diff --git a/atom.gyp b/atom.gyp
index 8cd7accc04f6..335b021c4bc8 100644
--- a/atom.gyp
+++ b/atom.gyp
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@
   },
   'target_defaults': {
     'mac_framework_dirs': [
-      '<(atom_source_root)/frameworks',
+      '<(atom_source_root)/external_binaries',
     ],
     'includes': [
        # Rules for excluding e.g. foo_win.cc from the build on non-Windows.
@@ -288,9 +288,9 @@
               'files': [
                 '<(PRODUCT_DIR)/<(product_name) Helper.app',
                 '<(PRODUCT_DIR)/<(framework_name).framework',
-                'frameworks/Squirrel.framework',
-                'frameworks/ReactiveCocoa.framework',
-                'frameworks/Mantle.framework',
+                'external_binaries/Squirrel.framework',
+                'external_binaries/ReactiveCocoa.framework',
+                'external_binaries/Mantle.framework',
               ],
             },
             {
@@ -330,8 +330,8 @@
                 '<(libchromiumcontent_library_dir)/libEGL.dll',
                 '<(libchromiumcontent_library_dir)/libGLESv2.dll',
                 '<(libchromiumcontent_resources_dir)/content_shell.pak',
-                'frameworks/d3dcompiler_43.dll',
-                'frameworks/xinput1_3.dll',
+                'external_binaries/d3dcompiler_43.dll',
+                'external_binaries/xinput1_3.dll',
               ],
             },
             {
@@ -601,9 +601,9 @@
           'link_settings': {
             'libraries': [
               '$(SDKROOT)/System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework',
-              'frameworks/Squirrel.framework',
-              'frameworks/ReactiveCocoa.framework',
-              'frameworks/Mantle.framework',
+              'external_binaries/Squirrel.framework',
+              'external_binaries/ReactiveCocoa.framework',
+              'external_binaries/Mantle.framework',
             ],
           },
           'mac_bundle': 1,
diff --git a/script/cibuild b/script/cibuild
index 5e7f1e5d8f92..c235ed067d5c 100755
--- a/script/cibuild
+++ b/script/cibuild
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ def main():
   rm_rf(os.path.join(SOURCE_ROOT, 'out'))
   rm_rf(os.path.join(SOURCE_ROOT, 'node_modules'))
   rm_rf(os.path.join(SOURCE_ROOT, 'frameworks'))
+  rm_rf(os.path.join(SOURCE_ROOT, 'external_binaries'))
   rm_rf(os.path.join(SOURCE_ROOT, 'vendor', 'apm', 'node_modules'))
   rm_rf(os.path.join(SOURCE_ROOT, 'vendor', 'brightray', 'vendor', 'download',
                      'libchromiumcontent'))
diff --git a/script/update-frameworks.py b/script/update-external-binaries.py
similarity index 92%
rename from script/update-frameworks.py
rename to script/update-external-binaries.py
index 89f78847ae67..c8045c28cad0 100755
--- a/script/update-frameworks.py
+++ b/script/update-external-binaries.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ FRAMEWORKS_URL = 'https://github.com/atom/atom-shell-frameworks/releases' \
 def main():
   os.chdir(SOURCE_ROOT)
   try:
-    os.makedirs('frameworks')
+    os.makedirs('external_binaries')
   except OSError as e:
     if e.errno != errno.EEXIST:
       raise
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def main():
 def download_and_unzip(framework):
   zip_path = download_framework(framework)
   if zip_path:
-    extract_zip(zip_path, 'frameworks')
+    extract_zip(zip_path, 'external_binaries')
 
 
 def download_framework(framework):
diff --git a/script/update.py b/script/update.py
index 241d746e6251..63b7b4f72185 100755
--- a/script/update.py
+++ b/script/update.py
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ SOURCE_ROOT = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(__file__)))
 def main():
   os.chdir(SOURCE_ROOT)
 
-  update_frameworks()
+  update_external_binaries()
   update_gyp()
 
 
-def update_frameworks():
-  uf = os.path.join('script', 'update-frameworks.py')
+def update_external_binaries():
+  uf = os.path.join('script', 'update-external-binaries.py')
   subprocess.check_call([sys.executable, uf])