diff --git a/pip/commands/wheel.py b/pip/commands/wheel.py
index 75d7b3156e6..0e62e203ff0 100644
--- a/pip/commands/wheel.py
+++ b/pip/commands/wheel.py
@@ -186,11 +186,6 @@ def run(self, options, args):
                     wheel_download_dir=options.wheel_dir
                 )
 
-                # make the wheelhouse
-                options.wheel_dir = normalize_path(options.wheel_dir)
-                if not os.path.exists(options.wheel_dir):
-                    os.makedirs(options.wheel_dir)
-
                 try:
                     populate_requirement_set(
                         requirement_set, args, options, logger, finder,
@@ -203,7 +198,6 @@ def run(self, options, args):
                     wb = WheelBuilder(
                         requirement_set,
                         finder,
-                        options.wheel_dir,
                         build_options=options.build_options or [],
                         global_options=options.global_options or [],
                     )
diff --git a/pip/req/req_set.py b/pip/req/req_set.py
index 2b252221dc4..5d29b558ec7 100644
--- a/pip/req/req_set.py
+++ b/pip/req/req_set.py
@@ -443,6 +443,11 @@ def prepare_files(self, finder):
         """
         Prepare process. Create temp directories, download and/or unpack files.
         """
+        # make the wheelhouse
+        if self.wheel_download_dir:
+            if not os.path.exists(self.wheel_download_dir):
+                os.makedirs(self.wheel_download_dir)
+
         self._walk_req_to_install(
             functools.partial(self._prepare_file, finder))
 
diff --git a/pip/wheel.py b/pip/wheel.py
index 57246cae702..e0b2d844a29 100644
--- a/pip/wheel.py
+++ b/pip/wheel.py
@@ -543,11 +543,11 @@ def supported(self, tags=None):
 class WheelBuilder(object):
     """Build wheels from a RequirementSet."""
 
-    def __init__(self, requirement_set, finder, wheel_dir, build_options=None,
+    def __init__(self, requirement_set, finder, build_options=None,
                  global_options=None):
         self.requirement_set = requirement_set
         self.finder = finder
-        self.wheel_dir = normalize_path(wheel_dir)
+        self.wheel_dir = requirement_set.wheel_download_dir
         self.build_options = build_options or []
         self.global_options = global_options or []
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_wheel.py b/tests/unit/test_wheel.py
index 37d4123c78d..10bd694192d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_wheel.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_wheel.py
@@ -374,8 +374,9 @@ class TestWheelBuilder(object):
     def test_skip_building_wheels(self, caplog):
         with patch('pip.wheel.WheelBuilder._build_one') as mock_build_one:
             wheel_req = Mock(is_wheel=True, editable=False)
-            reqset = Mock(requirements=Mock(values=lambda: [wheel_req]))
-            wb = wheel.WheelBuilder(reqset, Mock(), '/wheel/dir')
+            reqset = Mock(requirements=Mock(values=lambda: [wheel_req]),
+                          wheel_download_dir='/wheel/dir')
+            wb = wheel.WheelBuilder(reqset, Mock())
             wb.build()
             assert "due to already being wheel" in caplog.text()
             assert mock_build_one.mock_calls == []
@@ -383,8 +384,9 @@ def test_skip_building_wheels(self, caplog):
     def test_skip_building_editables(self, caplog):
         with patch('pip.wheel.WheelBuilder._build_one') as mock_build_one:
             editable_req = Mock(editable=True, is_wheel=False)
-            reqset = Mock(requirements=Mock(values=lambda: [editable_req]))
-            wb = wheel.WheelBuilder(reqset, Mock(), '/wheel/dir')
+            reqset = Mock(requirements=Mock(values=lambda: [editable_req]),
+                          wheel_download_dir='/wheel/dir')
+            wb = wheel.WheelBuilder(reqset, Mock())
             wb.build()
             assert "due to being editable" in caplog.text()
             assert mock_build_one.mock_calls == []