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	} else {
 		c.Identity = v
-		root.Upper = base.Append("template", template, "upper")
+		root.Upper = base.Append("template", template)
 	}
 
 	if err := scanOnce(); err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/app/app_test.go b/cmd/app/app_test.go
index f5e94789..f4811801 100644
--- a/cmd/app/app_test.go
+++ b/cmd/app/app_test.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ talk com.canonical.Unity
 						Lower: []*check.Absolute{
 							base.Append("initial"),
 						},
-						Upper: base.Append("template", "nonfree", "upper"),
+						Upper: base.Append("template", "nonfree"),
 					}},
 					{FilesystemConfig: &hst.FSBind{
 						Target: hst.AbsPrivateTmp.Append("home"),
diff --git a/cmd/app/main.go b/cmd/app/main.go
index b911e7dd..c9331e39 100644
--- a/cmd/app/main.go
+++ b/cmd/app/main.go
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ func main() {
 							{FilesystemConfig: &hst.FSOverlay{
 								Target: fhs.AbsRoot,
 								Lower:  []*check.Absolute{initial},
-								Upper:  template.Append(args[0], "upper"),
-								Work:   template.Append(args[0], "work"),
+								Upper:  template.Append(args[0]),
+								Work:   base.Append("work", args[0]),
 							}},
 							{FilesystemConfig: &hst.FSEphemeral{
 								Target: fhs.AbsTmp,