diff --git a/rbutil/mkamsboot/Makefile b/rbutil/mkamsboot/Makefile
index 3b4cc11404..8f4953a9e3 100644
--- a/rbutil/mkamsboot/Makefile
+++ b/rbutil/mkamsboot/Makefile
@@ -25,18 +25,17 @@ endif
 endif
 endif
 
-CC?= gcc
 
 ifdef RBARCH
 CFLAGS += -arch $(RBARCH)
 endif
 
-OUT = build$(RBARCH)
+OUT = $(TARGET_DIR)build$(RBARCH)
 
 all: $(OUTPUT)
 
 $(LIBUCL):
-	make -C ../../tools/ucl/src libucl.a
+	make -C ../../tools/ucl/src $(TARGET_DIR)libucl.a
 
 # This file can be generated in the dualboot/ directory
 $(OUT)/dualboot.o: dualboot.c
@@ -55,27 +54,27 @@ $(OUT)/libmkamsboot.o: mkamsboot.c dualboot.h md5.h
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -DLIB -c -o $(OUT)/libmkamsboot.o -W -Wall mkamsboot.c
 
 libmkamsboot$(RBARCH).a: $(OUT) $(OUT)/libmkamsboot.o $(OUT)/md5.o $(OUT)/dualboot.o
-	$(AR) ru libmkamsboot$(RBARCH).a $(OUT)/libmkamsboot.o $(OUT)/md5.o $(OUT)/dualboot.o
+	$(AR) ru $(TARGET_DIR)libmkamsboot$(RBARCH).a $(OUT)/libmkamsboot.o $(OUT)/md5.o $(OUT)/dualboot.o
 
 # some trickery to build ppc and i386 from a single call
 ifeq ($(RBARCH),)
 libmkamsbooti386.a:
-	make RBARCH=i386 libmkamsbooti386.a
+	make RBARCH=i386 TARGET_DIR=$(TARGET_DIR) libmkamsbooti386.a
 
 libmkamsbootppc.a:
-	make RBARCH=ppc libmkamsbootppc.a
+	make RBARCH=ppc TARGET_DIR=$(TARGET_DIR) libmkamsbootppc.a
 endif    
     
 libmkamsboot-universal: libmkamsbooti386.a libmkamsbootppc.a
-	@echo lipo libmkamsboot.a
-	$(SILENT) rm -f libmkamsboot.a
-	lipo -create libmkamsbootppc.a libmkamsbooti386.a -output libmkamsboot.a    
+	@echo lipo $(TARGET_DIR)libmkamsboot.a
+	$(SILENT) rm -f $(TARGET_DIR)libmkamsboot.a
+	lipo -create $(TARGET_DIR)libmkamsbootppc.a $(TARGET_DIR)libmkamsbooti386.a -output $(TARGET_DIR)libmkamsboot.a    
     
 clean:
-	rm -f $(OUTPUT) libmkamsboot.o libmkamsboot*.a
+	rm -f $(OUTPUT) libmkamsboot.o $(TARGET_DIR)libmkamsboot*.a
 	rm -rf build*
     
-build$(RBARCH):
-	@echo MKDIR build$(RBARCH)
-	$(SILENT)mkdir build$(RBARCH)
+$(OUT):
+	@echo MKDIR $(OUT)
+	$(SILENT)mkdir $(OUT)
 
diff --git a/rbutil/rbutilqt/rbutilqt.pro b/rbutil/rbutilqt/rbutilqt.pro
index 78c399ebd7..cdae11dc5c 100644
--- a/rbutil/rbutilqt/rbutilqt.pro
+++ b/rbutil/rbutilqt/rbutilqt.pro
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+
+
+# ccache
 unix:!mac {
     CCACHE = $$system(which ccache)
     !isEmpty(CCACHE) {
@@ -7,10 +10,10 @@ unix:!mac {
     }
 }
 
