diff --git a/arch/arm/compile.mk b/arch/arm/compile.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index a3d233dd..00000000
--- a/arch/arm/compile.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-
-$(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.c $(SRCDEPS)
-	@$(MKDIR)
-	@echo compiling $<
-	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(THUMBCFLAGS) --std=c99 $(INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
-
-$(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.cpp $(SRCDEPS)
-	@$(MKDIR)
-	@echo compiling $<
-	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(THUMBCFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
-
-$(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.S $(SRCDEPS)
-	@$(MKDIR)
-	@echo compiling $<
-	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
-
-ifneq ($(THUMB_ONLY),true)
-# to override thumb setting, mark the .o file as .Ao
-$(BUILDDIR)/%.Ao: %.c $(SRCDEPS)
-	@$(MKDIR)
-	@echo compiling $<
-	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) --std=c99 $(INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
-
-$(BUILDDIR)/%.Ao: %.cpp $(SRCDEPS)
-	@$(MKDIR)
-	@echo compiling $<
-	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
-
-# assembly is always compiled in ARM mode at the moment
-$(BUILDDIR)/%.Ao: %.S $(SRCDEPS)
-	@$(MKDIR)
-	@echo compiling $<
-	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
-endif
-
diff --git a/arch/x86/compile.mk b/arch/x86/compile.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index 271db178..00000000
--- a/arch/x86/compile.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-
-$(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.c $(SRCDEPS)
-	@$(MKDIR)
-	@echo compiling $<
-	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) --std=c99 $(INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
-
-$(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.cpp $(SRCDEPS)
-	@$(MKDIR)
-	@echo compiling $<
-	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
-
-$(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.S $(SRCDEPS)
-	@$(MKDIR)
-	@echo compiling $<
-	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
-
diff --git a/kernel/rules.mk b/kernel/rules.mk
index 45cf94db..3f0a0e1f 100644
--- a/kernel/rules.mk
+++ b/kernel/rules.mk
@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
 LOCAL_DIR := $(GET_LOCAL_DIR)
 
-MODULES += \
+MODULE := $(LOCAL_DIR)
+
+MODULE_DEPS := \
 	lib/libc \
 	lib/debug \
 	lib/heap
 
-OBJS += \
-	$(LOCAL_DIR)/debug.o \
-	$(LOCAL_DIR)/dpc.o \
-	$(LOCAL_DIR)/event.o \
-	$(LOCAL_DIR)/main.o \
-	$(LOCAL_DIR)/mutex.o \
-	$(LOCAL_DIR)/thread.o \
-	$(LOCAL_DIR)/timer.o
+MODULE_OBJS := \
+	debug.o \
+	dpc.o \
+	event.o \
+	main.o \
+	mutex.o \
+	thread.o \
+	timer.o
 
+include make/module.mk
diff --git a/make/build.mk b/make/build.mk
index 028dc2c5..c9db4bec 100644
--- a/make/build.mk
+++ b/make/build.mk
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@ $(OUTBIN): $(OUTELF)
 	$(NOECHO)$(SIZE) $<
 	$(NOCOPY)$(OBJCOPY) -O binary $< $@
 
-$(OUTELF): $(ALLOBJS) $(LINKER_SCRIPT)
+$(OUTELF): $(ALLMODULE_OBJS) $(LINKER_SCRIPT)
 	@echo linking $@
-	$(NOECHO)$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -T $(LINKER_SCRIPT) $(ALLOBJS) $(LIBGCC) -o $@
+	$(NOECHO)$(SIZE) -t $(ALLMODULE_OBJS)
+	$(NOECHO)$(LD) $(GLOBAL_LDFLAGS) -T $(LINKER_SCRIPT) $(ALLMODULE_OBJS) $(LIBGCC) -o $@
 
 $(OUTELF).sym: $(OUTELF)
 	@echo generating symbols: $@
@@ -26,5 +27,5 @@ $(OUTELF).size: $(OUTELF)
 	@echo generating size map: $@
 	$(NOECHO)$(NM) -S --size-sort $< > $@
 
