diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b3f5a0015..2207e82fd 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -18,3 +18,5 @@ include/syscall-codes.h
 protobuf/*.c
 protobuf/*.h
 include/version.h
+arch/x86/sys-exec-tbl.c
+arch/x86/syscalls.S
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1c90a0707..4f34faf29 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -81,13 +81,18 @@ else
 endif
 
 CFLAGS		+= $(WARNINGS) $(DEFINES)
-SYSCALL-LIB	= $(SRC_DIR)/arch/$(ARCH)/syscalls.o
 PROTOBUF-LIB	= $(SRC_DIR)/protobuf/protobuf-lib.o
+SYSCALL-LIB	:= arch/$(ARCH)/syscalls.built-in.o
+ARCH-LIB	:= arch/$(ARCH)/crtools.built-in.o
 
 export E Q CC ECHO MAKE CFLAGS LIBS ARCH DEFINES MAKEFLAGS
-export SRC_DIR SYSCALL-LIB SH ARCH_DIR OBJCOPY LDARCH
+export SRC_DIR SYSCALL-LIB SH RM ARCH_DIR OBJCOPY LDARCH LD
 
 include scripts/Makefile.version
+include scripts/Makefile.rules
+#
+# shorthand
+build := -s -r -R --no-print-directory -f scripts/Makefile.build makefile=Makefile obj
 
 PROGRAM		:= crtools
 
@@ -135,12 +140,11 @@ OBJS		+= tty.o
 OBJS		+= cr-exec.o
 OBJS		+= cpu.o
 OBJS		+= file-lock.o
-OBJS		+= $(ARCH_DIR)/crtools.o
 
 DEPS		:= $(patsubst %.o,%.d,$(OBJS))
 
 .PHONY: all zdtm test rebuild clean distclean tags cscope	\
-	docs help pie protobuf $(ARCH)
+	docs help pie protobuf arch/$(ARCH)
 
 ifeq ($(GCOV),1)
 %.o $(PROGRAM): override CFLAGS += --coverage
@@ -149,15 +153,17 @@ endif
 all: pie $(VERSION_HEADER)
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) $(PROGRAM)
 
-pie: protobuf $(ARCH)
+arch/$(ARCH)/%:: protobuf
+	$(Q) $(MAKE) $(build)=arch/$(ARCH) $@
+arch/$(ARCH): protobuf
+	$(Q) $(MAKE) $(build)=arch/$(ARCH) all
+
+pie: arch/$(ARCH) protobuf
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C pie/
 
 protobuf:
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C protobuf/
 
-$(ARCH):
-	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C arch/$(ARCH)/
-
 %.o: %.c
 	$(E) "  CC      " $@
 	$(Q) $(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $< -o $@
@@ -174,7 +180,7 @@ $(ARCH):
 	$(E) "  DEP     " $@
 	$(Q) $(CC) -M -MT $@ -MT $(patsubst %.d,%.o,$@) $(CFLAGS) $< -o $@
 
-$(PROGRAM): $(OBJS) $(SYSCALL-LIB) $(PROTOBUF-LIB)
+$(PROGRAM): $(OBJS) $(SYSCALL-LIB) $(ARCH-LIB) $(PROTOBUF-LIB)
 	$(E) "  LINK    " $@
 	$(Q) $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $^ $(LIBS) -o $@
 
