diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod/main.go
index 552b53d9..11b2b8ef 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chmod/main.go
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not convert requested mode: %s", err)
 	}
-	err = overlay.CreateSiteOverlay(overlayName)
+	err = overlay.CloneSiteOverlay(overlayName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	overlaySourceDir, _ = overlay.OverlaySourceDir(overlayName)
+	overlaySourceDir, _ = overlay.GetOverlay(overlayName)
 
 	if !util.IsDir(overlaySourceDir) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("overlay does not exist: %s", overlayName)
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chown/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chown/main.go
index f7b80c89..b32b8122 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chown/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/chown/main.go
@@ -34,11 +34,11 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	} else {
 		gid = -1
 	}
-	err = overlay.CreateSiteOverlay(overlayName)
+	err = overlay.CloneSiteOverlay(overlayName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	overlaySourceDir, _ = overlay.OverlaySourceDir(overlayName)
+	overlaySourceDir, _ = overlay.GetOverlay(overlayName)
 
 	if !util.IsDir(overlaySourceDir) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("overlay does not exist: %s", overlayName)
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/create/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/create/main.go
index 966f43f7..3ab4ba4f 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/create/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/create/main.go
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
-	err = overlay.OverlayInit(args[0])
-	return
+	_, err = overlay.CreateSiteOverlay(args[0])
+	return err
 }
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go
index 19c708b1..0b8576d7 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		fileName = args[1]
 	}
 
-	overlayPath, isSite := overlay.OverlaySourceDir(overlayName)
+	overlayPath, isSite := overlay.GetOverlay(overlayName)
 	if !isSite {
 		return fmt.Errorf("distribution overlay can't deleted")
 
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/edit/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/edit/main.go
index fa778ef9..62e8cb44 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/edit/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/edit/main.go
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
 	overlayName := args[0]
 	fileName := args[1]
 	createdSite := false
-	overlaySourceDir, isSite := overlay.OverlaySourceDir(overlayName)
+	overlaySourceDir, isSite := overlay.GetOverlay(overlayName)
 	if !isSite {
-		err = overlay.CreateSiteOverlay(overlayName)
+		err = overlay.CloneSiteOverlay(overlayName)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/imprt/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/imprt/main.go
index 21288502..d22aa115 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/imprt/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/imprt/main.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	wwlog.Verbose("Copying '%s' into overlay '%s:%s'", source, overlayName, dest)
-	overlaySource, _ = overlay.OverlaySourceDir(overlayName)
+	overlaySource, _ = overlay.GetOverlay(overlayName)
 
 	if !util.IsDir(overlaySource) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("overlay does not exist: %s", overlayName)
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/list/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/list/main.go
index 4852aaf8..1089b940 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/list/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/list/main.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	for o := range overlays {
 		name := overlays[o]
-		path, isSite := overlay.OverlaySourceDir(name)
+		path, isSite := overlay.GetOverlay(name)
 
 		if util.IsDir(path) {
 			files := util.FindFiles(path)
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/mkdir/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/mkdir/main.go
index 2c2c8206..32d16006 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/mkdir/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/mkdir/main.go
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
 
 	overlayName := args[0]
 	dirName := args[1]
-	err = overlay.CreateSiteOverlay(overlayName)
+	err = overlay.CloneSiteOverlay(overlayName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	overlaySourceDir, _ = overlay.OverlaySourceDir(overlayName)
+	overlaySourceDir, _ = overlay.GetOverlay(overlayName)
 
 	if !util.IsDir(overlaySourceDir) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("overlay does not exist: %s", overlayName)
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/show/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/show/main.go
index 2a62709b..ea3041f4 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/show/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/show/main.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	overlayName := args[0]
 	fileName := args[1]
-	overlaySourceDir, _ = overlay.OverlaySourceDir(overlayName)
+	overlaySourceDir, _ = overlay.GetOverlay(overlayName)
 
 	if !util.IsDir(overlaySourceDir) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("overlay dir: %s does not exist", overlaySourceDir)
diff --git a/internal/pkg/config/buildconfig.go.in b/internal/pkg/config/buildconfig.go.in
index e5c5c0e6..45dd5969 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/config/buildconfig.go.in
+++ b/internal/pkg/config/buildconfig.go.in
@@ -79,11 +79,11 @@ func (paths BuildConfig) OciBlobCachedir() string {
 	return path.Join(paths.Cachedir, "warewulf")
 }
 
-func (paths BuildConfig) SiteOverlaySourcedir() string {
+func (paths BuildConfig) SiteOverlaydir() string {
 	return paths.WWOverlaydir
 }
 