-include arch/$(ARCH)/compile.mk
+#include arch/$(ARCH)/compile.mk
 
diff --git a/make/compile.mk b/make/compile.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..751e251f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/make/compile.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+
+# create a separate list of objects per source type
+MODULE_CSRCS := $(filter %.c,$(MODULE_SRCS))
+MODULE_CPPSRCS := $(filter %.cpp,$(MODULE_SRCS))
+MODULE_ASMSRCS := $(filter %.S,$(MODULE_SRCS))
+
+MODULE_COBJS := $(call TOBUILDDIR,$(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(MODULE_CSRCS)))
+MODULE_CPPOBJS := $(call TOBUILDDIR,$(patsubst %.cpp,%.o,$(MODULE_CPPSRCS)))
+MODULE_ASMOBJS := $(call TOBUILDDIR,$(patsubst %.S,%.o,$(MODULE_ASMSRCS)))
+
+# do the same thing for files specified in arm override mode
+MODULE_ARM_CSRCS := $(filter %.c,$(MODULE_ARM_OVERRIDE_SRCS))
+MODULE_ARM_CPPSRCS := $(filter %.cpp,$(MODULE_ARM_OVERRIDE_SRCS))
+MODULE_ARM_ASMSRCS := $(filter %.S,$(MODULE_ARM_OVERRIDE_SRCS))
+
+MODULE_ARM_COBJS := $(call TOBUILDDIR,$(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(MODULE_ARM_CSRCS)))
+MODULE_ARM_CPPOBJS := $(call TOBUILDDIR,$(patsubst %.cpp,%.o,$(MODULE_ARM_CPPSRCS)))
+MODULE_ARM_ASMOBJS := $(call TOBUILDDIR,$(patsubst %.S,%.o,$(MODULE_ARM_ASMSRCS)))
+
+MODULE_OBJS := $(MODULE_COBJS) $(MODULE_CPPOBJS) $(MODULE_ASMOBJS) $(MODULE_ARM_COBJS) $(MODULE_ARM_CPPOBJS) $(MODULE_ARM_ASMOBJS)
+
+#$(info MODULE_SRCS = $(MODULE_SRCS))
+#$(info MODULE_CSRCS = $(MODULE_CSRCS))
+#$(info MODULE_CPPSRCS = $(MODULE_CPPSRCS))
+#$(info MODULE_ASMSRCS = $(MODULE_ASMSRCS))
+
+#$(info MODULE_OBJS = $(MODULE_OBJS))
+#$(info MODULE_COBJS = $(MODULE_COBJS))
+#$(info MODULE_CPPOBJS = $(MODULE_CPPOBJS))
+#$(info MODULE_ASMOBJS = $(MODULE_ASMOBJS))
+
+$(MODULE_OBJS): MODULE_OPTFLAGS:=$(MODULE_OPTFLAGS)
+$(MODULE_OBJS): MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS:=$(MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS)
+$(MODULE_OBJS): MODULE_CFLAGS:=$(MODULE_CFLAGS)
+$(MODULE_OBJS): MODULE_CPPFLAGS:=$(MODULE_CPPFLAGS)
+$(MODULE_OBJS): MODULE_ASMFLAGS:=$(MODULE_ASMFLAGS)
+$(MODULE_OBJS): MODULE_SRCDEPS:=$(MODULE_SRCDEPS)
+$(MODULE_OBJS): SRCDEPS:=$(SRCDEPS)
+
+$(MODULE_OBJS): $(MODULE_SRCDEPS) $(SRCDEPS)
+
+$(MODULE_COBJS): $(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.c $(SRCDEPS)
+	@$(MKDIR)
+	@echo compiling $<
+	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(GLOBAL_OPTFLAGS) $(MODULE_OPTFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_COMPILEFLAGS) $(MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_CFLAGS) $(MODULE_CFLAGS) $(THUMBCFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(MODULE_INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
+