-OBJECTS_DIR = build/o
-UI_DIR = build/ui
-MOC_DIR = build/moc
-RCC_DIR = build/rcc
+OBJECTS_DIR = $$OUT_PWD/build/o
+UI_DIR = $$OUT_PWD/build/ui
+MOC_DIR = $$OUT_PWD/build/moc
+RCC_DIR = $$OUT_PWD/build/rcc
 
 # check version of Qt installation
 VER = $$find(QT_VERSION, ^4\.[3-9]+.*)
@@ -20,12 +23,17 @@ isEmpty(VER) {
 }
 message("Qt version used:" $$VER)
 
+RBBASE_DIR = $$_PRO_FILE_PWD_
+RBBASE_DIR = $$replace(RBBASE_DIR,/rbutil/rbutilqt,)
+
+message("Rockbox Base dir: "$$RBBASE_DIR)
+
 # add a custom rule for pre-building librbspeex
 !mac {
-rbspeex.commands = @$(MAKE) -C ../../tools/rbspeex librbspeex.a
+rbspeex.commands = @$(MAKE) TARGET_DIR=$$OUT_PWD/ -C $$RBBASE_DIR/tools/rbspeex librbspeex.a
 }
 mac {
-rbspeex.commands = @$(MAKE) -C ../../tools/rbspeex librbspeex-universal
+rbspeex.commands = @$(MAKE) TARGET_DIR=$$OUT_PWD/ -C $$RBBASE_DIR/tools/rbspeex librbspeex-universal
 }
 QMAKE_EXTRA_TARGETS += rbspeex
 PRE_TARGETDEPS += rbspeex
@@ -36,7 +44,7 @@ tags.depends = $(SOURCES)
 QMAKE_EXTRA_TARGETS += tags
 
 # add a custom rule for making the translations
-lrelease.commands = $$[QT_INSTALL_BINS]/lrelease -silent rbutilqt.pro
+lrelease.commands = $$[QT_INSTALL_BINS]/lrelease -silent $$_PRO_FILE_
 QMAKE_EXTRA_TARGETS += lrelease
 !dbg {
     PRE_TARGETDEPS += lrelease
@@ -44,20 +52,20 @@ QMAKE_EXTRA_TARGETS += lrelease
 
 #custom rules for libucl.a
 !mac {
-libucl.commands = @$(MAKE) -C ../../tools/ucl/src libucl.a
+libucl.commands = @$(MAKE) TARGET_DIR=$$OUT_PWD/ -C $$RBBASE_DIR/tools/ucl/src libucl.a
 }
 mac {
-libucl.commands = @$(MAKE) -C ../../tools/ucl/src libucl-universal
+libucl.commands = @$(MAKE) TARGET_DIR=$$OUT_PWD/ -C $$RBBASE_DIR/tools/ucl/src libucl-universal
 }
 QMAKE_EXTRA_TARGETS += libucl
 PRE_TARGETDEPS += libucl
 
 #custom rules for libmkamsboot.a
 !mac {
-libmkamsboot.commands = @$(MAKE) -C ../mkamsboot libmkamsboot.a
+libmkamsboot.commands = @$(MAKE) TARGET_DIR=$$OUT_PWD/ -C $$RBBASE_DIR/rbutil/mkamsboot libmkamsboot.a
 }
 mac {
-libmkamsboot.commands = @$(MAKE) -C ../mkamsboot libmkamsboot-universal
+libmkamsboot.commands = @$(MAKE) TARGET_DIR=$$OUT_PWD/ -C $$RBBASE_DIR/rbutil/mkamsboot libmkamsboot-universal
 }
 QMAKE_EXTRA_TARGETS += libmkamsboot
 PRE_TARGETDEPS += libmkamsboot
@@ -167,10 +175,10 @@ HEADERS += rbutilqt.h \
  ../../tools/iriver.h 
  
