diff --git a/internal/rosa/dtc.go b/internal/rosa/dtc.go
index 7dff7d2..e503060 100644
--- a/internal/rosa/dtc.go
+++ b/internal/rosa/dtc.go
@@ -7,28 +7,27 @@ func (t Toolchain) newDTC() pkg.Artifact {
 		version  = "1.7.2"
 		checksum = "vUoiRynPyYRexTpS6USweT5p4SVHvvVJs8uqFkkVD-YnFjwf6v3elQ0-Etrh00Dt"
 	)
-	return t.NewViaMeson("dtc", version, t.NewPatchedSource(
-		"dtc", version, pkg.NewHTTPGetTar(
-			nil, "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/utils/dtc/dtc.git/snapshot/"+
-				"dtc-v"+version+".tar.gz",
-			mustDecode(checksum),
-			pkg.TarGzip,
-		), false,
-	), &MesonAttr{
+	return t.NewPackage("dtc", version, pkg.NewHTTPGetTar(
+		nil, "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/utils/dtc/dtc.git/snapshot/"+
+			"dtc-v"+version+".tar.gz",
+		mustDecode(checksum),
+		pkg.TarGzip,
+	), &PackageAttr{
 		// works around buggy test:
 		// fdtdump-runtest.sh /usr/src/dtc/tests/fdtdump.dts
 		Writable: true,
-
-		Configure: [][2]string{
+		Chmod:    true,
+	}, &MesonHelper{
+		Setup: [][2]string{
 			{"Dyaml", "disabled"},
 			{"Dstatic-build", "true"},
 		},
 	},
-		t.Load(Flex),
-		t.Load(Bison),
-		t.Load(M4),
-		t.Load(Coreutils),
-		t.Load(Diffutils),
+		Flex,
+		Bison,
+		M4,
+		Coreutils,
+		Diffutils,
 	)
 }
 func init() { artifactsF[DTC] = Toolchain.newDTC }
diff --git a/internal/rosa/fuse.go b/internal/rosa/fuse.go
index 36b4bdd..1378174 100644
--- a/internal/rosa/fuse.go
+++ b/internal/rosa/fuse.go
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ func (t Toolchain) newFuse() pkg.Artifact {
 		version  = "3.18.1"
 		checksum = "COb-BgJRWXLbt9XUkNeuiroQizpMifXqxgieE1SlkMXhs_WGSyJStrmyewAw2hd6"
 	)
-	return t.NewViaMeson("fuse", version, pkg.NewHTTPGetTar(
+	return t.NewPackage("fuse", version, pkg.NewHTTPGetTar(
 		nil, "https://github.com/libfuse/libfuse/releases/download/"+
 			"fuse-"+version+"/fuse-"+version+".tar.gz",
 		mustDecode(checksum),
 		pkg.TarGzip,
-	), &MesonAttr{
-		Configure: [][2]string{
+	), nil, &MesonHelper{
+		Setup: [][2]string{
 			{"Ddefault_library", "both"},
 			{"Dtests", "true"},
 			{"Duseroot", "false"},
@@ -22,15 +22,15 @@ func (t Toolchain) newFuse() pkg.Artifact {
 
 		ScriptCompiled: "python3 -m pytest test/",
 		// this project uses pytest
-		SkipCheck: true,
+		SkipTest: true,
 	},
-		t.Load(IniConfig),
-		t.Load(Packaging),
-		t.Load(Pluggy),
-		t.Load(Pygments),
-		t.Load(PyTest),
+		IniConfig,
+		Packaging,
+		Pluggy,
+		Pygments,
+		PyTest,
 
