diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index b36b939bd..59abd97fd 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 
 	* libmve/mveplay.c: use _sleep instead of sleep on win32
 
-	* Makefile.am, README, arch/sdl/digi.c, arch/sdl/joy.c, arch/win32/Makefile.am,
-	include/byteswap.h, include/cfile.h, include/error.h,
-	libmve/Makefile.am, libmve/decoders.h, main/Makefile.am,
-	main/endlevel.c, main/endlevel.h, main/playsave.c,
-	misc/fileutil.c: comments/formatting/dist problems
+	* Makefile.am, README, README.utils, arch/sdl/digi.c,
+	arch/sdl/joy.c, arch/win32/Makefile.am, include/byteswap.h,
+	include/cfile.h, include/error.h, libmve/Makefile.am,
+	libmve/decoders.h, main/Makefile.am, main/endlevel.c,
+	main/endlevel.h, main/playsave.c, misc/fileutil.c:
+	utilities/Makefile.am: comments/formatting/dist problems
 
 	* configure.ac: use different defines for os x
 
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 9f05c5d11..4b4f1d0d1 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-SUBDIRS = 2d 3d maths mem cfile iff texmap misc arch main libmve
+SUBDIRS = 2d 3d maths mem cfile iff texmap misc arch main libmve utilities
 
-EXTRA_SUBDIRS = include unused debian rpm utilities
+EXTRA_SUBDIRS = include unused debian rpm
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = @TARGETS@
 
diff --git a/README.utils b/README.utils
index 23eac6aaf..42da0b68f 100644
--- a/README.utils
+++ b/README.utils
@@ -39,4 +39,5 @@ Converts an encrypted txb file to an ascii tex file.
 
 To build the rest of the utilities, configure the source tree as
 normal.  Then, from within the utilities subdirectory, execute "make
-<utility>" to build just that utility, or "make" to build all of them.
+<utility>" to build just that utility, or "make utils" to build all of
+them.
diff --git a/utilities/Makefile.am b/utilities/Makefile.am
index a61d1ebb9..50b24b9e8 100644
--- a/utilities/Makefile.am
+++ b/utilities/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-bin_PROGRAMS = hogcreate hogextract mvlcreate mvlextract txb2tex tex2txb
+EXTRA_PROGRAMS = hogcreate hogextract mvlcreate mvlextract txb2tex tex2txb
 
 hogcreate_SOURCES = hogcreate.c
 
@@ -11,3 +11,7 @@ mvlextract_SOURCES = mvlextract.c
 txb2tex_SOURCES = txb2tex.c
 
 tex2txb_SOURCES = tex2txb.c
+
+utils: $(EXTRA_PROGRAMS)
+
+.PHONY: utils