+$(MODULE_CPPOBJS): $(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.cpp $(SRCDEPS)
+	@$(MKDIR)
+	@echo compiling $<
+	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(GLOBAL_OPTFLAGS) $(MODULE_OPTFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_COMPILEFLAGS) $(MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_CPPFLAGS) $(MODULE_CPPFLAGS) $(THUMBCFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(MODULE_INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
+
+$(MODULE_ASMOBJS): $(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.S $(SRCDEPS)
+	@$(MKDIR)
+	@echo compiling $<
+	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(GLOBAL_OPTFLAGS) $(MODULE_OPTFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_COMPILEFLAGS) $(MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_ASMFLAGS) $(MODULE_ASMFLAGS) $(THUMBCFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(MODULE_INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
+
+# overridden arm versions
+$(MODULE_ARM_COBJS): $(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.c $(SRCDEPS)
+	@$(MKDIR)
+	@echo compiling $<
+	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(GLOBAL_OPTFLAGS) $(MODULE_OPTFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_COMPILEFLAGS) $(MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_CFLAGS) $(MODULE_CFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(MODULE_INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
+
+$(MODULE_ARM_CPPOBJS): $(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.cpp $(SRCDEPS)
+	@$(MKDIR)
+	@echo compiling $<
+	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(GLOBAL_OPTFLAGS) $(MODULE_OPTFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_COMPILEFLAGS) $(MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_CPPFLAGS) $(MODULE_CPPFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(MODULE_INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
+
+$(MODULE_ARM_ASMOBJS): $(BUILDDIR)/%.o: %.S $(SRCDEPS)
+	@$(MKDIR)
+	@echo compiling $<
+	$(NOECHO)$(CC) $(GLOBAL_OPTFLAGS) $(MODULE_OPTFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_COMPILEFLAGS) $(MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS) $(GLOBAL_ASMFLAGS) $(MODULE_ASMFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(MODULE_INCLUDES) -c $< -MD -MT $@ -MF $(@:%o=%d) -o $@
+
+# clear some variables we set here
+MODULE_CSRCS :=
+MODULE_CPPSRCS :=
+MODULE_ASMSRCS :=
+MODULE_COBJS :=
+MODULE_CPPOBJS :=
+MODULE_ASMOBJS :=
+
+# MODULE_OBJS is passed back
+#MODULE_OBJS :=
+
diff --git a/make/macros.mk b/make/macros.mk
index 13c1d9b2..05fa19df 100644
--- a/make/macros.mk
+++ b/make/macros.mk
@@ -3,3 +3,29 @@ GET_LOCAL_DIR    = $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(word $(words $(MAKEFILE_LIST)),$(MAKE
 
