diff --git a/k8sdeps/transformer/prune/prune.go b/k8sdeps/transformer/prune/prune.go
index 9555a5cee..aea00b802 100644
--- a/k8sdeps/transformer/prune/prune.go
+++ b/k8sdeps/transformer/prune/prune.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func NewPruneTransformer(p *types.Prune, namespace string, append bool) transfor
 // The prune ConfigMap is used to support the pruning command in the client side tool,
 // which is proposed in https://github.com/kubernetes/enhancements/pull/810
 func (o *pruneTransformer) Transform(m resmap.ResMap) error {
-	keys := []string{}
+	var keys []string
 	for _, r := range m {
 		s := r.PruneString()
 		keys = append(keys, s)
diff --git a/pkg/commands/build/build.go b/pkg/commands/build/build.go
index 9491bff60..b8cc1254d 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/build/build.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/build/build.go
@@ -96,10 +96,11 @@ func NewCmdBuild(
 // Validate validates build command.
 func (o *Options) Validate(args []string) error {
 	if len(args) > 1 {
-		return errors.New("specify one path to " + pgmconfig.KustomizationFileNames[0])
+		return errors.New(
+			"specify one path to " + pgmconfig.KustomizationFileNames[0])
 	}
 	if len(args) == 0 {
-		o.kustomizationPath = "./"
+		o.kustomizationPath = loader.CWD
 	} else {
 		o.kustomizationPath = args[0]
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/build/build_test.go b/pkg/commands/build/build_test.go
index 792d95aac..02302a1ed 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/build/build_test.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/build/build_test.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func TestBuildValidate(t *testing.T) {
 		path  string
 		erMsg string
 	}{
-		{"noargs", []string{}, "./", ""},
+		{"noargs", []string{}, ".", ""},
 		{"file", []string{"beans"}, "beans", ""},
 		{"path", []string{"a/b/c"}, "a/b/c", ""},
 		{"path", []string{"too", "many"},
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func TestBuildValidate(t *testing.T) {
 			continue
 		}
 		if e != nil {
-			t.Errorf("%s: unknown error %v", mycase.name, e)
+			t.Errorf("%s: unknown error: %v", mycase.name, e)
 			continue
 		}
 		if opts.kustomizationPath != mycase.path {
diff --git a/pkg/loader/fileloader.go b/pkg/loader/fileloader.go
index 4fa5dca67..8b5c626fe 100644
--- a/pkg/loader/fileloader.go
+++ b/pkg/loader/fileloader.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import (
 // fileLoader is a kustomization's interface to files.
 //
 // The directory in which a kustomization file sits
-// is referred to below as the kustomization's root.
+// is referred to below as the kustomization's _root_.
 //
 // An instance of fileLoader has an immutable root,
 // and offers a `New` method returning a new loader
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ import (
 //
 //   `Load` is used to visit these paths.
 //
+//   These paths refer to resources, patches,
+//   data for ConfigMaps and Secrets, etc.
+//
 //   They must terminate in or below the root.
 //
-//   They hold things like resources, patches,
-//   data for ConfigMaps, etc.
-//
-// * bases; other kustomizations
+// * bases (other kustomizations)
 //
 //   `New` is used to load bases.
 //
@@ -82,24 +82,31 @@ type fileLoader struct {
 	// Loader that spawned this loader.
 	// Used to avoid cycles.
 	referrer *fileLoader
+
 	// An absolute, cleaned path to a directory.
-	// The Load function reads from this directory,
-	// or directories below it.
+	// The Load function will read non-absolute
+	// paths relative to this directory.
 	root fs.ConfirmedDir
+
 	// If this is non-nil, the files were
 	// obtained from the given repository.
 	repoSpec *git.RepoSpec
+
 	// File system utilities.
 	fSys fs.FileSystem
+
 	// Used to clone repositories.
 	cloner git.Cloner
+
 	// Used to clean up, as needed.
 	cleaner func() error
 }
 
+const CWD = "."
+
 // NewFileLoaderAtCwd returns a loader that loads from ".".
 func NewFileLoaderAtCwd(fSys fs.FileSystem) *fileLoader {
-	return newLoaderOrDie(fSys, ".")
+	return newLoaderOrDie(fSys, CWD)
 }
 
 // NewFileLoaderAtRoot returns a loader that loads from "/".
@@ -279,9 +286,9 @@ func (l *fileLoader) errIfRepoCycle(newRepoSpec *git.RepoSpec) error {
 	return l.referrer.errIfRepoCycle(newRepoSpec)
 }
 
-// Load returns content of file at the given relative path,
-// else an error.  The path must refer to a file in or
-// below the current root.
+// Load returns the content of file at the given path,
+// else an error.  Relative paths are taken relative
+// relative to the root.
 func (l *fileLoader) Load(path string) ([]byte, error) {
 	if filepath.IsAbs(path) {
 		return nil, l.loadOutOfBounds(path)
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/execplugin.go b/pkg/plugins/execplugin.go
index e61d5796f..e4a0f88a8 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/execplugin.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/execplugin.go
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func (p *ExecPlugin) Transform(rm resmap.ResMap) error {
 			return err
 		}
 		if len(tmpMap) != 1 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Unable to put two resources into one")
+			return fmt.Errorf("unable to put two resources into one")
 		}
 		for _, v := range tmpMap {
 			rm[id].Kunstructured = v.Kunstructured