-func (paths BuildConfig) DistributionOverlaySourcedir() string {
+func (paths BuildConfig) DistributionOverlaydir() string {
 	return path.Join(paths.Datadir, "warewulf", "overlays")
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/configure/hostfile.go b/internal/pkg/configure/hostfile.go
index e2a0309e..1f5057e6 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/configure/hostfile.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/configure/hostfile.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 Creates '/etc/hosts' from the host template.
 */
 func Hostfile() (err error) {
-	overlaySourceDir, _ := overlay.OverlaySourceDir("host")
+	overlaySourceDir, _ := overlay.GetOverlay("host")
 	hostTemplate := path.Join(overlaySourceDir, "/etc/hosts.ww")
 	if !(util.IsFile(hostTemplate)) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("'the overlay template '/etc/hosts.ww' does not exists in 'host' overlay")
diff --git a/internal/pkg/overlay/config.go b/internal/pkg/overlay/config.go
index 60eeaab9..0d92bb92 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/overlay/config.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/overlay/config.go
@@ -13,28 +13,82 @@ import (
 	"github.com/warewulf/warewulf/internal/pkg/wwlog"
 )
 
-/*
-Return the path for the base of the overlay, adds rootfs
-prefix in the overlay dir if this it exists
-*/
-func OverlaySourceDir(overlayName string) (overlaypath string, isSite bool) {
+// GetOverlay returns the filesystem path of an overlay identified by its name,
+// along with a boolean indicating whether the returned overlayPath corresponds
+// to a site-specific overlay.
+func GetOverlay(name string) (overlayPath string, isSite bool) {
+	overlayPath = GetSiteOverlay(name)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(overlayPath); err == nil {
+		return overlayPath, true
+	}
+	overlayPath = GetDistributionOverlay(name)
+	return overlayPath, false
+}
+
+// GetDistributionOverlay returns the filesystem path of a distribution overlay
+// identified by the given name.
+func GetDistributionOverlay(name string) (overlayPath string) {
 	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
+	return getOverlay(controller.Paths.DistributionOverlaydir(), name)
+}
+
+// GetSiteOverlay returns the filesystem path of a site-specific overlay
+// identified by the given name.
+func GetSiteOverlay(name string) (overlayPath string) {
+	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
+	return getOverlay(controller.Paths.SiteOverlaydir(), name)
+}
+
+// getOverlay constructs the filesystem path of an overlay based on the given
+// overlay directory and overlay name.
+//
+// The returned path will include a "rootfs" directory if it exists.
+func getOverlay(overlaydir, name string) (overlayPath string) {
 	/* Assume using old style overlay dir without rootfs */
-	overlaypath = path.Join(controller.Paths.SiteOverlaySourcedir(), overlayName)
-	if _, err := os.Stat(path.Join(overlaypath, "rootfs")); err == nil {
+	overlayPath = path.Join(overlaydir, name)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(path.Join(overlayPath, "rootfs")); err == nil {
 		/* rootfs exists, use it. */
-		overlaypath = path.Join(overlaypath, "rootfs")
+		overlayPath = path.Join(overlayPath, "rootfs")
 	}
-	if _, err := os.Stat(overlaypath); err == nil {
-		return overlaypath, true
+	return overlayPath
+}
+
+// CreateSiteOverlay creates a new site overlay directory with the specified name.
+//
+// This function constructs the path for the new overlay based on the site's overlay directory
+// configuration and checks if the directory already exists. If the overlay already exists,
+// it returns an error. Otherwise, it creates the necessary directory structure, including a
+// rootfs directory.
+//
+// Parameters:
+//   - overlayName: The name of the site overlay to be created.
+//
+// Returns:
+//   - overlayPath: The full path to the created site overlay directory.
+//   - err: An error if the overlay already exists or if directory creation fails.
+func CreateSiteOverlay(overlayName string) (overlayPath string, err error) {
+	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
+	overlayPath = path.Join(controller.Paths.SiteOverlaydir(), overlayName)
+	if util.IsDir(overlayPath) {
+		return overlayPath, fmt.Errorf("overlay already exists: %s", overlayName)
 	}
-	overlaypath = path.Join(controller.Paths.DistributionOverlaySourcedir(), overlayName)
-	if _, err := os.Stat(path.Join(overlaypath, "rootfs")); err == nil {
-		/* rootfs exists, use it. */
-		overlaypath = path.Join(overlaypath, "rootfs")
+	overlayPath = path.Join(overlayPath, "rootfs")
+	err = os.MkdirAll(overlayPath, 0755)
+	return overlayPath, err
+}
+
+// Creates a site overlay from an existing distribution overlay.
+//
+// If the distribution overlay doesn't exist, return an OverlayDoesNotExist error.
+func CloneSiteOverlay(name string) (err error) {
+	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
+	distroPath := path.Join(controller.Paths.DistributionOverlaydir(), name)
+	sitePath := path.Join(controller.Paths.SiteOverlaydir(), name)
+	if !util.IsDir(distroPath) {
+		return &OverlayDoesNotExist{Name: name}
 	}
-	wwlog.Debug("found overlay %s in path: %s", overlayName, overlaypath)
-	return overlaypath, false
+	err = copy.DirCopy(distroPath, sitePath, copy.Content, true)
+	return err
 }
 
