diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2e9a02a79..5e7f09e98 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -53,13 +53,23 @@ libtool
 m4/
 autotools/
 stamp-h1
+c/dsls/lemon_prepared
+dheap
+doc/miller.1
+lhms2v
+lhmsi
+lhmslv
+lhmss
+lhmsv
+mlr-[0-9.]*.tar.*
+pk
+slls
+sllv
+test_byte_readers
 test_join_bucket_keeper
 test_lrec
 test_mlrutil
 test_parse_trie
 test_peek_file_reader
 test_string_builder
-test_byte_readers
-c/dsls/lemon_prepared
-doc/miller.1
-mlr-[0-9.]*.tar.*
+top_keeper
diff --git a/c/Makefile.am b/c/Makefile.am
index e33f53174..a352edf32 100644
--- a/c/Makefile.am
+++ b/c/Makefile.am
@@ -104,42 +104,6 @@ regtest-copy:
 # Standalone mains
 # TODO: replace the interesting content with unit tests; jettison the rest
 
-dheap:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__DHEAP_MAIN__ containers/dheap.c lib/mlrutil.c
-
-slls:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__SLLS_MAIN__ containers/slls.c lib/mlrutil.c
-
-sllv:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__SLLV_MAIN__ containers/sllv.c lib/mlrutil.c
-
-hmss:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__HMSS_MAIN__ containers/hmss.c  lib/mlrutil.c
-
-lhms2v:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__LHMS2V_MAIN__ containers/lhms2v.c  lib/mlrutil.c
-
-lhmslv:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__LHMSLV_MAIN__ containers/lhmslv.c  lib/mlrutil.c containers/slls.c
-
-lhmss:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__LHMSS_MAIN__ containers/lhmss.c  lib/mlrutil.c
-
-lhmsi:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__LHMSI_MAIN__ containers/lhmsi.c  lib/mlrutil.c
-
-lhmsv:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__LHMSV_MAIN__ containers/lhmsv.c  lib/mlrutil.c
-
-lrec:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__LREC_MAIN__ containers/lrec.c  lib/mlrutil.c
-
-top_keeper:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__TOP_KEEPER_MAIN__ containers/top_keeper.c lib/mlrutil.c
-
-pk:
-	$(CCDEBUG) -D__PERCENTILE_KEEPER_MAIN__ containers/percentile_keeper.c lib/mlrutil.c
-
 ap:
 	$(CCDEBUG) -D__AP_MAIN__ cli/argparse.c containers/sllv.c containers/slls.c lib/mlrutil.c
 
diff --git a/c/containers/Makefile.am b/c/containers/Makefile.am
index 2ba288b52..58b20f47b 100644
--- a/c/containers/Makefile.am
+++ b/c/containers/Makefile.am
@@ -40,20 +40,54 @@ libcontainers_la_LIBADD=	\
 
 TESTS=			$(check_PROGRAMS)
 check_PROGRAMS=		test_join_bucket_keeper test_lrec test_parse_trie
+# TODO: replace the interesting content with unit tests; jettison the rest
+noinst_PROGRAMS=	\
+			dheap \
+			lhms2v \
+			lhmsi \
+			lhmslv \
+			lhmss \
+			lhmsv \
+			pk \
+			slls \
+			sllv \
+			top_keeper
+dheap_CPPFLAGS=		-D__DHEAP_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+dheap_LDADD=		../lib/libmlr.la
+lhms2v_CPPFLAGS=	-D__LHMS2V_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+lhms2v_LDADD=		../lib/libmlr.la
+lhmsi_CPPFLAGS=		-D__LHMSI_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+lhmsi_LDADD=		../lib/libmlr.la
+lhmslv_CPPFLAGS=	-D__LHMSLV_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+lhmslv_LDADD=		../lib/libmlr.la
+lhmslv_SOURCES=		lhmslv.c slls.c
+lhmss_CPPFLAGS=		-D__LHMSS_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+lhmss_LDADD=		../lib/libmlr.la
+lhmsv_CPPFLAGS=		-D__LHMSV_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+lhmsv_LDADD=		../lib/libmlr.la
+pk_CPPFLAGS=		-D__PERCENTILE_KEEPER_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+pk_LDADD=		../lib/libmlr.la
+pk_SOURCES=		percentile_keeper.c
+slls_CPPFLAGS=		-D__SLLS_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+slls_LDADD=		../lib/libmlr.la
+sllv_CPPFLAGS=		-D__SLLV_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+sllv_LDADD=		../lib/libmlr.la
+top_keeper_CPPFLAGS=	-D__TOP_KEEPER_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+top_keeper_LDADD=	../lib/libmlr.la
 
+test_join_bucket_keeper_CPPFLAGS=	-D__TEST_JOIN_BUCKET_KEEPER_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
 test_join_bucket_keeper_LDADD=		../input/libinput.la \
 					../mapping/libmapping.la \
 					../lib/libmlr.la \
 					libcontainers.la
-test_join_bucket_keeper_CPPFLAGS=	-D__TEST_JOIN_BUCKET_KEEPER_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
 
+test_lrec_CPPFLAGS=		-D__TEST_LREC_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
 test_lrec_LDADD=		../input/libinput.la \
 				../lib/libmlr.la \
 				libcontainers.la
-test_lrec_CPPFLAGS=	 	-D__TEST_LREC_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
 
-test_parse_trie_LDADD=		libcontainers.la
 test_parse_trie_CPPFLAGS=	-D__TEST_PARSE_TRIE_MAIN__ ${AM_CPPFLAGS}
+test_parse_trie_LDADD=		libcontainers.la
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS=	-I${srcdir}/../
 AM_CFLAGS=	-std=gnu99