diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
index 57756bda5..72ded27c0 100644
--- a/INSTALL
+++ b/INSTALL
@@ -12,7 +12,13 @@ directory. Quick starter: go to "freetype2-beta8", then:
 
   Unix (+GNU Make):
      
+     - make  (don't worry, this will invoke a configure script)
      - make
+
+    alternatively, you can pass parameters to the configure script
+    with the CFG variable, as in:
+  
+     - make CFG="--prefix=/usr"
      - make
 
 
diff --git a/docs/BUILD b/docs/BUILD
index 93c74633d..9cd0e6c05 100644
--- a/docs/BUILD
+++ b/docs/BUILD
@@ -30,7 +30,14 @@ I. QUICK COMMAND-LINE GUIDE:
 
      make
 
-  To compile the demo programs..
+
+  Note that on Unix, the first "make" invocation will run a configure
+  script (which is located in "freetype2/builds/unix/". You can also
+  pass parameters to this script with the CFG variable, as in:
+  
+     make CFG="--prefix=/usr/local"
+     make
+
 
   If this doesn't work, read the following..