diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0f69b5c..6f6c5fb 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+# build system
+.built
+.released
+.stripped
+.tested
+
 # ---> Rust
 # Generated by Cargo
 # will have compiled files and executables
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3d57864..ef1f475 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -10,23 +10,20 @@ TEST_FILES=Tacview-20210606-222650-DCS-ATRM_2.7.0.443.txt.acmi Tacview-20210606-
 
 default: release
 
-build:
+.built: src/lib.rs src/main.rs Cargo.toml
 	cargo build --release --target x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
 	cargo build --release --target x86_64-pc-windows-gnu
+	touch .built
 
-strip: build
+build: .built
+
+.stripped: .built
 	strip ${BIN_LINUX} ${BIN_WINDOWS}
+	touch .stripped
 
-release: test
-	rm -rf release;
-	mkdir -p release/{windows,linux}/tacview-splitter-${VERSION};
-	cp ${BIN_LINUX} release/linux/tacview-splitter-${VERSION}
-	cp ${BIN_WINDOWS} release/windows/tacview-splitter-${VERSION}
-	cd release/linux; tar -zcvf ${RELEASE_LINUX} tacview-splitter-${VERSION}; cp ${RELEASE_LINUX} ..
-	cd release/windows; 7z a ${RELEASE_WINDOWS} tacview-splitter-${VERSION}; cp ${RELEASE_WINDOWS} ..
-	cd release; rm -rf linux windows; sha256sum ${RELEASE_LINUX} ${RELEASE_WINDOWS} > sha256sums.txt
+strip: .stripped
 
-test: strip
+.tested: .stripped
 	for file in ${TEST_FILES}; do \
 		mkdir -p test; \
 		cp testfiles/$$file test; \
@@ -35,3 +32,21 @@ test: strip
 		cd ../ ; \
 		rm -rf test ; \
 	done
+	touch .tested
+
+test: .tested
+
+.released: .tested
+	rm -rf release;
+	mkdir -p release/{windows,linux}/tacview-splitter-${VERSION};
+	cp ${BIN_LINUX} release/linux/tacview-splitter-${VERSION}
+	cp ${BIN_WINDOWS} release/windows/tacview-splitter-${VERSION}
+	cd release/linux; tar -zcvf ${RELEASE_LINUX} tacview-splitter-${VERSION}; cp ${RELEASE_LINUX} ..
+	cd release/windows; 7z a ${RELEASE_WINDOWS} tacview-splitter-${VERSION}; cp ${RELEASE_WINDOWS} ..
+	cd release; rm -rf linux windows; sha256sum ${RELEASE_LINUX} ${RELEASE_WINDOWS} > sha256sums.txt
+	touch .released
+
+release: .released
+
+clean:
+	rm -rf release target test .released .tested .stripped .built