diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08d4a40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#set environment variable RM_INCLUDE_DIR to the location of redismodule.h
+ifndef RM_INCLUDE_DIR
+	RM_INCLUDE_DIR=./
+endif
+
+ifndef RMUTIL_LIBDIR
+	RMUTIL_LIBDIR=rmutil
+endif
+
+ifndef SRC_DIR
+	SRC_DIR=example
+endif
+
+
+all: module.so
+
+module.so:
+	$(MAKE) -C ./$(SRC_DIR)
+	cp ./$(SRC_DIR)/module.so .
+
+clean: FORCE
+	rm -rf *.xo *.so *.o
+	rm -rf ./$(SRC_DIR)/*.xo ./$(SRC_DIR)/*.so ./$(SRC_DIR)/*.o
+	rm -rf ./$(RMUTIL_LIBDIR)/*.so ./$(RMUTIL_LIBDIR)/*.o ./$(RMUTIL_LIBDIR)/*.a
+
+FORCE:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eeb4eb5..df2366e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,9 +52,8 @@ copied from the Redis repo.
 Here's what you need to do to build your first module:
 
 0. Build Redis in a build supporting modules.
-1. Build librmutil: `cd rmutil && make`
-2. Build the example module: `cd example && make`
-3. Run redis loading the module: `/path/to/redis-server --loadmodule ./example/module.so`
+1. Build librmutil and the module by running `make`. (you can also build them seperatly by running `make` in their respective dirs)
+2. Run redis loading the module: `/path/to/redis-server --loadmodule ./module.so`
 
 Now run `redis-cli` and try the commands:
 
diff --git a/example/Makefile b/example/Makefile
index 88f4700..c731b16 100644
--- a/example/Makefile
+++ b/example/Makefile
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ endif
 CFLAGS = -I$(RM_INCLUDE_DIR) -Wall -g -fPIC -lc -lm -Og -std=gnu99  
 CC=gcc
 
-all: module.so 
+all: rmutil module.so
+
+rmutil: FORCE
+	$(MAKE) -C $(RMUTIL_LIBDIR)
 
 module.so: module.o
 	$(LD) -o $@ module.o $(SHOBJ_LDFLAGS) $(LIBS) -L$(RMUTIL_LIBDIR) -lrmutil -lc 
@@ -29,3 +32,4 @@ module.so: module.o
 clean:
 	rm -rf *.xo *.so *.o
 
+FORCE: