diff --git a/buildscript b/buildscript
index f7889e92..030d043c 100755
--- a/buildscript
+++ b/buildscript
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ OPENWRT_PKGS="gpioctl-sysfs libugpio fastd haserl micrond mtr bmon"
 ROUTING_PKGS="kmod-batman-adv batctl alfred babeld"
 GLUON_PKGS="simple-tc uradvd"
 
+FFF_VARIANTS="node layer3"
+
 OPENWRTURL="https://git.openwrt.org/openwrt/openwrt.git"
 
 ## Feed definition [0]: name aka directory, [1]: url, [2]: revision
@@ -149,7 +151,7 @@ prepare() {
 
 apply_variant() {
     # set the variant for this build
-    cp "./src/packages/fff/fff/variant-$(cat selected_variant).mk" "$builddir"/variant.mk
+    export FFF_VARIANT=$(cat selected_variant)
     # force the reevaluation of this Makefile to make note of the new variant
     touch ./src/packages/fff/fff/Makefile
 }
@@ -441,14 +443,13 @@ case "$1" in
         ;;
     "selectvariant")
         if [ "$2" = "help" ] || [ "$2" = "" ]; then
-            echo "Select a build varaint:"
+            echo "Select a build variant:"
             echo
             echo "Usage: $0 $1 <name of variant>"
-            echo "available variants: "
-            /bin/ls src/packages/fff/fff/variant-*.mk | sed 's#.*/variant-\(.*\)\.mk#\1#g'
+            echo "available variants: $FFF_VARIANTS"
             echo
         else
-            if [ ! -f "src/packages/fff/fff/variant-$2.mk" ]; then
+            if ! echo "$FFF_VARIANTS" | grep -q "\b$2\b"; then
                 echo "Could not find variant $2"
             else
                 setVariant $2
diff --git a/src/packages/fff/fff/Makefile b/src/packages/fff/fff/Makefile
index b2549294..3dae0384 100644
--- a/src/packages/fff/fff/Makefile
+++ b/src/packages/fff/fff/Makefile
@@ -1,34 +1,56 @@
 include $(TOPDIR)/rules.mk
 
 PKG_NAME:=fff
-PKG_RELEASE:=8
+PKG_RELEASE:=9
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 
-define Package/fff-base
+define Package/fff-variant/default
 	SECTION:=base
 	CATEGORY:=Freifunk
-	TITLE:=Freifunk-Franken Base
-	URL:=http://www.freifunk-franken.de
-	DEPENDS:=+iptables \
-			 +ip6tables \
-			 +odhcp6c \
-			 +micrond \
-			 +fff-config \
-			 +fff-nodewatcher \
-			 +fff-web-ui \
-			 +fff-support \
-			 +fff-network \
-			 +fff-sysupgrade \
-			 +fff-wireless \
-			 +fff-timeserver \
-			 +fff-simple-tc
+	URL:=https://www.freifunk-franken.de
+	DEFAULT:=$(if $(filter fff-variant-$(FFF_VARIANT),$(1)),y,n)
+	DEPENDS:= \
+		+iptables \
+		+ip6tables \
+		+micrond \
+		+odhcp6c \
+		+fff-config \
+		+fff-network \
+		+fff-nodewatcher \
+		+fff-simple-tc \
+		+fff-support \
+		+fff-sysupgrade \
+		+fff-timeserver \
+		+fff-web-ui \
+		+fff-wireless
 endef
 
-define Package/fff-base/description
-	This is the Freifunk Franken Firmware Base package
+define Package/fff-variant/default/description
+	This package is used to switch one of the variants on by default
 endef
 
-$(eval $(call BuildPackage,fff-base))
+define Package/fff-variant-layer3
+	$(Package/fff-variant/default)
+	TITLE:=Freifunk-Franken Layer3 Variant
+	DEPENDS+=+fff-layer3
+	VARIANT:=layer3
+endef
 
-include $(TOPDIR)/variant.mk
+define Package/fff-variant-layer3/description
+	$(Package/fff-variant/default/description)
+endef
+
+define Package/fff-variant-node
+	$(Package/fff-variant/default)
+	TITLE:=Freifunk-Franken Node Variant
+	DEPENDS+=+fff-node
+	VARIANT:=node
+endef
+
+define Package/fff-variant-node/description
+	$(Package/fff-variant/default/description)
+endef
+
+$(eval $(call BuildPackage,fff-variant-layer3))
+$(eval $(call BuildPackage,fff-variant-node))
diff --git a/src/packages/fff/fff/variant-layer3.mk b/src/packages/fff/fff/variant-layer3.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index 51b99923..00000000
--- a/src/packages/fff/fff/variant-layer3.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-define Package/fff-default
-	SECTION:=base
-	CATEGORY:=Freifunk
-	DEFAULT:=y
-	TITLE:=Freifunk-Franken Base default switcher
-	URL:=http://www.freifunk-franken.de
-	DEPENDS:=+fff-base +fff-layer3
-	VARIANT:=layer3
-endef
-
-define Package/fff-default/description
-	This package is used to switch on of the Freifunk Franken
-	package on per default
-endef
-
-$(eval $(call BuildPackage,fff-default))
diff --git a/src/packages/fff/fff/variant-node.mk b/src/packages/fff/fff/variant-node.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index 8c238218..00000000
--- a/src/packages/fff/fff/variant-node.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-define Package/fff-default
-	SECTION:=base
-	CATEGORY:=Freifunk
-	DEFAULT:=y
-	TITLE:=Freifunk-Franken Base default switcher
-	URL:=http://www.freifunk-franken.de
-	DEPENDS:=+fff-base +fff-node
-	VARIANT:=node
-endef
-
-define Package/fff-default/description
-	This package is used to switch on of the Freifunk Franken
-	package on per default
-endef
-
-$(eval $(call BuildPackage,fff-default))