 # Needed by QT on Win
-INCLUDEPATH = . irivertools zip zlib ../ipodpatcher ../sansapatcher ../../tools/rbspeex ../../tools
-INCLUDEPATH += base
+INCLUDEPATH = $$_PRO_FILE_PWD_ $$_PRO_FILE_PWD_/irivertools $$_PRO_FILE_PWD_/zip $$_PRO_FILE_PWD_/zlib $$_PRO_FILE_PWD_/base
+INCLUDEPATH += $$RBBASE_DIR/rbutil/ipodpatcher $$RBBASE_DIR/rbutil/sansapatcher $$RBBASE_DIR/tools/rbspeex $$RBBASE_DIR/tools
 
-LIBS += -L../../tools/rbspeex -lrbspeex -L../mkamsboot -lmkamsboot -L../../tools/ucl/src/ -lucl
+LIBS += -L$$OUT_PWD -lrbspeex -lmkamsboot -lucl
 
 TEMPLATE = app
 dbg {
@@ -201,12 +209,12 @@ FORMS += rbutilqtfrm.ui \
  sysinfofrm.ui \
  systracefrm.ui
 
-RESOURCES += rbutilqt.qrc
+RESOURCES += $$_PRO_FILE_PWD_/rbutilqt.qrc
 win32 {
-    RESOURCES += rbutilqt-win.qrc
+    RESOURCES += $$_PRO_FILE_PWD_/rbutilqt-win.qrc
 }
 !dbg {
-    RESOURCES += rbutilqt-lang.qrc
+    RESOURCES += $$_PRO_FILE_PWD_/rbutilqt-lang.qrc
 }
 
 TRANSLATIONS += lang/rbutil_de.ts \
diff --git a/tools/rbspeex/Makefile b/tools/rbspeex/Makefile
index a82e80e017..41bf775d38 100644
--- a/tools/rbspeex/Makefile
+++ b/tools/rbspeex/Makefile
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ endif
 # This sets up 'SRC' based on the files mentioned in SOURCES
 SRC := $(shell cat $(SPEEXSRC)/SOURCES | $(CC) $(CFLAGS) -E -P - | grep -v "^\#" | grep -v "^$$")
 
-OUT = build$(RBARCH)
+OUT = $(TARGET_DIR)build$(RBARCH)
 SOURCES = $(SRC:%.c=$(SPEEXSRC)/%.c) rbspeex.c rbspeexenc.c rbspeexdec.c
 OBJS = $(addprefix $(OUT)/,$(SRC:%.c=%.o))
 DEPFILE = $(OUT)/dep-speex
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ DIRS =
 all: ../rbspeexenc ../rbspeexdec
 
 $(DEPFILE): $(SOURCES)
-	@echo MKDIR build$(RBARCH)
-	$(SILENT)mkdir -p build$(RBARCH)
+	@echo MKDIR $(OUT)
+	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(OUT)
 	@echo Creating dependencies
 	$(SILENT)rm -f $(DEPFILE)
 	$(SILENT)(for each in $(SOURCES) x; do \
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ $(OUT)/librbspeex.a: $(OBJS) $(DEPFILE) $(OUT)/rbspeex.o
 	$(SILENT)$(AR) ruv $@ $+ > /dev/null 2>&1
 
 librbspeex$(RBARCH).a: $(OUT)/librbspeex.a
-	$(SILENT)cp $(OUT)/librbspeex.a librbspeex$(RBARCH).a
+	$(SILENT)cp $(OUT)/librbspeex.a $(TARGET_DIR)librbspeex$(RBARCH).a
 
 ../rbspeexenc: $(OBJS) $(OUT)/rbspeexenc.o librbspeex$(RBARCH).a
 	@echo Linking ../rbspeexenc
@@ -86,22 +86,22 @@ librbspeex$(RBARCH).a: $(OUT)/librbspeex.a
 # some trickery to build ppc and i386 from a single call
 ifeq ($(RBARCH),)
 librbspeexi386.a:
-	make RBARCH=i386 librbspeexi386.a
+	make RBARCH=i386 TARGET_DIR=$(TARGET_DIR) librbspeexi386.a
 
 librbspeexppc.a:
-	make RBARCH=ppc librbspeexppc.a
+	make RBARCH=ppc TARGET_DIR=$(TARGET_DIR) librbspeexppc.a
 endif
 