@@ -195,6 +201,7 @@ rebuild:
 clean:
 	$(E) "  CLEAN"
 	$(Q) $(RM) $(VERSION_HEADER)
+	$(Q) $(MAKE) $(build)=arch/$(ARCH) clean
 	$(Q) $(RM) ./*.o
 	$(Q) $(RM) ./*.d
 	$(Q) $(RM) ./*.i
@@ -208,7 +215,6 @@ clean:
 	$(Q) $(RM) -r ./test/lib/
 	$(Q) $(RM) -r ./test/lib64/
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C protobuf/ clean
-	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C arch/$(ARCH)/ clean
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C pie/ clean
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C test/zdtm cleandep
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C test/zdtm clean
diff --git a/arch/arm/Makefile b/arch/arm/Makefile
index 847e1061e..588ff0029 100644
--- a/arch/arm/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/Makefile
@@ -1,57 +1,57 @@
-SYS-DEF		:= $(ARCH_DIR)/syscall.def
-SYS-ASM-COMMON	:= syscall-common.S
-SYS-TYPES	:= $(SRC_DIR)/include/syscall-types.h
-
-SYS-CODES	:= $(SRC_DIR)/include/syscall-codes.h
-SYS-PROTO	:= $(SRC_DIR)/include/syscall.h
+targets		+= syscalls
+targets		+= crtools
 
 SYS-ASM		:= syscalls.S
-SYS-GEN		:= $(ARCH_DIR)/gen-syscalls.pl
-SYS-GEN-TBL	:= $(ARCH_DIR)/gen-sys-exec-tbl.pl
 
-SYS-OBJ		:= syscalls.o
+syscalls-asm-y	+= $(SYS-ASM:.S=).o
+crtools-obj-y	+= crtools.o
+
+SYS-DEF		:= syscall.def
+SYS-ASM-COMMON	:= syscall-common.S
+SYS-TYPES	:= include/syscall-types.h
+
+SYS-CODES	:= include/syscall-codes.h
+SYS-PROTO	:= include/syscall.h
+
+SYS-GEN		:= gen-syscalls.pl
+SYS-GEN-TBL	:= gen-sys-exec-tbl.pl
 
 SYS-EXEC-TBL	:= sys-exec-tbl.c
 
-CFLAGS		+= -c -fpie -Wstrict-prototypes -Wa,--noexecstack -D__ASSEMBLY__ -nostdlib -fomit-frame-pointer -I$(shell pwd)
+CFLAGS		+= -fpie -Wstrict-prototypes -Wa,--noexecstack
+CFLAGS		+= -nostdlib -fomit-frame-pointer -I$(obj)
+ASMFLAGS	+= -D__ASSEMBLY__
 
 ARCH_BITS	:= 32
 
-.DEFAULT_GOAL	:= arm
-
-$(SYS-ASM): $(SYS-GEN) $(SYS-DEF) $(SYS-ASM-COMMON) $(SYS-TYPES)
+$(obj)/$(SYS-ASM): $(obj)/$(SYS-GEN) $(obj)/$(SYS-DEF) $(obj)/$(SYS-ASM-COMMON) $(SYS-TYPES)
 	$(E) "  GEN     " $@
 	$(Q) perl			\
-		$(SYS-GEN)		\
-		$(SYS-DEF)		\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-GEN)	\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-DEF)	\
 		$(SYS-CODES)		\
 		$(SYS-PROTO)		\
-		$(SYS-ASM)		\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-ASM)	\
 		$(SYS-ASM-COMMON)	\
 		$(SYS-TYPES)		\
 		$(ARCH_BITS)
 
+$(obj)/syscalls.o: $(obj)/$(SYS-ASM)
+
 $(SYS-EXEC-TBL): $(SYS-GEN-TBL) $(SYS-DEF)
 	$(E) "  GEN     " $@
 	$(Q) perl			\
-		$(SYS-GEN-TBL)		\
-		$(SYS-DEF)		\
-		$(SYS-EXEC-TBL)		\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-GEN-TBL)	\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-DEF)	\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-EXEC-TBL)	\
 		$(ARCH_BITS)
 
-%.o: %.S
-	$(E) "  CC      " $@
-	$(Q) $(CC) $(CFLAGS)  $^ -o $@
+_all += $(obj)/$(SYS-EXEC-TBL)
 
-arm: $(SYS-OBJ) $(SYS-EXEC-TBL)
+cleanup-y += $(obj)/$(SYS-EXEC-TBL) $(obj)/$(SYS-ASM)
+cleanup-y += $(SYS-CODES)
+cleanup-y += $(SYS-PROTO)
 
