diff --git a/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-cli/Cargo.toml b/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-cli/Cargo.toml
index c84048f14..a69b4e41b 100644
--- a/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ redox-pkg = { git = "https://gitlab.redox-os.org/redox-os/pkgutils.git", default
 clap = { workspace = true }
 pkgar = "0.2.2"
 pkgar-core = "0.2.2"
+tempfile = "3"
 termion = "4.0.6"
 
 [features]
diff --git a/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-cli/src/main.rs b/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-cli/src/main.rs
index debc734d2..be3c23c86 100644
--- a/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ impl AppContext {
     }
 
     fn open_library(&self) -> Result<Library, pkg::backend::Error> {
+        self.ensure_install_layout()?;
         let callback = new_pkg_callback();
         Library::new(&self.install_path, &self.target, callback)
     }
@@ -154,6 +155,7 @@ impl AppContext {
         source_dir: &Path,
         pubkey_dir: &Path,
     ) -> Result<Library, pkg::backend::Error> {
+        self.ensure_install_layout()?;
         let callback = new_pkg_callback();
         Library::new_local(
             source_dir,
@@ -163,6 +165,11 @@ impl AppContext {
             callback,
         )
     }
+
+    fn ensure_install_layout(&self) -> Result<(), pkg::backend::Error> {
+        fs::create_dir_all(self.install_path.join("etc/pkg.d"))?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
 
 fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
@@ -542,6 +549,7 @@ fn fetch_bur_recipe(package: &str) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
 }
 
 fn get_aur_recipe(package: &str) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    validate_git_target(package)?;
     let repo_url = aur_repo_url(package);
     let clone_dir = create_temp_dir("cub-aur-get")?;
 
@@ -549,6 +557,7 @@ fn get_aur_recipe(package: &str) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
         .arg("clone")
         .arg("--depth")
         .arg("1")
+        .arg("--")
         .arg(&repo_url)
         .arg(&clone_dir)
         .status()?;
@@ -609,6 +618,7 @@ fn inspect_target(context: &AppContext, target: &str) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std:
 }
 
 fn import_aur_target(target: &str) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    validate_git_target(target)?;
     let repo_url = aur_repo_url(target);
     let clone_dir = create_temp_dir("cub-aur")?;
 
@@ -616,6 +626,7 @@ fn import_aur_target(target: &str) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
         .arg("clone")
         .arg("--depth")
         .arg("1")
+        .arg("--")
         .arg(&repo_url)
         .arg(&clone_dir)
         .status()?;
@@ -1151,25 +1162,8 @@ fn render_conversion_report(report: &ConversionReport) -> String {
 }
 
 fn create_temp_dir(prefix: &str) -> Result<PathBuf, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
-    let base = env::temp_dir();
-    let nanos = SystemTime::now()
-        .duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH)
-        .map(|duration| duration.as_nanos())
-        .unwrap_or(0);
-
-    for attempt in 0..128 {
-        let candidate = base.join(format!("{prefix}-{}-{nanos}-{attempt}", std::process::id()));
-        if !candidate.exists() {
-            fs::create_dir_all(&candidate)?;
-            return Ok(candidate);
-        }
-    }
-
-    Err(io::Error::new(
-        io::ErrorKind::AlreadyExists,
-        format!("failed to allocate temporary directory for {prefix}"),
-    )
-    .into())
+    let path = tempfile::Builder::new().prefix(prefix).tempdir()?.keep();
+    Ok(path)
 }
 
 fn copy_dir_recursive(src: &Path, dst: &Path) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
@@ -1236,3 +1230,15 @@ fn yes_no(value: bool) -> &'static str {
         "no"
     }
 }
+
+fn validate_git_target(target: &str) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    if target.trim_start().starts_with('-') {
+        return Err(io::Error::new(
+            io::ErrorKind::InvalidInput,
+            format!("invalid git target: {target}"),
+        )
+        .into());
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-lib/Cargo.toml b/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-lib/Cargo.toml
index 2d68c644f..58af18b4e 100644
--- a/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-lib/Cargo.toml
+++ b/local/recipes/system/cub/source/cub-lib/Cargo.toml
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ pkgar-core = { version = "0.2.2", optional = true }
 pkgar-keys = { version = "0.2.2", optional = true }
 
 # HTTP for source fetching
-reqwest = { version = "0.12", default-features = false, features = ["blocking", "rustls-tls"], optional = true }
+reqwest = { version = "0.12", default-features = false, features = ["blocking", "rustls-tls", "json"], optional = true }
+serde_json = "1"
 
 [features]
 default = ["full"]