diff --git a/gramps2/Makefile.am b/gramps2/Makefile.am
index e3c455ce0..7afda56cb 100644
--- a/gramps2/Makefile.am
+++ b/gramps2/Makefile.am
@@ -11,3 +11,10 @@ gramps: gramps.sh
 
 dist-hook: gramps.spec
 	cp gramps.spec $(distdir)
+
+.PHONY: pycheck trans
+	
+pycheck:
+	(cd src; make pycheck) 
+trans:
+	(cd src; make trans) 
diff --git a/gramps2/src/Makefile.am b/gramps2/src/Makefile.am
index 83f8fb606..4367aa2ee 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/gramps2/src/Makefile.am
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ SUBDIRS = docgen filters plugins data po calendars
 GVFSINC = @GPREF@
 CFLAGS = -fPIC -shared -O @GNOMEINC@ @CFLAGS@ @CPPFLAGS@ -I@includedir@
 LDFLAGS = @GNOMELIB@ @LDFLAGS@ -L@libdir@ @LIBS@
-CLEANFILES = ${INTLLIBS} grampslib.so
+CLEANFILES = $(INTLLIBS) grampslib.so
 MOSTLYCLEANFILES = 
 INTLLIBS= intl22.so
 
@@ -93,8 +93,9 @@ pkgpython_PYTHON = \
 	Witness.py\
 	WriteXML.py
 
-# Use GNU make's ':=' syntax for nice wildcard use.
+# Could use GNU make's ':=' syntax for nice wildcard use.
 # If not using GNU make, then list all files individually
+# The latter is more portable and POSIX-friendly :)
 GLADEFILES = \
 	config.glade\
 	dialog.glade\
@@ -130,39 +131,42 @@ GRAPHICS = \
 	splash.jpg
 
 # Other stuff that we need to install
-pkgdata_DATA = ${INTLLIBS} ${GLADEFILES} ${GRAPHICS} gramps.desktop grampslib.so
+dist_pkgdata_DATA = $(GLADEFILES) $(GRAPHICS) gramps.desktop
+nodist_pkgdata_DATA = grampslib.so $(INTLLIBS)
 
-EXTRA_DIST = grampslib.i
+EXTRA_DIST = grampslib.i intl.c grampslib_wrap.c
 
-all: ${INTLLIBS} grampslib.so
+all-local: $(INTLLIBS) grampslib.so
 
-DIST_SOURCES = intl.c grampslib_wrap.c
-dist_pkgdata_DATA = ${pkgdata_DATA} 
-
-# These can prbably be done in a better or more elegant/generic way 
+# These can probably be done in a better or more elegant/generic way 
 # eventually (libtool?), but this works.
-intl22.so: intl.c
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) @P22_INCLUDES@ -DVER22 -o $@ intl.c
+intl22.so: $(srcdir)/intl.c
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) @P22_INCLUDES@ -DVER22 -o $@ $(srcdir)/intl.c
 
-grampslib.so: grampslib_wrap.c
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) @P22_INCLUDES@ -o $@ grampslib_wrap.c $(LDFLAGS) 
+grampslib.so: $(srcdir)/grampslib_wrap.c
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) @P22_INCLUDES@ -o $@ $(srcdir)/grampslib_wrap.c $(LDFLAGS) 
 
 # In principle the following rule slightly  violates the automake/autoconf 
 # spirit of keeping each subdirectory as a separate entity unto itself. 
 # But, since the template depends on everything from here, we allow this
 # one exception.
-trans: po/template.po
+# Build po/template.po.
+.PHONY: trans
+trans:
 	./build_po
 
-check: 
+pycheck: 
+	for d in $(SUBDIRS) ; do \
+          (cd $$d; make pycheck); \
+	done;
 	pychecker $(pkgpython_PYTHON)
-
+	
 install-data-local:
-	${INSTALL} -d ${prefix}/share/pixmaps
-	${INSTALL_DATA} gramps.png ${prefix}/share/pixmaps
-	${INSTALL} -d ${prefix}/share/gnome/apps/Applications
-	${INSTALL_DATA} gramps.desktop ${prefix}/share/gnome/apps/Applications
+	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/pixmaps
+	$(INSTALL_DATA) $(srcdir)/gramps.png $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/pixmaps
+	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/gnome/apps/Applications
+	$(INSTALL_DATA) $(srcdir)/gramps.desktop $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/gnome/apps/Applications
 
 uninstall-local:
-	-rm ${prefix}/share/pixmaps/gramps.png
-	-rm ${prefix}/share/gnome/apps/Applications/gramps.desktop
+	-rm $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/pixmaps/gramps.png
+	-rm $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/gnome/apps/Applications/gramps.desktop
diff --git a/gramps2/src/calendars/Makefile.am b/gramps2/src/calendars/Makefile.am
index fe871885a..97052dbf7 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/calendars/Makefile.am
+++ b/gramps2/src/calendars/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# This is the src/plugins level Makefile for Gramps
+# This is the src/calendars level Makefile for Gramps
 # Use GNU make's ':=' syntax for nice wildcard use.
 # If not using GNU make, then list all .py files individually
 
@@ -9,4 +9,10 @@ pkgpython_PYTHON = \
 pkgpyexecdir = @pkgpyexecdir@/plugins
 pkgpythondir = @pkgpythondir@/plugins
 