-clean:
-	$(E) "  CLEAN SYSCALLS"
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f $(SYS-ASM)
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f $(SYS-CODES)
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f $(SYS-PROTO)
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f $(SYS-OBJ)
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f $(SYS-EXEC-TBL)
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f *.o *.d
-
-.PHONY: clean arm
+ifneq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),clean)
+incdeps := y
+endif
diff --git a/arch/x86/Makefile b/arch/x86/Makefile
index 3e8df6047..6b7b6125a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/Makefile
+++ b/arch/x86/Makefile
@@ -1,52 +1,52 @@
-SYS-DEF		:= $(ARCH_DIR)/syscall-x86-64.def
-SYS-ASM-COMMON	:= syscall-common-x86-64.S
-SYS-TYPES	:= $(SRC_DIR)/include/syscall-types.h
-
-SYS-CODES	:= $(SRC_DIR)/include/syscall-codes.h
-SYS-PROTO	:= $(SRC_DIR)/include/syscall.h
+targets		+= syscalls
+targets		+= crtools
 
 SYS-ASM		:= syscalls.S
-SYS-GEN		:= syscalls-x86-64.sh
 
-SYS-OBJ		:= syscalls.o
+syscalls-asm-y	+= $(SYS-ASM:.S=).o
+crtools-obj-y	+= crtools.o
+
+SYS-DEF		:= syscall-x86-64.def
+SYS-ASM-COMMON	:= syscall-common-x86-64.S
+
+SYS-TYPES	:= include/syscall-types.h
+SYS-CODES	:= include/syscall-codes.h
+SYS-PROTO	:= include/syscall.h
+
+SYS-GEN		:= syscalls-x86-64.sh
 
 SYS-EXEC-TBL	:= sys-exec-tbl.c
 
-CFLAGS		+= -c -fpie -Wstrict-prototypes -Wa,--noexecstack -D__ASSEMBLY__ -nostdlib -fomit-frame-pointer -I$(shell pwd)
+CFLAGS		+= -fpie -Wstrict-prototypes -Wa,--noexecstack
+CFLAGS		+= -nostdlib -fomit-frame-pointer -I$(obj)
+ASMFLAGS	+= -D__ASSEMBLY__
 
-.DEFAULT_GOAL	:= x86
-
-$(SYS-ASM): $(SYS-GEN) $(SYS-DEF) $(SYS-ASM-COMMON) $(SYS-TYPES)
+$(obj)/$(SYS-ASM): $(obj)/$(SYS-GEN) $(obj)/$(SYS-DEF) $(obj)/$(SYS-ASM-COMMON) $(SYS-TYPES)
 	$(E) "  GEN     " $@
-	$(Q) $(SH)			\
-		$(SYS-GEN) --asm	\
-		$(SYS-DEF)		\
-		$(SYS-CODES)		\
-		$(SYS-PROTO)		\
-		$(SYS-ASM)		\
-		$(SYS-ASM-COMMON)	\
+	$(Q) $(SH)				\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-GEN) --asm		\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-DEF)		\
+		$(SYS-CODES)			\
+		$(SYS-PROTO)			\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-ASM)		\
+		$(SYS-ASM-COMMON)		\
 		$(SYS-TYPES)
 
-$(SYS-EXEC-TBL): $(SYS-GEN) $(SYS-DEF)
+$(obj)/syscalls.o: $(obj)/$(SYS-ASM)
+
+$(obj)/$(SYS-EXEC-TBL): $(obj)/$(SYS-GEN) $(obj)/$(SYS-DEF)
 	$(E) "  GEN     " $@
-	$(Q) $(SH)			\
-		$(SYS-GEN) --exec	\
-		$(SYS-DEF)		\
-		$(SYS-EXEC-TBL)
+	$(Q) $(SH)				\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-GEN) --exec	\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-DEF)		\
+		$(obj)/$(SYS-EXEC-TBL)
 
-%.o: %.S
-	$(E) "  CC      " $@
-	$(Q) $(CC) $(CFLAGS)  $^ -o $@
+_all += $(obj)/$(SYS-EXEC-TBL)
 