-		t.Load(KernelHeaders),
+		KernelHeaders,
 	)
 }
 func init() { artifactsF[Fuse] = Toolchain.newFuse }
diff --git a/internal/rosa/gtk.go b/internal/rosa/gtk.go
index 78469e8..06449ca 100644
--- a/internal/rosa/gtk.go
+++ b/internal/rosa/gtk.go
@@ -12,21 +12,13 @@ func (t Toolchain) newGLib() pkg.Artifact {
 		version  = "2.86.4"
 		checksum = "AfTjBrrxtXXPL6dFa1LfTe40PyPSth62CoIkM5m_VJTUngGLOFHw6I4XE7RGQE8G"
 	)
-	return t.NewViaMeson("glib", version, pkg.NewHTTPGet(
+	return t.NewPackage("glib", version, pkg.NewHTTPGet(
 		nil, "https://download.gnome.org/sources/glib/"+
 			strings.Join(strings.SplitN(version, ".", 3)[:2], ".")+
 			"/glib-"+version+".tar.xz",
 		mustDecode(checksum),
-	), &MesonAttr{
-		SourceSuffix: ".tar.xz",
-		ScriptEarly: `
-cd /usr/src/
-tar xf glib.tar.xz
-mv glib-` + version + ` glib
-`,
-		Configure: [][2]string{
-			{"Ddefault_library", "both"},
-		},
+	), &PackageAttr{
+		SourceKind: sourceTarXZ,
 
 		Paths: []pkg.ExecPath{
 			pkg.Path(fhs.AbsEtc.Append(
@@ -42,14 +34,18 @@ mv glib-` + version + ` glib
 				[]byte("fefefefefefefefefefefefefefefefe\n"),
 			)),
 		},
+	}, &MesonHelper{
+		Setup: [][2]string{
+			{"Ddefault_library", "both"},
+		},
 	},
-		t.Load(XZ),
-		t.Load(Packaging),
-		t.Load(Bash),
+		XZ,
+		Packaging,
+		Bash,
 
-		t.Load(PCRE2),
-		t.Load(Libffi),
-		t.Load(Zlib),
+		PCRE2,
+		Libffi,
+		Zlib,
 	)
 }
 func init() { artifactsF[GLib] = Toolchain.newGLib }
diff --git a/internal/rosa/kmod.go b/internal/rosa/kmod.go
index 5be4873..4292bbf 100644
--- a/internal/rosa/kmod.go
+++ b/internal/rosa/kmod.go
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ func (t Toolchain) newKmod() pkg.Artifact {
 		version  = "34.2"
 		checksum = "0K7POeTKxMhExsaTsnKAC6LUNsRSfe6sSZxWONPbOu-GI_pXOw3toU_BIoqfBhJV"
 	)
-	return t.NewViaMeson("kmod", version, pkg.NewHTTPGetTar(
+	return t.NewPackage("kmod", version, pkg.NewHTTPGetTar(
 		nil, "https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/kernel/"+
 			"kmod/kmod-"+version+".tar.gz",
 		mustDecode(checksum),
 		pkg.TarGzip,
-	), &MesonAttr{
-		Configure: [][2]string{
+	), nil, &MesonHelper{
+		Setup: [][2]string{
 			{"Dsysconfdir", "/system/etc"},
 			{"Dbashcompletiondir", "no"},
 			{"Dfishcompletiondir", "no"},
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ func (t Toolchain) newKmod() pkg.Artifact {
 		},
 
 		// makes assumptions about the running kernel
-		SkipCheck: true,
+		SkipTest: true,
 	},
-		t.Load(Zlib),
-		t.Load(Zstd),
-		t.Load(OpenSSL),
-		t.Load(KernelHeaders),
+		Zlib,
+		Zstd,
+		OpenSSL,
+		KernelHeaders,
 	)
 }
 func init() { artifactsF[Kmod] = Toolchain.newKmod }
diff --git a/internal/rosa/meson.go b/internal/rosa/meson.go
index fbdb363..317b102 100644
--- a/internal/rosa/meson.go
+++ b/internal/rosa/meson.go
@@ -31,49 +31,59 @@ python3 setup.py \
 }
 func init() { artifactsF[Meson] = Toolchain.newMeson }
 
-// MesonAttr holds the project-specific attributes that will be applied to a new
-// [pkg.Artifact] compiled via [Meson].
-type MesonAttr struct {
-	// Mount the source tree writable.
-	Writable bool
-
-	// Additional environment variables.
-	Env []string
-	// Runs before setup.
-	ScriptEarly string
-	// Runs after configure.
+// MesonHelper is the [Meson] build system helper.
+type MesonHelper struct {
+	// Runs after setup.
+	ScriptCompileEarly string
+	// Runs after compile.
 	ScriptCompiled string
 	// Runs after install.
 	Script string
 
