diff --git a/core/definitions.mk b/core/definitions.mk
index 1ea59fd..38b572b 100644
--- a/core/definitions.mk
+++ b/core/definitions.mk
@@ -608,10 +608,25 @@
 $(_dir)/$(1).meta_lic: PRIVATE_MODULE_TYPE := $(ALL_MODULES.$(1).MODULE_TYPE)
 $(_dir)/$(1).meta_lic: PRIVATE_MODULE_CLASS := $(ALL_MODULES.$(1).MODULE_CLASS)
 $(_dir)/$(1).meta_lic: PRIVATE_INSTALL_MAP := $(_map)
-$(_dir)/$(1).meta_lic : $(foreach d,$(_deps),$(call word-colon,1,$(d))) $(foreach n,$(_notices),$(call word-colon,1,$(n)) )build/make/tools/build-license-metadata.sh
+$(_dir)/$(1).meta_lic: $(BUILD_LICENSE_METADATA)
+$(_dir)/$(1).meta_lic : $(foreach d,$(_deps),$(call word-colon,1,$(d))) $(foreach n,$(_notices),$(call word-colon,1,$(n)) )
 	rm -f $$@
 	mkdir -p $$(dir $$@)
-	build/make/tools/build-license-metadata.sh -k $$(PRIVATE_KINDS) -c $$(PRIVATE_CONDITIONS) -n $$(PRIVATE_NOTICES) -d $$(PRIVATE_NOTICE_DEPS) -s $$(PRIVATE_SOURCES) -m $$(PRIVATE_INSTALL_MAP) -t $$(PRIVATE_TARGETS) -i $$(PRIVATE_INSTALLED) $$(if $$(PRIVATE_IS_CONTAINER),-is_container) -p '$$(PRIVATE_PACKAGE_NAME)' -mt $$(PRIVATE_MODULE_TYPE) -mc $$(PRIVATE_MODULE_CLASS) -r $$(PRIVATE_PATH) -o $$@
+	$(BUILD_LICENSE_METADATA) \
+	  $$(addprefix -mt ,$$(PRIVATE_MODULE_TYPE)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -mc ,$$(PRIVATE_MODULE_CLASS)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -k ,$$(PRIVATE_KINDS)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -c ,$$(PRIVATE_CONDITIONS)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -n ,$$(PRIVATE_NOTICES)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -d ,$$(PRIVATE_NOTICE_DEPS)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -s ,$$(PRIVATE_SOURCES)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -m ,$$(PRIVATE_INSTALL_MAP)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -t ,$$(PRIVATE_TARGETS)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -i ,$$(PRIVATE_INSTALLED)) \
+	  $$(if $$(PRIVATE_IS_CONTAINER),-is_container) \
+	  -p '$$(PRIVATE_PACKAGE_NAME)' \
+	  $$(addprefix -r ,$$(PRIVATE_PATH)) \
+	  -o $$@
 
 $(strip $(eval _mifs := $(sort $(ALL_MODULES.$(1).MODULE_INSTALLED_FILENAMES))))
 $(strip $(eval _infs := $(sort $(ALL_MODULES.$(1).INSTALLED_NOTICE_FILE))))
@@ -662,10 +677,23 @@
 $(_dir)/$(_tgt).meta_lic: PRIVATE_IS_CONTAINER := $(ALL_NON_MODULES.$(_tgt).IS_CONTAINER)
 $(_dir)/$(_tgt).meta_lic: PRIVATE_PACKAGE_NAME := $(strip $(ALL_NON_MODULES.$(_tgt).LICENSE_PACKAGE_NAME))
 $(_dir)/$(_tgt).meta_lic: PRIVATE_INSTALL_MAP := $(strip $(_install_map))
-$(_dir)/$(_tgt).meta_lic : $(foreach d,$(_deps),$(call word-colon,1,$(d))) $(foreach n,$(_notices),$(call word-colon,1,$(n)) )build/make/tools/build-license-metadata.sh
+$(_dir)/$(_tgt).meta_lic: $(BUILD_LICENSE_METADATA)
+$(_dir)/$(_tgt).meta_lic : $(foreach d,$(_deps),$(call word-colon,1,$(d))) $(foreach n,$(_notices),$(call word-colon,1,$(n)) )
 	rm -f $$@
 	mkdir -p $$(dir $$@)
