diff --git a/buildcache/build_cache.go b/buildcache/build_cache.go
index f9119ce96c8..64bb57c924a 100644
--- a/buildcache/build_cache.go
+++ b/buildcache/build_cache.go
@@ -19,20 +19,51 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/arduino/go-paths-helper"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
-// GetOrCreate retrieves or creates the cache directory for the given key inside basePath.
+const lastUsedFileName = ".last-used"
+
+// GetOrCreate retrieves or creates the cache directory at the given path
 // If the cache already exists the lifetime of the cache is extended.
-func GetOrCreate(dir *paths.Path, key string) error {
-	unusedTTL := time.Hour
-	_, err := newDirectoryCache(dir, unusedTTL).
-		GetOrCreate(key, time.Now())
-	return err
+func GetOrCreate(dir *paths.Path) error {
+	if !dir.Exist() {
+		if err := dir.MkdirAll(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return dir.Join(lastUsedFileName).WriteFile([]byte{})
 }
 
 // Purge removes all cache directories within baseDir that have expired
 // To know how long ago a directory has been last used
 // it checks into the .last-used file.
 func Purge(baseDir *paths.Path, ttl time.Duration) {
-	newDirectoryCache(baseDir, ttl).Purge()
+	files, err := baseDir.ReadDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	for _, file := range files {
+		if file.IsDir() {
+			removeIfExpired(file, ttl)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func removeIfExpired(dir *paths.Path, ttl time.Duration) {
+	fileInfo, err := dir.Join().Stat()
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	lifeExpectancy := ttl - time.Since(fileInfo.ModTime())
+	if lifeExpectancy > 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	logrus.Tracef(`Purging cache directory "%s". Expired by %s`, dir, lifeExpectancy.Abs())
+	err = dir.RemoveAll()
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Tracef(`Error while pruning cache directory "%s": %s`, dir, errors.WithStack(err))
+	}
 }
diff --git a/buildcache/build_cache_test.go b/buildcache/build_cache_test.go
index f57fcdc421e..5007be66a57 100644
--- a/buildcache/build_cache_test.go
+++ b/buildcache/build_cache_test.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func Test_UpdateLastUsedFileExisting(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func requireCorrectUpdate(t *testing.T, dir *paths.Path, prevModTime time.Time) {
-	require.NoError(t, GetOrCreate(dir.Parent(), dir.Base()))
+	require.NoError(t, GetOrCreate(dir))
 	expectedFile := dir.Join(lastUsedFileName)
 	fileInfo, err := expectedFile.Stat()
 	require.Nil(t, err)
diff --git a/buildcache/directory_cache.go b/buildcache/directory_cache.go
deleted file mode 100644
index c9762a0070f..00000000000
--- a/buildcache/directory_cache.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,100 +0,0 @@
-// This file is part of arduino-cli.
-//
-// Copyright 2020 ARDUINO SA (http://www.arduino.cc/)
-//
-// This software is released under the GNU General Public License version 3,
-// which covers the main part of arduino-cli.
-// The terms of this license can be found at:
-// https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html
-//
-// You can be released from the requirements of the above licenses by purchasing
-// a commercial license. Buying such a license is mandatory if you want to
-// modify or otherwise use the software for commercial activities involving the
-// Arduino software without disclosing the source code of your own applications.
-// To purchase a commercial license, send an email to license@arduino.cc.
-
-package buildcache
-
-import (
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/arduino/go-paths-helper"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
-	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-)
-
-const (
-	lastUsedFileName = ".last-used"
-)
-
-type directoryCache struct {
-	baseDir *paths.Path
-	ttl     time.Duration
-}
-
-func (dc *directoryCache) isExpired(key string) time.Duration {
-	modTime, _ := dc.modTime(key)
-	return dc.ttl - time.Since(modTime)
-}
-
-func (dc *directoryCache) modTime(key string) (time.Time, error) {
-	fileInfo, err := dc.baseDir.Join(key, lastUsedFileName).Stat()
-	if err != nil {
-		// folders with a missing last used file are not purged
-		return time.Now().Add(time.Minute), err
-	}
-
-	return fileInfo.ModTime(), nil
-}
-
-func (dc *directoryCache) GetOrCreate(key string, value time.Time) (time.Time, error) {
-	existing := true
-	modTime, err := dc.modTime(key)
-	if err != nil {
-		existing = false
-	}
-
-	subDir := dc.baseDir.Join(key)
-	err = subDir.MkdirAll()
-	if err != nil {
-		return modTime, err
-	}
-	err = subDir.Join(lastUsedFileName).WriteFile([]byte{})
-	if err != nil || existing {
-		return modTime, err
-	}
-	return time.Now(), nil
-}
-
-func (dc *directoryCache) Purge() error {
-	files, err := dc.baseDir.ReadDir()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	for _, file := range files {
-		if file.IsDir() {
-			dc.removeIfExpired(file)
-		}
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (dc *directoryCache) removeIfExpired(dir *paths.Path) {
-	lifeExpectancy := dc.isExpired(dir.Base())
-	if lifeExpectancy > 0 {
-		return
-	}
-	logrus.Tracef(`Purging cache directory "%s". Expired by %s`, dir, lifeExpectancy)
-	err := dir.RemoveAll()
-
-	if err != nil {
-		logrus.Tracef(`Error while pruning cache directory "%s": %s`, dir, errors.WithStack(err))
-	}
-}
-
-func newDirectoryCache(baseDir *paths.Path, ttl time.Duration) *directoryCache {
-	return &directoryCache{
-		baseDir: baseDir,
-		ttl:     ttl,
-	}
-}
diff --git a/commands/compile/compile.go b/commands/compile/compile.go
index 91975d5f101..aeea6ec61bc 100644
--- a/commands/compile/compile.go
+++ b/commands/compile/compile.go
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func Compile(ctx context.Context, req *rpc.CompileRequest, outStream, errStream
 		return nil, &arduino.PermissionDeniedError{Message: tr("Cannot create build directory"), Cause: err}
 	}
 
-	buildcache.GetOrCreate(builderCtx.BuildPath.Parent(), builderCtx.BuildPath.Base())
+	buildcache.GetOrCreate(builderCtx.BuildPath)
 	// cache is purged after compilation to not remove entries that might be required
 	defer maybePurgeBuildCache()
 
diff --git a/legacy/builder/phases/core_builder.go b/legacy/builder/phases/core_builder.go
index 1ee53f2383a..ecd2a327861 100644
--- a/legacy/builder/phases/core_builder.go
+++ b/legacy/builder/phases/core_builder.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func compileCore(ctx *types.Context, buildPath *paths.Path, buildCachePath *path
 	if buildCachePath != nil {
 		archivedCoreName := GetCachedCoreArchiveDirName(buildProperties.Get(constants.BUILD_PROPERTIES_FQBN),
 			buildProperties.Get("compiler.optimization_flags"), realCoreFolder)
-		buildcache.GetOrCreate(buildCachePath, archivedCoreName)
+		buildcache.GetOrCreate(buildCachePath.Join(archivedCoreName))
 		targetArchivedCore = buildCachePath.Join(archivedCoreName, "core.a")
 		canUseArchivedCore := !ctx.OnlyUpdateCompilationDatabase &&
 			!ctx.Clean &&