-pkgdatadir = ${datadir}/@PACKAGE@/calendars
+pkgdatadir = $(datadir)/@PACKAGE@/calendars
+
+GRAMPS_PY_MODPATH = "../"
+
+pycheck: 
+	(export PYTHONPATH=$(GRAMPS_PY_MODPATH); \
+	pychecker $(pkgpython_PYTHON));
diff --git a/gramps2/src/data/Makefile.am b/gramps2/src/data/Makefile.am
index 94f1c99ff..22fe33411 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/data/Makefile.am
+++ b/gramps2/src/data/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 # This is the src/data level Makefile
 SUBDIRS = templates
-pkgdatadir = ${datadir}/@PACKAGE@/data
+pkgdatadir = $(datadir)/@PACKAGE@/data
 
 pkgdata_DATA = gedcom.xml 
 
-EXTRA_DIST = ${pkgdata_DATA}
+EXTRA_DIST = $(pkgdata_DATA)
+
diff --git a/gramps2/src/data/templates/Makefile.am b/gramps2/src/data/templates/Makefile.am
index 6ea47c126..7733c636c 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/data/templates/Makefile.am
+++ b/gramps2/src/data/templates/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # This is the src/data/templates level Makefile
-pkgdata_DATA := ${wildcard *.tpkg} templates.xml
-
-pkgdatadir = ${datadir}/@PACKAGE@/data/templates
-EXTRA_DIST = ${pkgdata_DATA}
+pkgdata_DATA = marble.tpkg \
+	     pink_marble.tpkg \
+	     sepia.tpkg \
+	     sky_border.tpkg \
+	     templates.xml
+	     
+pkgdatadir = $(datadir)/@PACKAGE@/data/templates
+EXTRA_DIST = $(pkgdata_DATA)
diff --git a/gramps2/src/docgen/Makefile.am b/gramps2/src/docgen/Makefile.am
index 677cac05c..f3d6b4804 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/docgen/Makefile.am
+++ b/gramps2/src/docgen/Makefile.am
@@ -18,3 +18,9 @@ pkgpython_PYTHON = \
 
 pkgpyexecdir = @pkgpyexecdir@/docgen
 pkgpythondir = @pkgpythondir@/docgen
+
+GRAMPS_PY_MODPATH = "../"
+
+pycheck: 
+	(export PYTHONPATH=$(GRAMPS_PY_MODPATH); \
+	pychecker $(pkgpython_PYTHON));
diff --git a/gramps2/src/filters/Makefile.am b/gramps2/src/filters/Makefile.am
index 8a0b0c1e6..180825c60 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/filters/Makefile.am
+++ b/gramps2/src/filters/Makefile.am
@@ -23,3 +23,9 @@ pkgpython_PYTHON = \
 
 pkgpyexecdir = @pkgpyexecdir@/filters
 pkgpythondir = @pkgpythondir@/filters
+
+GRAMPS_PY_MODPATH = "../"
+
+pycheck: 
+	(export PYTHONPATH=$(GRAMPS_PY_MODPATH); \
+	pychecker $(pkgpython_PYTHON));
diff --git a/gramps2/src/plugins/Makefile.am b/gramps2/src/plugins/Makefile.am
index 05c96466b..2a8923026 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/plugins/Makefile.am
+++ b/gramps2/src/plugins/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # This is the src/plugins level Makefile for Gramps
-# Use GNU make's ':=' syntax for nice wildcard use.
+# We could use GNU make's ':=' syntax for nice wildcard use,
+# but that is not necessarily portable.
 # If not using GNU make, then list all .py files individually
-
 pkgpython_PYTHON = \
 	AncestorChart.py\
 	AncestorReport.py\
@@ -51,8 +51,12 @@ GLADEFILES = \
 	summary.glade\
 	verify.glade
 
-pkgdatadir = ${datadir}/@PACKAGE@/plugins
+pkgdatadir = $(datadir)/@PACKAGE@/plugins
 
-pkgdata_DATA = ${GLADEFILES}
-dist_pkgdata_DATA = ${pkgdata_DATA} 
+dist_pkgdata_DATA = $(GLADEFILES)
 
+GRAMPS_PY_MODPATH = "../:../docgen"
+
+pycheck: 
+	(export PYTHONPATH=$(GRAMPS_PY_MODPATH); \
+	pychecker $(pkgpython_PYTHON));
diff --git a/gramps2/src/po/Makefile.am b/gramps2/src/po/Makefile.am
index 975145e5b..0f59832ed 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/po/Makefile.am
+++ b/gramps2/src/po/Makefile.am
@@ -1,23 +1,23 @@
 # This is the src/po level Makefile configuration
-EXTRA_DIST = ${POFILES}
-CLEANFILES = ${MOFILES}
+EXTRA_DIST = $(POFILES) template.po
+CLEANFILES = $(MOFILES)
 
-all: ${MOFILES}
+all-local: $(MOFILES)
 
-install-data-local:
-	for lang in ${LANGUAGES}; do \
-	   ${INSTALL} -d ${prefix}/share/locale/$$lang; \
-	   ${INSTALL} -d ${prefix}/share/locale/$$lang/LC_MESSAGES; \
-	   ${INSTALL_DATA} $$lang.mo ${prefix}/share/locale/$$lang/LC_MESSAGES/${PACKAGE}.mo; \
+install-data-local: 
+	for lang in $(LANGUAGES); do \
+	   $(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/locale/$$lang; \
+	   $(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/locale/$$lang/LC_MESSAGES; \
+	   $(INSTALL_DATA) $$lang.mo $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/locale/$$lang/LC_MESSAGES/$(PACKAGE).mo; \
 	done	
 	
 uninstall-local:
-	for lang in ${LANGUAGES}; do \
-	   rm -f ${prefix}/share/locale/$$lang/LC_MESSAGES/gramps.mo; \
+	for lang in $(LANGUAGES); do \
+	   rm -f $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/locale/$$lang/LC_MESSAGES/gramps.mo; \
 	done
 
 
 SUFFIXES = .po .mo
 
 .po.mo:
-	${MSGFMT} -v $< -o $@
+	$(MSGFMT) -v $< -o $@