diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5ca33a1..e5c398e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,3 +6,5 @@ dist/
 MANIFEST
 localtest.py
 ChangeLog
+diffs/
+python_rhnapi.egg-info/
diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index 439bcfb..9fd31d6 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 # exclude README
+include README
+include README.rst
+include ChangeLog
+include GPL.txt
 recursive-include rhnapi *.py
 graft rhnapi/docs
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56cf050
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# makefile for spw-api-scripts
+# uses distutils files etc
+# generates changelog first
+# tabs have a special meaning in makefiles
+# vim: set noet :
+
+
+# generate source and binary RPMs
+rpms: changelog
+	python setup.py bdist_rpm 
+
+changelog:
+	git log --format="%ci [%h] - %an <%aE>%n%s%n%b" --date=short --no-merges > ChangeLog
+
+# generate tarball
+tarball:
+	python setup.py sdist
+
+# clean up build files
+clean:
+	find -type f -name '*.pyo' -o -name '*.pyc' | xargs rm -vf
+	rm -rvf build
+
+# clean up RPMs too
+distclean: clean
+	rm -rvf dist
+    
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 02ad1d8..1e7ecf1 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -2,13 +2,25 @@
 formats = gztar,zip
 
 [bdist_rpm]
-release = 11%{?dist}
+release = 14%{?dist}
 packager = Stuart Sears <stuart.sears@man.com>
 doc_files = rhnapi/docs/
 provides = rhnapi
 requires = python
 
 changelog = 
+    * Wed Oct 16 2013 Stuart Sears <stuart.sears@man.com> 5.4.1-14
+    - updated rhnSession.fail to log error messages rather than whole 
+      exception tracebacks. Most exceptions still dumped to stdout.
+
+    * Wed Jul 03 2013 Stuart Sears <stuart.sears@man.com> 5.4.1-13
+    - bugfix in kickstart.addCryptoKeys. Now correctly returns bool/Exception
+
+    * Fri Apr 26 2013 Stuart Sears <stuart.sears@man.com> 5.4.1-12
+    - New makefile-based build
+    - README and GPL.txt now included as docs
+    - ChangeLog generated from git at build time
+
     * Mon Nov 26 2012 Stuart Sears <stuart.sears@man.com> 5.4.1-11
     - added new decorators.py module for exception logging
     - added missing parameter in user.listDefaultSystemGroups