 librbspeex-universal: librbspeexi386.a librbspeexppc.a
 	@echo lipo librbspeex.a
-	$(SILENT) rm -f librbspeex.a
-	lipo -create librbspeexppc.a librbspeexi386.a -output librbspeex.a
+	$(SILENT) rm -f $(TARGET_DIR)librbspeex.a
+	lipo -create $(TARGET_DIR)librbspeexppc.a $(TARGET_DIR)librbspeexi386.a -output $(TARGET_DIR)librbspeex.a
 
 clean:
-	rm -f $(OBJS) librbspeex* ../rbspeexenc ../rbspeexdec dep-speex
+	rm -f $(OBJS) $(TARGET_DIR)librbspeex* ../rbspeexenc ../rbspeexdec $(TARGET_DIR)dep-speex
 	rm -rf build*
 
-build$(RBARCH):
-	@echo MKDIR build$(RBARCH)
-	$(SILENT)mkdir build$(RBARCH)
+$(OUT):
+	@echo MKDIR $(OUT)
+	$(SILENT)mkdir $(OUT)
 
diff --git a/tools/ucl/src/Makefile b/tools/ucl/src/Makefile
index b4b841a4f1..147959aaa1 100644
--- a/tools/ucl/src/Makefile
+++ b/tools/ucl/src/Makefile
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ ifdef RBARCH
 CFLAGS += -arch $(RBARCH)
 endif
 
-OUT = build$(RBARCH)
+
+OUT = $(TARGET_DIR)build$(RBARCH)
 
 SOURCES = alloc.c io.c n2b_99.c n2b_d.c n2b_ds.c n2b_to.c n2d_99.c	\
 	n2d_d.c n2d_ds.c n2d_to.c n2e_99.c n2e_d.c n2e_ds.c n2e_to.c ucl_crc.c	\
@@ -30,8 +31,8 @@ OBJS = $(OUT)/alloc.o $(OUT)/io.o $(OUT)/n2b_99.o $(OUT)/n2b_d.o $(OUT)/n2b_ds.o
 # we don't use $(AR) and $(RANLIB) below since we want the _native_ tools
 # not the cross-compiler tools
 libucl$(RBARCH).a: $(OUT) $(OBJS)
-	$(SILENT)ar ruv $@ $(OBJS) >/dev/null 2>&1
-	$(SILENT)ranlib $@
+	$(SILENT)ar ruv $(TARGET_DIR)$@ $(OBJS) >/dev/null 2>&1
+	$(SILENT)ranlib $(TARGET_DIR)$@
 
 $(OUT)/%.o: %.c
 	@echo CC $<
@@ -40,22 +41,22 @@ $(OUT)/%.o: %.c
 # some trickery to build ppc and i386 from a single call
 ifeq ($(RBARCH),)
 libucli386.a:
-	make RBARCH=i386 libucli386.a
+	make RBARCH=i386 TARGET_DIR=$(TARGET_DIR) libucli386.a
 
 libuclppc.a:
-	make RBARCH=ppc libuclppc.a
+	make RBARCH=ppc TARGET_DIR=$(TARGET_DIR) libuclppc.a
 endif    
     
 libucl-universal: libucli386.a libuclppc.a
-	@echo lipo libucl.a
-	$(SILENT) rm -f libucl.a
-	lipo -create libuclppc.a libucli386.a -output libucl.a    
+	@echo lipo $(TARGET_DIR)libucl.a
+	$(SILENT) rm -f $(TARGET_DIR)libucl.a
+	lipo -create $(TARGET_DIR)libuclppc.a $(TARGET_DIR)libucli386.a -output $(TARGET_DIR)libucl.a    
     
 clean:
-	rm -f libucl*.a
+	rm -f $(TARGET_DIR)libucl*.a
 	rm -rf build*
 
-build$(RBARCH):
-	@echo MKDIR build$(RBARCH)
-	$(SILENT)mkdir build$(RBARCH)
+$(OUT):
+	@echo MKDIR $(OUT)
+	$(SILENT)mkdir $(OUT)