-x86: $(SYS-OBJ) $(SYS-EXEC-TBL)
+cleanup-y += $(obj)/$(SYS-EXEC-TBL) $(obj)/$(SYS-ASM)
+cleanup-y += $(SYS-CODES)
+cleanup-y += $(SYS-PROTO)
 
-clean:
-	$(E) "  CLEAN SYSCALLS"
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f $(SYS-ASM)
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f $(SYS-CODES)
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f $(SYS-PROTO)
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f $(SYS-OBJ)
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f $(SYS-EXEC-TBL)
-	$(Q) $(RM) -f *.o *.d
-
-.PHONY: clean x86
+ifneq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),clean)
+incdeps := y
+endif
diff --git a/arch/x86/syscalls-x86-64.sh b/arch/x86/syscalls-x86-64.sh
index 8aafc38d0..22c81293d 100644
--- a/arch/x86/syscalls-x86-64.sh
+++ b/arch/x86/syscalls-x86-64.sh
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@
 gen_asm() {
 	in=$1
 	codesout=$2
+	codesinc=`echo $2 | sed -e 's/.*include\///g'`
 	protosout=$3
 	asmout=$4
-	asmcommon=$5
+	asmcommon=`echo $5 | sed -e 's/.*include\///g'`
 	prototypes=`echo $6 | sed -e 's/.*include\///g'`
 
-	codesdef=`echo $codesout | sed -e 's/.*\/include\///g' | tr "[[:space:]].-" _`
-	protosdef=`echo $protosout | sed -e 's/.*\/include\///g' | tr "[[:space:]].-" _`
+	codesdef=`echo $codesout | sed -e 's/.*include\///g' | tr "[[:space:]].-" _`
+	protosdef=`echo $protosout | sed -e 's/.*include\///g' | tr "[[:space:]].-" _`
 
 	echo "/* Autogenerated, don't edit */"	>  $codesout
 	echo "#ifndef $codesdef"		>> $codesout
@@ -19,10 +20,10 @@ gen_asm() {
 	echo "#ifndef $protosdef"		>> $protosout
 	echo "#define $protosdef"		>> $protosout
 	echo "#include \"$prototypes\""		>> $protosout
-	echo "#include \"$codesout\""		>> $protosout
+	echo "#include \"$codesinc\""		>> $protosout
 
 	echo "/* Autogenerated, don't edit */"	>  $asmout
-	echo "#include \"$codesout\""		>> $asmout
+	echo "#include \"$codesinc\""		>> $asmout
 	echo "#include \"$asmcommon\""		>> $asmout
 
 	cat $in | egrep -v '^#' | sed -e 's/\t\{1,\}/|/g' | awk -F '|' '{print "#define", $1, $2}'		>> $codesout
diff --git a/pie/Makefile b/pie/Makefile
index 5c691d577..f4271e266 100644
--- a/pie/Makefile
+++ b/pie/Makefile
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ ASMFLAGS	:= -D__ASSEMBLY__
 
 LIB-OBJS	:= log-simple.o blob-util-net.o
 DEPS		:= $(RESTORER-ARCH-OBJS:.o=.d) $(LIB-OBJS:.o=.d)
-LIB-OBJS	+= $(SYSCALL-LIB)
 
 $(PARASITE): $(LIB-OBJS) $(PASM-OBJS) $(PIELDS)
 $(RESTORER): $(LIB-OBJS) $(RESTORER-ARCH-OBJS) $(PIELDS)
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@ blob-util-net.o: $(SRC_DIR)/util-net.c
 
 %.bin.o: %.o
 	$(E) "  GEN     " $@
-	$(Q) $(LD) -T $(PIELDS) -o $@ $(^:$(PIELDS)=)
+	$(Q) $(LD) -T $(PIELDS) -o $@ $(^:$(PIELDS)=) ../$(SYSCALL-LIB)
 
 %.bin: %.bin.o
 	$(E) "  GEN     " $@