 // OverlayImage returns the full path to an overlay image based on the
@@ -74,16 +128,3 @@ type OverlayDoesNotExist struct {
 func (e *OverlayDoesNotExist) Error() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("overlay %s does not exist", e.Name)
 }
-
-// Creates a site overlay from an existing overlay and give back
-// OverlayDoesNotExist error if distribution overlay doesn't exsist
-func CreateSiteOverlay(name string) (err error) {
-	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
-	distroPath := path.Join(controller.Paths.DistributionOverlaySourcedir(), name)
-	sitePath := path.Join(controller.Paths.SiteOverlaySourcedir(), name)
-	if !util.IsDir(distroPath) {
-		return &OverlayDoesNotExist{Name: name}
-	}
-	err = copy.DirCopy(distroPath, sitePath, copy.Content, true)
-	return err
-}
diff --git a/internal/pkg/overlay/overlay.go b/internal/pkg/overlay/overlay.go
index 4095ffd8..d7f1f84b 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/overlay/overlay.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/overlay/overlay.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func BuildHostOverlay() error {
 	hostname, _ := os.Hostname()
 	hostData := node.NewNode(hostname)
 	wwlog.Info("Building overlay for %s: host", hostname)
-	hostdir, _ := OverlaySourceDir("host")
+	hostdir, _ := GetOverlay("host")
 	stats, err := os.Stat(hostdir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not build host overlay: %w ", err)
@@ -89,10 +89,10 @@ func FindOverlays() (overlayList []string, err error) {
 	dotfilecheck, _ := regexp.Compile(`^\..*`)
 	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
 	var files []fs.DirEntry
-	if distfiles, err := os.ReadDir(controller.Paths.DistributionOverlaySourcedir()); err == nil {
+	if distfiles, err := os.ReadDir(controller.Paths.DistributionOverlaydir()); err == nil {
 		files = append(files, distfiles...)
 	}
-	if sitefiles, err := os.ReadDir(path.Join(controller.Paths.SiteOverlaySourcedir())); err == nil {
+	if sitefiles, err := os.ReadDir(path.Join(controller.Paths.SiteOverlaydir())); err == nil {
 		files = append(files, sitefiles...)
 	}
 	for _, file := range files {
@@ -107,21 +107,6 @@ func FindOverlays() (overlayList []string, err error) {
 	return overlayList, nil
 }
 
-/*
-Creates an empty overlay
-*/
-func OverlayInit(overlayName string) error {
-	controller := warewulfconf.Get()
-	overlayPath := path.Join(controller.Paths.Sysconfdir, "overlays", overlayName)
-	if util.IsDir(overlayPath) {
-		return fmt.Errorf("overlay already exists: %s", overlayName)
-	}
-
-	err := os.MkdirAll(path.Join(overlayPath, "rootfs"), 0755)
-
-	return err
-}
-
 /*
 Build the given overlays for a node and create a Image for them
 */
@@ -192,7 +177,7 @@ func BuildOverlayIndir(nodeData node.Node, overlayNames []string, outputDir stri
 	wwlog.Verbose("Processing node/overlay: %s/%s", nodeData.Id(), strings.Join(overlayNames, "-"))
 	for _, overlayName := range overlayNames {
 		wwlog.Verbose("Building overlay %s for node %s in %s", overlayName, nodeData.Id(), outputDir)
-		overlaySourceDir, _ := OverlaySourceDir(overlayName)
+		overlaySourceDir, _ := GetOverlay(overlayName)
 		wwlog.Debug("Changing directory to OverlayDir: %s", overlaySourceDir)
 		err := os.Chdir(overlaySourceDir)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -431,7 +416,7 @@ func ScanLines(data []byte, atEOF bool) (advance int, token []byte, err error) {
 
 // Get all the files as a string slice for a given overlay
 func OverlayGetFiles(name string) (files []string, err error) {
-	baseDir, _ := OverlaySourceDir(name)
+	baseDir, _ := GetOverlay(name)
 	if !util.IsDir(baseDir) {
 		err = fmt.Errorf("overlay %s doesn't exist", name)
 		return
diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/util.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/util.go
index 59f916aa..06bcaa5a 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/util.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/util.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func getOverlayFile(n node.Node, context string, stage_overlays []string, autobu
 		build = util.PathIsNewer(stage_file, config.Get().Paths.NodesConf())
 
 		for _, overlayname := range stage_overlays {
-			overlayDir, _ := overlay.OverlaySourceDir(overlayname)
+			overlayDir, _ := overlay.GetOverlay(overlayname)
 			build = build || util.PathIsNewer(stage_file, overlayDir)
 		}
 	}