diff --git a/.scripts/build_steps.sh b/.scripts/build_steps.sh
index f017291..a4d638b 100755
--- a/.scripts/build_steps.sh
+++ b/.scripts/build_steps.sh
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ CONDARC
 export CONDA_LIBMAMBA_SOLVER_NO_CHANNELS_FROM_INSTALLED=1
 
 mamba install --update-specs --yes --quiet --channel conda-forge --strict-channel-priority \
-    pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4
+    pip mamba conda-build conda-forge-ci-setup=4 "conda-build>=24.1"
 mamba update --update-specs --yes --quiet --channel conda-forge --strict-channel-priority \
-    pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4
+    pip mamba conda-build conda-forge-ci-setup=4 "conda-build>=24.1"
 
 # set up the condarc
 setup_conda_rc "${FEEDSTOCK_ROOT}" "${RECIPE_ROOT}" "${CONFIG_FILE}"
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ if [[ "${BUILD_WITH_CONDA_DEBUG:-0}" == 1 ]]; then
     # Drop into an interactive shell
     /bin/bash
 else
-    conda mambabuild "${RECIPE_ROOT}" -m "${CI_SUPPORT}/${CONFIG}.yaml" \
+    conda build "${RECIPE_ROOT}" -m "${CI_SUPPORT}/${CONFIG}.yaml" \
         --suppress-variables ${EXTRA_CB_OPTIONS:-} \
         --clobber-file "${CI_SUPPORT}/clobber_${CONFIG}.yaml" \
         --extra-meta flow_run_id="${flow_run_id:-}" remote_url="${remote_url:-}" sha="${sha:-}"
diff --git a/build-locally.py b/build-locally.py
index 3f4b7a7..e0d408d 100755
--- a/build-locally.py
+++ b/build-locally.py
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ def verify_config(ns):
     elif ns.config.startswith("osx"):
         if "OSX_SDK_DIR" not in os.environ:
             raise RuntimeError(
-                "Need OSX_SDK_DIR env variable set. Run 'export OSX_SDK_DIR=SDKs' "
-                "to download the SDK automatically to 'SDKs/MacOSX<ver>.sdk'. "
+                "Need OSX_SDK_DIR env variable set. Run 'export OSX_SDK_DIR=$PWD/SDKs' "
+                "to download the SDK automatically to '$PWD/SDKs/MacOSX<ver>.sdk'. "
+                "Note: OSX_SDK_DIR must be set to an absolute path. "
                 "Setting this variable implies agreement to the licensing terms of the SDK by Apple."
             )