diff --git a/schutzbot/mockbuild.sh b/schutzbot/mockbuild.sh
index c2738b6a..b7824ab2 100755
--- a/schutzbot/mockbuild.sh
+++ b/schutzbot/mockbuild.sh
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@ function template_override {
 }
 
 # Get OS and architecture details.
-source /etc/os-release
-ARCH=$(uname -m)
+source tools/set-env-variables.sh
 
 # Register RHEL if we are provided with a registration script and intend to do that.
 REGISTER="${REGISTER:-'false'}"
diff --git a/tools/set-env-variables.sh b/tools/set-env-variables.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..50f8a240
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/set-env-variables.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# don't error on unused ARCH and DISTRO_CODE variables
+# shellcheck disable=SC2034
+
+source /etc/os-release
+ARCH=$(uname -m)
+DISTRO_CODE="${DISTRO_CODE:-${ID}-${VERSION_ID//./}}"