 	// Flags passed to the setup command.
-	Configure [][2]string
+	Setup [][2]string
 	// Whether to skip meson test.
-	SkipCheck bool
-	// Appended after the test command.
-	AppendTest string
-
-	// Suffix appended to the source pathname.
-	SourceSuffix string
-
-	// Passed through to [Toolchain.New], before source.
-	Paths []pkg.ExecPath
-	// Passed through to [Toolchain.New].
-	Flag int
+	SkipTest bool
 }
 
-// NewViaMeson returns a [pkg.Artifact] for compiling and installing via [Meson].
-func (t Toolchain) NewViaMeson(
-	name, version string,
-	source pkg.Artifact,
-	attr *MesonAttr,
-	extra ...pkg.Artifact,
-) pkg.Artifact {
-	if name == "" || version == "" {
-		panic("names must be non-empty")
+var _ Helper = new(MesonHelper)
+
+// name returns its arguments joined with '-'.
+func (*MesonHelper) name(name, version string) string {
+	return name + "-" + version
+}
+
+// extra returns hardcoded meson runtime dependencies.
+func (*MesonHelper) extra(int) []PArtifact {
+	return []PArtifact{
+		Python,
+		Meson,
+		Ninja,
+
+		PkgConfig,
+		CMake,
 	}
+}
+
+// wantsChmod returns false.
+func (*MesonHelper) wantsChmod() bool { return false }
+
+// wantsWrite returns false.
+func (*MesonHelper) wantsWrite() bool { return false }
+
+// scriptEarly returns the zero value.
+func (*MesonHelper) scriptEarly() string { return "" }
+
+// createDir returns false.
+func (*MesonHelper) createDir() bool { return false }
+
+// wantsDir requests a new directory in TMPDIR.
+func (*MesonHelper) wantsDir() string { return `"$(mktemp -d)"` }
+
+// script generates the cure script.
+func (attr *MesonHelper) script(name string) string {
 	if attr == nil {
-		attr = new(MesonAttr)
+		attr = new(MesonHelper)
 	}
 
 	scriptCompiled := attr.ScriptCompiled
@@ -81,26 +91,21 @@ func (t Toolchain) NewViaMeson(
 		scriptCompiled = "\n" + scriptCompiled
 	}
 
-	var check string
-	if !attr.SkipCheck {
-		check = "\nmeson test \\\n\t--print-errorlogs" + attr.AppendTest
+	var scriptTest string
+	if !attr.SkipTest {
+		scriptTest = `
+meson test \
+	--print-errorlogs`
 	}
 
