diff --git a/tools/project.py b/tools/project.py
index ccc8059f1c..9e10cb4b26 100644
--- a/tools/project.py
+++ b/tools/project.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from argparse import ArgumentParser
 from os.path import normpath, realpath
 
 from tools.paths import EXPORT_DIR, MBED_HAL, MBED_LIBRARIES, MBED_TARGETS_PATH
+from tools.settings import BUILD_DIR
 from tools.export import EXPORTERS, mcu_ide_matrix
 from tools.tests import TESTS, TEST_MAP
 from tools.tests import test_known, test_name_known, Test
@@ -66,8 +67,7 @@ def setup_project(ide, target, program=None, source_dir=None, build=None, export
 
 
 def export(target, ide, build=None, src=None, macros=None, project_id=None,
-           clean=False, zip_proj=False, build_profile=None, export_path=None,
-           silent=False):
+           zip_proj=False, build_profile=None, export_path=None, silent=False):
     """Do an export of a project.
 
     Positional arguments:
@@ -89,9 +89,9 @@ def export(target, ide, build=None, src=None, macros=None, project_id=None,
 
     zip_name = name+".zip" if zip_proj else None
 
-    return export_project(src, project_dir, target, ide, clean=clean, name=name,
-                   macros=macros, libraries_paths=lib, zip_proj=zip_name,
-                   build_profile=build_profile, silent=silent)
+    return export_project(src, project_dir, target, ide, name=name,
+                          macros=macros, libraries_paths=lib, zip_proj=zip_name,
+                          build_profile=build_profile, silent=silent)
 
 
 def main():
@@ -238,10 +238,12 @@ def main():
     if options.mcu not in exporter.TARGETS:
         args_error(parser, "%s not supported by %s"%(options.mcu,options.ide))
     profile = extract_profile(parser, options, toolchain_name)
+    if options.clean:
+        rmtree(BUILD_DIR)
     export(options.mcu, options.ide, build=options.build,
            src=options.source_dir, macros=options.macros,
-           project_id=options.program, clean=options.clean,
-           zip_proj=zip_proj, build_profile=profile)
+           project_id=options.program, zip_proj=zip_proj,
+           build_profile=profile)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/tools/project_api.py b/tools/project_api.py
index dc5871f217..39a3e2460a 100644
--- a/tools/project_api.py
+++ b/tools/project_api.py
@@ -134,11 +134,10 @@ def zip_export(file_name, prefix, resources, project_files, inc_repos):
 
 
 
-def export_project(src_paths, export_path, target, ide,
-                   libraries_paths=None, linker_script=None, clean=False,
-                   notify=None, verbose=False, name=None, inc_dirs=None,
-                   jobs=1, silent=False, extra_verbose=False, config=None,
-                   macros=None, zip_proj=None, inc_repos=False,
+def export_project(src_paths, export_path, target, ide, libraries_paths=None,
+                   linker_script=None, notify=None, verbose=False, name=None,
+                   inc_dirs=None, jobs=1, silent=False, extra_verbose=False,
+                   config=None, macros=None, zip_proj=None, inc_repos=False,
                    build_profile=None):
     """Generates a project file and creates a zip archive if specified
 
@@ -151,7 +150,6 @@ def export_project(src_paths, export_path, target, ide,
     Keyword Arguments:
     libraries_paths - paths to additional libraries
     linker_script - path to the linker script for the specified target
-    clean - removes the export_path if it exists
     notify - function is passed all events, and expected to handle notification
       of the user, emit the events to a log, etc.
     verbose - assigns the notify function to toolchains print_notify_verbose
@@ -183,19 +181,16 @@ def export_project(src_paths, export_path, target, ide,
         src_paths = {"": paths}
 
     # Export Directory
-    if exists(export_path) and clean:
-        rmtree(export_path)
     if not exists(export_path):
         makedirs(export_path)
 
     _, toolchain_name = get_exporter_toolchain(ide)
 
     # Pass all params to the unified prepare_resources()
-    toolchain = prepare_toolchain(paths, target, toolchain_name,
-                                  macros=macros, clean=clean, jobs=jobs,
-                                  notify=notify, silent=silent, verbose=verbose,
-                                  extra_verbose=extra_verbose, config=config,
-                                  build_profile=build_profile)
+    toolchain = prepare_toolchain(paths, target, toolchain_name, macros=macros,
+                                  jobs=jobs, notify=notify, silent=silent,
+                                  verbose=verbose, extra_verbose=extra_verbose,
+                                  config=config, build_profile=build_profile)
     # The first path will give the name to the library
     if name is None:
         name = basename(normpath(abspath(src_paths[0])))