diff --git a/cmd/init.go b/cmd/init.go
index 102ff900..8b463298 100644
--- a/cmd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/init.go
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -79,6 +81,25 @@ func initEnvironment(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	fmt.Printf("\n%s\n", globals.DashLine)
 	if common.DirExists(sandboxBinary) {
 		fmt.Printf("Directory %s ($SANDBOX_BINARY) already exists\n", sandboxBinary)
+		files, err := ioutil.ReadDir(sandboxBinary)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error reading sandbox binary directory %s: %s", sandboxBinary, err)
+		}
+		// Sandbox binary directory exists.
+		// We now check whether there is any expanded tarball directory
+		numSandboxes := 0
+		for _, f := range files {
+			if f.IsDir() {
+				bin := path.Join(sandboxBinary, f.Name(), "bin")
+				if common.DirExists(bin) {
+					numSandboxes++
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if numSandboxes == 0 {
+			needDownload = true
+		}
+
 	} else {
 
 		if !dryRun {
diff --git a/common/strutils.go b/common/strutils.go
index 9d45144f..dd10cb1d 100644
--- a/common/strutils.go
+++ b/common/strutils.go
@@ -64,7 +64,19 @@ func ReplaceLiteralHome(path string) string {
 // for example, if "$HOME" resolves to "/home/goofy" the string "/home/goofy/some/path" would become "$HOME/some/path"
 func ReplaceLiteralEnvVar(name string, envVar string) string {
 	value := os.Getenv(envVar)
-	re := regexp.MustCompile(value)
+	// If the environment variable is empty, we return the initial name
+	if value == "" {
+		return name
+	}
+	// If the current location is at the top of the directory tree, we don't want to do any replacement
+	if value == "/" {
+		return name
+	}
+	// If there is already a variable in the name, no further replacement is needed
+	if strings.Contains(name, "$") {
+		return name
+	}
+	re := regexp.MustCompile(`^` + value)
 	return re.ReplaceAllString(name, "$$"+envVar)
 }
 
@@ -72,6 +84,9 @@ func ReplaceLiteralEnvVar(name string, envVar string) string {
 // for example, if "$HOME" resolves to "/home/goofy" the string "$HOME/some/path" would become "/home/goofy/some/path"
 func ReplaceEnvVar(name string, envVar string) string {
 	value := os.Getenv(envVar)
+	if value == "" || value == "/" {
+		return name
+	}
 	re := regexp.MustCompile(`\$` + envVar + `\b`)
 	return re.ReplaceAllString(name, value)
 }
diff --git a/common/strutils_test.go b/common/strutils_test.go
index a6e80adb..c8f49716 100644
--- a/common/strutils_test.go
+++ b/common/strutils_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 type pathInfo struct {
+	home     string
+	pwd      string
 	value    string
 	envVar   string
 	expected string
@@ -33,16 +35,21 @@ type pathInfo struct {
 func TestReplaceLiteralHome(t *testing.T) {
 	saveHome := os.Getenv("HOME")
 	savePWD := os.Getenv("PWD")
-	os.Setenv("HOME", "/home/Groucho")
-	os.Setenv("PWD", "/var/lib/MarxBrothers")
+	groucho := "/home/Groucho"
+	brothers := "/var/lib/MarxBrothers"
 	var paths = []pathInfo{
-		{"/home/Groucho/", "HOME", "$HOME/"},
-		{"/home/Groucho/path1/path2", "HOME", "$HOME/path1/path2"},
-		{"/home/Harpo/path1/path2", "HOME", "/home/Harpo/path1/path2"},
-		{"/var/lib/MarxBrothers/path1/path2", "PWD", "$PWD/path1/path2"},
-		{"/var/lib/MarxCousins/path1/path2", "PWD", "/var/lib/MarxCousins/path1/path2"},
+		{groucho, brothers, "/home/Groucho/", "HOME", "$HOME/"},
+		{groucho, brothers, "/home/Groucho/path1/path2", "HOME", "$HOME/path1/path2"},
+		{groucho, brothers, "/home/Harpo/path1/path2", "HOME", "/home/Harpo/path1/path2"},
+		{groucho, brothers, "/var/lib/MarxBrothers/path1/path2", "PWD", "$PWD/path1/path2"},
+		{groucho, brothers, "/var/lib/MarxCousins/path1/path2", "PWD", "/var/lib/MarxCousins/path1/path2"},
+		{groucho, "/", "/var/lib/MarxCousins/path1/path2", "PWD", "/var/lib/MarxCousins/path1/path2"},
+		{groucho, "", "/var/lib/MarxCousins/path1/path2", "PWD", "/var/lib/MarxCousins/path1/path2"},
+		{groucho, brothers, "$PWD/home/Groucho/path2", "HOME", "$PWD/home/Groucho/path2"},
 	}
 	for _, p := range paths {
+		os.Setenv("HOME", p.home)
+		os.Setenv("PWD", p.pwd)
 		value := p.value
 		envVar := p.envVar
 		expected := p.expected
@@ -50,11 +57,13 @@ func TestReplaceLiteralHome(t *testing.T) {
 		if expected == canary {
 			t.Logf("ok    %-35s %-10s =--> %-25s\n", value, "("+envVar+")", expected)
 		} else {
-			t.Logf("NOT OK %-35s %-10s =--> %-25s\n", value, "("+envVar+")", expected)
+			t.Logf("NOT OK - got %-35s %-10s =--> want %-25s\n", value, "("+envVar+")", expected)
 			t.Fail()
 		}
 	}
 	for _, p := range paths {
+		os.Setenv("HOME", p.home)
+		os.Setenv("PWD", p.pwd)
 		value := p.expected
 		envVar := p.envVar
 		expected := p.value
@@ -62,7 +71,7 @@ func TestReplaceLiteralHome(t *testing.T) {
 		if expected == canary {
 			t.Logf("ok    %-35s %-10s --=> %-25s\n", value, "("+envVar+")", expected)
 		} else {
-			t.Logf("NOT OK %-35s %-10s --=> %-25s\n", value, "("+envVar+")", expected)
+			t.Logf("NOT OK - got %-35s %-10s --=> want %-25s\n", value, "("+envVar+")", expected)
 			t.Fail()
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/common/version.go b/common/version.go
index b25c6e8d..524c5d23 100644
--- a/common/version.go
+++ b/common/version.go
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@
 package common
 
 // This file was generated during build. Do not edit.
-// Build time: 2020-07-26 19:40
+// Build time: 2020-08-07 10:52
 
-var VersionDef string = "1.53.1" // 2020-07-26
+var VersionDef string = "1.53.2" // 2020-08-07
 
 // Compatible version is the version used to mark compatible archives (templates, configuration).
 // It is usually major.minor.0, except when we are at version 0.x, when
 // every revision may bring incompatibility
-var CompatibleVersion string = "1.53.0" // 2020-07-26
+var CompatibleVersion string = "1.53.0" // 2020-08-07