diff --git a/configure b/configure
index a6cef5e3ea4..a5a521b4d50 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -6371,6 +6371,9 @@ MAKE_RULES=Make.rules
 MAKE_DLL_RULES=dlls/Makedll.rules
 
 
+MAKE_PROG_RULES=programs/Makeprog.rules
+
+
 trap '' 1 2 15
 cat > confcache <<\EOF
 # This file is a shell script that caches the results of configure
@@ -6474,11 +6477,12 @@ ac_given_INSTALL="$INSTALL"
 
 trap 'rm -fr `echo "
 Make.rules
+dlls/Makedll.rules
+programs/Makeprog.rules
 Makefile
 console/Makefile
 controls/Makefile
 debugger/Makefile
-dlls/Makedll.rules
 dlls/Makefile
 dlls/advapi32/Makefile
 dlls/avifil32/Makefile
@@ -6667,6 +6671,8 @@ s%@GCC_NO_BUILTIN@%$GCC_NO_BUILTIN%g
 s%@MAKE_RULES@%%g
 /@MAKE_DLL_RULES@/r $MAKE_DLL_RULES
 s%@MAKE_DLL_RULES@%%g
+/@MAKE_PROG_RULES@/r $MAKE_PROG_RULES
+s%@MAKE_PROG_RULES@%%g
 
 CEOF
 EOF
@@ -6709,11 +6715,12 @@ EOF
 cat >> $CONFIG_STATUS <<EOF
 
 CONFIG_FILES=\${CONFIG_FILES-"Make.rules
+dlls/Makedll.rules
+programs/Makeprog.rules
 Makefile
 console/Makefile
 controls/Makefile
 debugger/Makefile
-dlls/Makedll.rules
 dlls/Makefile
 dlls/advapi32/Makefile
 dlls/avifil32/Makefile
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index cb91d571c68..397c2ecbc0f 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -1045,13 +1045,17 @@ AC_SUBST_FILE(MAKE_RULES)
 MAKE_DLL_RULES=dlls/Makedll.rules
 AC_SUBST_FILE(MAKE_DLL_RULES)
 
+MAKE_PROG_RULES=programs/Makeprog.rules
+AC_SUBST_FILE(MAKE_PROG_RULES)
+
 AC_OUTPUT([
 Make.rules
+dlls/Makedll.rules
+programs/Makeprog.rules
 Makefile
 console/Makefile
 controls/Makefile
 debugger/Makefile
-dlls/Makedll.rules
 dlls/Makefile
 dlls/advapi32/Makefile
 dlls/avifil32/Makefile
diff --git a/programs/.cvsignore b/programs/.cvsignore
index f3c7a7c5da6..968fe91f6a6 100644
--- a/programs/.cvsignore
+++ b/programs/.cvsignore
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 Makefile
+Makeprog.rules
diff --git a/programs/Makefile.in b/programs/Makefile.in
index 1e49f00f13c..79e84ebf121 100644
--- a/programs/Makefile.in
+++ b/programs/Makefile.in
@@ -25,10 +25,13 @@ all: $(SUBDIRS)
 
 @MAKE_RULES@
 
-install::
-	for i in $(SUBDIRS); do (cd $$i; $(MAKE) install) || exit 1; done
+$(SUBDIRS:%=%/__checklink__): dummy
+	@cd `dirname $@` && $(MAKE) checklink
 
-uninstall::
-	for i in $(SUBDIRS); do (cd $$i; $(MAKE) uninstall) || exit 1; done
+install:: $(SUBDIRS:%=%/__install__)
+
+uninstall:: $(SUBDIRS:%=%/__uninstall__)
+
+checklink:: $(SUBDIRS:%=%/__checklink__)
 
 ### Dependencies:
diff --git a/programs/Makeprog.rules.in b/programs/Makeprog.rules.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6b39e5790a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/programs/Makeprog.rules.in
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# Global rules for building a Winelib program     -*-Makefile-*-
+#
+# Each individual makefile should define the following variables:
+# MODULE       : name of the main module being built
+# EXTRALIBS    : extra libraries to link in (optional)
+# EXTRADEFS    : extra symbol definitions, like -DWINELIB (optional)
+#
+# plus all variables required by the global Make.rules.in
+#
+
+DEFS       = @DLLFLAGS@ $(EXTRADEFS)
+LDDLLFLAGS = @LDDLLFLAGS@
+ALL_OBJS   = $(OBJS) $(MODULE).spec.o
+ALL_LIBS   = -L$(TOPOBJDIR) -lwine $(EXTRALIBS) $(LIBS)
+SYMBOLFILE = $(MODULE).tmp.o
+
+all: $(MODULE)
+
+@MAKE_RULES@
+
+# Rules for main module
+
+$(MODULE).so: $(ALL_OBJS) Makefile.in
+	$(LDSHARED) $(LDDLLFLAGS) $(ALL_OBJS) -o $@ $(ALL_LIBS)
+
+$(MODULE): $(MODULE).so
+	$(RM) $(MODULE) && $(LN_S) $(TOPOBJDIR)/wine $(MODULE)
+
+# Rules for checking that no imports are missing
+
+checklink:: $(MODULE).so
+	$(CC) -o checklink $(TOPSRCDIR)/library/checklink.c $(MODULE).so $(ALL_LIBS) && $(RM) checklink
+
+# Rules for debug channels
+
+debug_channels: dummy
+	$(TOPSRCDIR)/tools/make_debug $(MODULE).spec $(C_SRCS)
+
+# Rules for installation
+
+install:: $(MODULE).so
+	[ -d $(bindir) ] || $(MKDIR) $(bindir)
+	$(INSTALL_PROGRAM) $(MODULE).so $(bindir)/$(MODULE).so
+	cd $(bindir) && $(LN_S) wine $(MODULE)
+
+uninstall::
+	cd $(bindir) && $(RM) $(MODULE) $(MODULE).so
+
+clean::
+	$(RM) $(MODULE)