diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tensorflow.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tensorflow.py
index 3269b8878d..a99b94a6e4 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tensorflow.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/t/tensorflow.py
@@ -430,14 +430,10 @@ def get_system_libs(self):
 
     def setup_build_dirs(self):
         """Setup temporary build directories"""
-        # Tensorflow/Bazel needs a couple of directories where it stores build cache and artefacts
-        tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(suffix='-bazel-tf', dir=self.builddir)
-        self.output_root_dir = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'output_root')
-        self.output_base_dir = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'output_base')
-        self.output_user_root_dir = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'output_user_root')
-        self.wrapper_dir = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'wrapper_bin')
-        # This (likely) needs to be a subdir of output_base
-        self.install_base_dir = os.path.join(self.output_base_dir, 'inst_base')
+        # Path where Bazel will store its output, build artefacts etc.
+        self.output_user_root_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp(suffix='-bazel-tf', dir=self.builddir)
+        # Folder where wrapper binaries can be placed, where required. TODO: Replace by --action_env cmds
+        self.wrapper_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp(suffix='-wrapper_bin', dir=self.builddir)
 
     def configure_step(self):
         """Custom configuration procedure for TensorFlow."""
@@ -640,17 +636,14 @@ def configure_step(self):
         for (key, val) in sorted(config_env_vars.items()):
             env.setvar(key, val)
 
-        # Does no longer apply (and might not be required at all) since 1.12.0
-        if LooseVersion(self.version) < LooseVersion('1.12.0'):
-            # patch configure.py (called by configure script) to avoid that Bazel abuses $HOME/.cache/bazel
-            regex_subs = [(r"(run_shell\(\['bazel')",
-                           r"\1, '--output_base=%s', '--install_base=%s'" % (self.output_base_dir,
-                                                                             self.install_base_dir))]
+        # configure.py (called by configure script) already calls bazel to determine the bazel version
+        # Since 2.3.0 `bazel --version` is used which doesn't extract bazel, prior it did
+        # Hence make sure it doesn't extract into $HOME/.cache/bazel
+        if LooseVersion(self.version) < LooseVersion('2.3.0'):
+            regex_subs = [(r"('bazel', '--batch')",
+                           r"\1, '--output_user_root=%s'" % self.output_user_root_dir)]
             apply_regex_substitutions('configure.py', regex_subs)
 
-        # Tell Bazel to not use $HOME/.cache/bazel at all
-        # See https://docs.bazel.build/versions/master/output_directories.html
-        env.setvar('TEST_TMPDIR', self.output_root_dir)
         cmd = self.cfg['preconfigopts'] + './configure ' + self.cfg['configopts']
         run_cmd(cmd, log_all=True, simple=True)
 
@@ -733,8 +726,6 @@ def build_step(self):
 
         # Options passed to the bazel command
         self.bazel_opts = [
-            '--output_base=%s' % self.output_base_dir,
-            '--install_base=%s' % self.install_base_dir,
             '--output_user_root=%s' % self.output_user_root_dir,
         ]
         jvm_max_memory = self.cfg['jvm_max_memory']