-	build/make/tools/build-license-metadata.sh -k $$(PRIVATE_KINDS) -c $$(PRIVATE_CONDITIONS) -n $$(PRIVATE_NOTICES) -d $$(PRIVATE_NOTICE_DEPS) -s $$(PRIVATE_SOURCES) -m $$(PRIVATE_INSTALL_MAP) -t $$(PRIVATE_TARGETS) $$(if $$(PRIVATE_IS_CONTAINER),-is_container) -p '$$(PRIVATE_PACKAGE_NAME)' -mt raw -mc unknown -r $$(PRIVATE_PATH) -o $$@
+	$(BUILD_LICENSE_METADATA) \
+          -mt raw -mc unknown \
+	  $$(addprefix -k ,$$(PRIVATE_KINDS)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -c ,$$(PRIVATE_CONDITIONS)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -n ,$$(PRIVATE_NOTICES)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -d ,$$(PRIVATE_NOTICE_DEPS)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -s ,$$(PRIVATE_SOURCES)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -m ,$$(PRIVATE_INSTALL_MAP)) \
+	  $$(addprefix -t ,$$(PRIVATE_TARGETS)) \
+	  $$(if $$(PRIVATE_IS_CONTAINER),-is_container) \
+	  -p '$$(PRIVATE_PACKAGE_NAME)' \
+	  $$(addprefix -r ,$$(PRIVATE_PATH)) \
+	  -o $$@
 
 endef
 
diff --git a/tools/build-license-metadata.sh b/tools/build-license-metadata.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 5051c61..0000000
--- a/tools/build-license-metadata.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,236 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-set -u
-
-ME=$(basename $0)
-
-USAGE="Usage: ${ME} {options}
-
-Builds a license metadata specification and outputs it to stdout or {outfile}.
-
-The available options are:
-
--k kind...              license kinds
--c condition...         license conditions
--p package...           license package name
--n notice...            license notice file
--d dependency...        license metadata file dependency
--s dependency...        source (input) dependency
--t target...            built targets
--i target...            installed targets
--r root...              root directory of project
--m target:installed...  map dependent targets to their installed names
--mc module_class...     module class
--mt module_type...      module type
--is_container           preserved dependent target name when given
--o outfile              output file
-"
-
-# Global flag variables
-license_kinds=
-license_conditions=
-license_package_name=
-license_notice=
-license_deps=
-module_class=
-module_type=
-source_deps=
-targets=
-installed=
-installmap=
-is_container=false
-ofile=
-roots=
-
-# Global variables
-depfiles=" "
-
-
-# Exits with a message.
-#
-# When the exit status is 2, assumes a usage error and outputs the usage message
-# to stderr before outputting the specific error message to stderr.
-#
-# Parameters:
-#   Optional numeric exit status (defaults to 2, i.e. a usage error.)
-#   Remaining args treated as an error message sent to stderr.
-die() {
-  lstatus=2
-  case "${1:-}" in *[^0-9]*) ;; *) lstatus="$1"; shift ;; esac
-  case "${lstatus}" in 2) echo "${USAGE}" >&2; echo >&2 ;; esac
-  if [ -n "$*" ]; then
-    echo -e "$*\n" >&2
-  fi
-  exit $lstatus
-}
-
-
-# Sets the flag variables based on the command-line.
