diff --git a/.cvsignore b/.cvsignore
index 9372a631..19486870 100644
--- a/.cvsignore
+++ b/.cvsignore
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 *.cache
 Makefile
+YateLocal.mak
 configure
 config.*
 yatepaths.h
diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 9d489d36..4f9dc131 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ vardir = @localstatedir@/lib/yate
 moddir = $(basedir)/modules
 scrdir = $(basedir)/scripts
 
+# include optional local make rules
+-include YateLocal.mak
+
 .PHONY: all everything
 all: engine modules clients
 
@@ -202,6 +205,7 @@ snapshot tarball: check-topdir clean tables windows apidocs
 	mkdir -p tarballs; cd ..; \
 	echo $$wd/tar-exclude >$$wd/tar-exclude; \
 	find $$wd -name Makefile >>$$wd/tar-exclude; \
+	find $$wd -name YateLocal.mak >>$$wd/tar-exclude; \
 	find $$wd/conf.d -name '*.conf' >>$$wd/tar-exclude; \
 	find $$wd -name '*.cache' >>$$wd/tar-exclude; \
 	find $$wd -name '*~' >>$$wd/tar-exclude; \
diff --git a/clients/.cvsignore b/clients/.cvsignore
index b7581a2c..d56d87c7 100644
--- a/clients/.cvsignore
+++ b/clients/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Makefile
+YateLocal.mak
 core*
 yate-*
 *.o
diff --git a/clients/Makefile.in b/clients/Makefile.in
index 35bc22b4..1ab2475b 100644
--- a/clients/Makefile.in
+++ b/clients/Makefile.in
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ exec_prefix = @exec_prefix@
 bindir = @bindir@
 moddir = @libdir@/yate
 
+# include optional local make rules
+-include YateLocal.mak
+
 .PHONY: all
 all: do-all $(LIBS) $(PROGS)
 
diff --git a/conf.d/.cvsignore b/conf.d/.cvsignore
index 39967899..9bac8cb5 100644
--- a/conf.d/.cvsignore
+++ b/conf.d/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Makefile
+YateLocal.mak
 core*
 *.conf
 *.orig
diff --git a/conf.d/Makefile.in b/conf.d/Makefile.in
index 0caf24fe..d09d8a3f 100644
--- a/conf.d/Makefile.in
+++ b/conf.d/Makefile.in
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ DESTDIR :=
 prefix = @prefix@
 confdir = @sysconfdir@/yate
 
+# include optional local make rules
+-include YateLocal.mak
+
 .PHONY: all
 all:
 
diff --git a/contrib/gtk2/.cvsignore b/contrib/gtk2/.cvsignore
index cfebb73f..6e6f6e26 100644
--- a/contrib/gtk2/.cvsignore
+++ b/contrib/gtk2/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Makefile
+YateLocal.mak
 core*
 *.o
 *.a
diff --git a/contrib/gtk2/Makefile.in b/contrib/gtk2/Makefile.in
index b938d6a5..627253e9 100644
--- a/contrib/gtk2/Makefile.in
+++ b/contrib/gtk2/Makefile.in
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@ COMPILE = $(CXX) $(DEFS) $(DEBUG) $(INCLUDES) $(CXXFLAGS)
 prefix = @prefix@
 exec_prefix = @exec_prefix@
 
-.PHONY: all clean
+# include optional local make rules
+-include YateLocal.mak
 
+.PHONY: all clean
 all: $(PROJECT)
 
 clean:
diff --git a/contrib/yrtp/.cvsignore b/contrib/yrtp/.cvsignore
index cfebb73f..6e6f6e26 100644
--- a/contrib/yrtp/.cvsignore
+++ b/contrib/yrtp/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Makefile
+YateLocal.mak
 core*
 *.o
 *.a
diff --git a/contrib/yrtp/Makefile.in b/contrib/yrtp/Makefile.in
index a08340df..b98140c2 100644
--- a/contrib/yrtp/Makefile.in
+++ b/contrib/yrtp/Makefile.in
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ LINK = $(CC) $(LDFLAGS)
 prefix = @prefix@
 exec_prefix = @exec_prefix@
 
+# include optional local make rules
+-include YateLocal.mak
+
 .PHONY: all
 all: $(LIBS) $(PROGS)
 
diff --git a/contrib/ysip/.cvsignore b/contrib/ysip/.cvsignore
index cfebb73f..6e6f6e26 100644
--- a/contrib/ysip/.cvsignore
+++ b/contrib/ysip/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Makefile
+YateLocal.mak
 core*
 *.o
 *.a
diff --git a/contrib/ysip/Makefile.in b/contrib/ysip/Makefile.in
index 717b9c9a..00f5a6c0 100644
--- a/contrib/ysip/Makefile.in
+++ b/contrib/ysip/Makefile.in
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ LINK = $(CC) $(LDFLAGS)
 prefix = @prefix@
 exec_prefix = @exec_prefix@
 
+# include optional local make rules
+-include YateLocal.mak
+
 .PHONY: all
 all: $(LIBS) $(PROGS)
 
diff --git a/engine/.cvsignore b/engine/.cvsignore
index cfebb73f..6e6f6e26 100644
--- a/engine/.cvsignore
+++ b/engine/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Makefile
+YateLocal.mak
 core*
 *.o
 *.a
diff --git a/engine/Makefile.in b/engine/Makefile.in
index 679e3e29..75118ce2 100644
--- a/engine/Makefile.in
+++ b/engine/Makefile.in
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ vardir = @localstatedir@/lib/yate
 moddir = @libdir@/yate
 confdir = @sysconfdir@/yate
 
+# include optional local make rules
+-include YateLocal.mak
+
 .PHONY: all
 all: ../$(YLIB)
 
diff --git a/modules/.cvsignore b/modules/.cvsignore
index 20aaabb7..f614520d 100644
--- a/modules/.cvsignore
+++ b/modules/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Makefile
+YateLocal.mak
 core*
 *.o
 *.a
diff --git a/modules/Makefile.in b/modules/Makefile.in
index 58698df2..8ce60d03 100644
--- a/modules/Makefile.in
+++ b/modules/Makefile.in
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ prefix = @prefix@
 exec_prefix = @exec_prefix@
 moddir = $(basedir)/modules
 
+# include optional local make rules
+-include YateLocal.mak
+
 .PHONY: all
 all: do-all $(LIBS) $(PROGS)
 
diff --git a/scripts/.cvsignore b/scripts/.cvsignore
index ac859043..be0f8d92 100644
--- a/scripts/.cvsignore
+++ b/scripts/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Makefile
+YateLocal.mak
 core*
 *.orig
 *~
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.in b/scripts/Makefile.in
index 3b96bdbf..8aca77fc 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.in
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.in
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ prefix = @prefix@
 exec_prefix = @exec_prefix@
 scrdir = $(basedir)/scripts
 
+# include optional local make rules
+-include YateLocal.mak
+
 .PHONY: all
 all:
 
diff --git a/test/.cvsignore b/test/.cvsignore
index 20aaabb7..f614520d 100644
--- a/test/.cvsignore
+++ b/test/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Makefile
+YateLocal.mak
 core*
 *.o
 *.a
diff --git a/test/Makefile.in b/test/Makefile.in
index 88dc152c..efafeeca 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.in
+++ b/test/Makefile.in
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ MODCOMP = $(COMPILE) $(MODFLAGS) $(MODSTRIP) $(LDFLAGS)
 prefix = @prefix@
 exec_prefix = @exec_prefix@
 
+# include optional local make rules
+-include YateLocal.mak
+
 .PHONY: all
 all: $(LIBS) $(PROGS)