-	return t.New(name+"-"+version, attr.Flag, slices.Concat([]pkg.Artifact{
-		t.Load(Python),
-		t.Load(Meson),
-		t.Load(Ninja),
-
-		t.Load(PkgConfig),
-		t.Load(CMake),
-	}, extra), nil, attr.Env, attr.ScriptEarly+`
+	return `
 cd "$(mktemp -d)"
 meson setup \
-	`+strings.Join(slices.Collect(func(yield func(string) bool) {
+	` + strings.Join(slices.Collect(func(yield func(string) bool) {
 		for _, v := range append([][2]string{
 			{"prefix", "/system"},
 			{"buildtype", "release"},
-		}, attr.Configure...) {
+		}, attr.Setup...) {
 			s := "-" + v[0]
 			if len(v[0]) > 0 && v[0][0] != 'D' {
 				s = "-" + s
@@ -112,14 +117,10 @@ meson setup \
 				return
 			}
 		}
-	}), " \\\n\t")+` \
-	. /usr/src/`+name+`
-meson compile`+scriptCompiled+check+`
+	}), " \\\n\t") + ` \
+	. '/usr/src/` + name + `'
+meson compile` + scriptCompiled + scriptTest + `
 meson install \
 	--destdir=/work
-`+attr.Script, slices.Concat(attr.Paths, []pkg.ExecPath{
-		pkg.Path(AbsUsrSrc.Append(
-			name+attr.SourceSuffix,
-		), attr.Writable, source),
-	})...)
+` + attr.Script
 }
diff --git a/internal/rosa/wayland.go b/internal/rosa/wayland.go
index 063c71b..00c5862 100644
--- a/internal/rosa/wayland.go
+++ b/internal/rosa/wayland.go
@@ -7,30 +7,31 @@ func (t Toolchain) newWayland() pkg.Artifact {
 		version  = "1.24.0"
 		checksum = "JxgLiFRRGw2D3uhVw8ZeDbs3V7K_d4z_ypDog2LBqiA_5y2vVbUAk5NT6D5ozm0m"
 	)
-	return t.NewViaMeson("wayland", version, pkg.NewHTTPGetTar(
+	return t.NewPackage("wayland", version, pkg.NewHTTPGetTar(
 		nil, "https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/wayland/wayland/"+
 			"-/archive/"+version+"/wayland-"+version+".tar.bz2",
 		mustDecode(checksum),
 		pkg.TarBzip2,
-	), &MesonAttr{
+	), &PackageAttr{
 		Writable: true,
 		ScriptEarly: `
 cd /usr/src/wayland
 chmod +w tests tests/sanity-test.c
 echo 'int main(){}' > tests/sanity-test.c
 `,
-		Configure: [][2]string{
+	}, &MesonHelper{
+		Setup: [][2]string{
 			{"Ddefault_library", "both"},
 			{"Ddocumentation", "false"},
 			{"Dtests", "true"},
 		},
 	},
-		t.Load(Gawk),
-		t.Load(Diffutils),
+		Gawk,
+		Diffutils,
 
-		t.Load(Libffi),
-		t.Load(Libexpat),
-		t.Load(Libxml2),
+		Libffi,
+		Libexpat,
+		Libxml2,
 	)
 }
 func init() { artifactsF[Wayland] = Toolchain.newWayland }
@@ -40,13 +41,14 @@ func (t Toolchain) newWaylandProtocols() pkg.Artifact {
 		version  = "1.47"
 		checksum = "B_NodZ7AQfCstcx7kgbaVjpkYOzbAQq0a4NOk-SA8bQixAE20FY3p1-6gsbPgHn9"
 	)
-	return t.NewViaMeson("wayland-protocols", version, t.NewPatchedSource(
-		"wayland-protocols", version, pkg.NewHTTPGetTar(
-			nil, "https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/wayland/wayland-protocols/"+
-				"-/archive/"+version+"/wayland-protocols-"+version+".tar.bz2",
-			mustDecode(checksum),
-			pkg.TarBzip2,
-		), false, [2]string{"build-only", `From 8b4c76275fa1b6e0a99a53494151d9a2c907144d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+	return t.NewPackage("wayland-protocols", version, pkg.NewHTTPGetTar(
+		nil, "https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/wayland/wayland-protocols/"+
+			"-/archive/"+version+"/wayland-protocols-"+version+".tar.bz2",
+		mustDecode(checksum),
+		pkg.TarBzip2,
+	), &PackageAttr{
+		Patches: [][2]string{
+			{"build-only", `From 8b4c76275fa1b6e0a99a53494151d9a2c907144d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
 From: "A. Wilcox" <AWilcox@Wilcox-Tech.com>
 Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2024 11:27:25 -0600
 Subject: [PATCH] tests: Make build-only tests actually build-only
@@ -97,11 +99,12 @@ index aa216ec2..5a93bb36 100644
 -- 
 GitLab
 `},
-	), nil,
-		t.Load(Wayland),
-		t.Load(Libffi),
-		t.Load(Libexpat),
-		t.Load(Libxml2),
+		},
+	}, (*MesonHelper)(nil),
+		Wayland,
+		Libffi,
+		Libexpat,
+		Libxml2,
 	)
 }
 func init() { artifactsF[WaylandProtocols] = Toolchain.newWaylandProtocols }