-#
-# invoke with: process_args "$@"
-process_args() {
-  lcurr_flag=
-  while [ "$#" -gt '0' ]; do
-    case "${1}" in
-      -h)
-        echo "${USAGE}"
-        exit 0
-        ;;
-      -k)
-        lcurr_flag=kind
-        ;;
-      -c)
-        lcurr_flag=condition
-        ;;
-      -p)
-        lcurr_flag=package
-        ;;
-      -n)
-        lcurr_flag=notice
-        ;;
-      -d)
-        lcurr_flag=dependency
-        ;;
-      -s)
-        lcurr_flag=source
-        ;;
-      -t)
-        lcurr_flag=target
-        ;;
-      -i)
-        lcurr_flag=install
-        ;;
-      -m)
-        lcurr_flag=installmap
-        ;;
-      -mc)
-        lcurr_flag=class
-        ;;
-      -mt)
-        lcurr_flag=type
-        ;;
-      -o)
-        lcurr_flag=ofile
-        ;;
-      -r)
-        lcurr_flag=root
-        ;;
-      -is_container)
-        lcurr_flag=
-        is_container=true
-        ;;
-      -*)
-        die "Unknown flag: \"${1}\""
-        ;;
-      *)
-        case "${lcurr_flag}" in
-          kind)
-            license_kinds="${license_kinds}${license_kinds:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          condition)
-            license_conditions="${license_conditions}${license_conditions:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          package)
-            license_package_name="${license_package_name}${license_package_name:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          notice)
-            license_notice="${license_notice}${license_notice:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          dependency)
-            license_deps="${license_deps}${license_deps:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          source)
-            source_deps="${source_deps}${source_deps:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          target)
-            targets="${targets}${targets:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          install)
-            installed="${installed}${installed:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          installmap)
-            installmap="${installmap}${installmap:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          class)
-            module_class="${module_class}${module_class:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          type)
-            module_type="${module_type}${module_type:+ }${1}"
-            ;;
-          root)
-            root="${1}"
-            while [ -n "${root}" ] && ! [ "${root}" == '.' ] && \
-                ! [ "${root}" == '/' ]; \
-            do
-              if [ -d "${root}/.git" ]; then
-                roots="${roots}${roots:+ }${root}"
-                break
-              fi
-              root=$(dirname "${root}")
-            done
-            ;;
-          ofile)
-            if [ -n "${ofile}" ]; then
-              die "Output file -o appears twice as \"${ofile}\" and \"${1}\""
-            fi
-            ofile="${1}"
-            ;;
-          *)
-            die "Must precede argument \"${1}\" with type flag."
-            ;;
-        esac
-        ;;
-    esac
-    shift
-  done
-}
-
-
-process_args "$@"
-
-if [ -n "${ofile}" ]; then
-  # truncate the output file before appending results
-  : >"${ofile}"
-else
-  ofile=/dev/stdout
-fi
-
-# spit out the license metadata file content
-(
-  echo 'license_package_name: "'"${license_package_name}"'"'
-  for t in ${module_type}; do
-    echo 'module_type: "'"${t}"'"'
-  done
-  for c in ${module_class}; do
-    echo 'module_class: "'"${c}"'"'
-  done
-  for r in ${roots}; do
-    echo 'root: "'"${r}"'"'
-  done
-  for kind in ${license_kinds}; do
-    echo 'license_kind: "'"${kind}"'"'
-  done
-  for condition in ${license_conditions}; do
-    echo 'license_condition: "'"${condition}"'"'
-  done
-  for f in ${license_notice}; do
-    echo 'license_text: "'"${f}"'"'
-  done
-  echo "is_container: ${is_container}"
-  for t in ${targets}; do
-    echo 'built: "'"${t}"'"'
-  done
-  for i in ${installed}; do
-    echo 'installed: "'"${i}"'"'
-  done
-  for m in ${installmap}; do
-    echo 'install_map: "'"${m}"'"'
-  done
-  for s in ${source_deps}; do
-    echo 'source: "'"${s}"'"'
-  done
-) >>"${ofile}"
-depfiles=" $(echo $(echo ${license_deps} | tr ' ' '\n' | sort -u)) "
-for dep in ${depfiles}; do
-  echo 'dep: "'"${dep}"'"'
-done >>"${ofile}"