 # makes sure the target dir exists
 MKDIR = if [ ! -d $(dir $@) ]; then mkdir -p $(dir $@); fi
+
+# prepends the BUILD_DIR var to each item in the list
+TOBUILDDIR = $(addprefix $(BUILDDIR)/,$(1))
+
+# generate a header file at $1 with an expanded variable in $2
+define MAKECONFIGHEADER
+	@$(MKDIR)
+	@echo generating $1
+	@rm -f $1.tmp; \
+	LDEF=`echo $1 | tr '/\\.-' '_'`; \
+	echo \#ifndef __$${LDEF}_H > $1.tmp; \
+	echo \#define __$${LDEF}_H >> $1.tmp; \
+	for d in `echo $($2) | tr '[:lower:]' '[:upper:]'`; do \
+		echo "#define $$d" | sed "s/=/\ /g;s/-/_/g;s/\//_/g" >> $1.tmp; \
+	done; \
+	echo \#endif >> $1.tmp; \
+	if [ -f "$1" ]; then \
+		if cmp "$1.tmp" "$1"; then \
+			rm -f $1.tmp; \
+		else \
+			mv $1.tmp $1; \
+		fi \
+	else \
+		mv $1.tmp $1; \
+	fi
+endef
diff --git a/make/module.mk b/make/module.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6c3dd70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/make/module.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+
+# modules
+#
+# args:
+# MODULE : module name (required)
+# MODULE_SRCS : list of source files, local path (required)
+# MODULE_DEPS : other modules that this one depends on
+# MODULE_DEFINES : #defines local to this module
+# MODULE_OPTFLAGS : OPTFLAGS local to this module
+# MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS : COMPILEFLAGS local to this module
+# MODULE_CFLAGS : CFLAGS local to this module
+# MODULE_CPPFLAGS : CPPFLAGS local to this module
+# MODULE_ASMFLAGS : ASMFLAGS local to this module
+# MODULE_SRCDEPS : extra dependencies that all of this module's files depend on
+
+# MODULE_ARM_OVERRIDE_SRCS : list of source files, local path that should be force compiled with ARM (if applicable)
+
+# the minimum module rules.mk file is as follows:
+#
+# LOCAL_DIR := $(GET_LOCAL_DIR)
+# MODULE := $(LOCAL_DIR)
+#
+# MODULE_SRCS := $(LOCAL_DIR)/at_least_one_source_file.c
+#
+# include make/module.mk
+
+# test for old style rules.mk
+ifneq ($(MODULE_OBJS),)
+$(warning MODULE_OBJS = $(MODULE_OBJS))
+$(error MODULE $(MODULE) is setting MODULE_OBJS, change to MODULE_SRCS)
+endif
+ifneq ($(OBJS),)
+$(warning OBJS = $(OBJS))
+$(error MODULE $(MODULE) is probably setting OBJS, change to MODULE_SRCS)
+endif
+
+MODULE_SRCDIR := $(MODULE)
+MODULE_BUILDDIR := $(call TOBUILDDIR,$(MODULE_SRCDIR))
+
+# add the listed module deps to the global list
+MODULES += $(MODULE_DEPS)
+
+#$(info module $(MODULE))
+#$(info MODULE_SRCDIR $(MODULE_SRCDIR))
+#$(info MODULE_BUILDDIR $(MODULE_BUILDDIR))
+#$(info MODULE_DEPS $(MODULE_DEPS))
+#$(info MODULE_SRCS $(MODULE_SRCS))
+
+# generate a per-module config.h file
+MODULE_CONFIG := $(MODULE_BUILDDIR)/module_config.h
+
+$(MODULE_CONFIG): MODULE_DEFINES:=$(MODULE_DEFINES)
+$(MODULE_CONFIG): configheader
+	$(call MAKECONFIGHEADER,$@,MODULE_DEFINES)
+
+GENERATED += $(MODULE_CONFIG)
+
+MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS += --include $(MODULE_CONFIG)
+
+MODULE_SRCDEPS += $(MODULE_CONFIG)
+
+# include the rules to compile the module's object files
+include make/compile.mk
+
+# MODULE_OBJS is passed back from compile.mk
+#$(info MODULE_OBJS = $(MODULE_OBJS))
+
+# build a ld -r style combined object
+MODULE_OBJECT := $(call TOBUILDDIR,$(MODULE_SRCDIR).mod.o)
+$(MODULE_OBJECT): $(MODULE_OBJS)
+	@$(MKDIR)
+	@echo linking $@
+	$(NOECHO)$(LD) -r $^ -o $@
+
+# track all the objects built
+ALLOBJS += $(MODULE_OBJS)
+
+# make the rest of the build depend on our output
+ALLMODULE_OBJS := $(ALLMODULE_OBJS) $(MODULE_OBJECT)
+
+# empty out any vars set here
+MODULE :=
+MODULE_SRCDIR :=
+MODULE_BUILDDIR :=
+MODULE_DEPS :=
+MODULE_SRCS :=
+MODULE_OBJS :=
+MODULE_DEFINES :=
+MODULE_OPTFLAGS :=
+MODULE_COMPILEFLAGS :=
+MODULE_CFLAGS :=
+MODULE_CPPFLAGS :=
+MODULE_ASMFLAGS :=
+MODULE_SRCDEPS :=
+MODULE_CONFIG :=
+MODULE_OBJECT :=
+MODULE_ARM_OVERRIDE_SRCS :=
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index acf9fb62..f6c2d71b 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -35,22 +35,26 @@ OUTELF := $(BUILDDIR)/lk
 CONFIGHEADER := $(BUILDDIR)/config.h
 
 INCLUDES := -I$(BUILDDIR) -Iinclude
-CFLAGS := -O2 -g -fno-builtin -finline -W -Wall -Wno-multichar -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-unused-function -include $(CONFIGHEADER)
-CFLAGS += -Werror-implicit-function-declaration
-#CFLAGS += -Werror
-CPPFLAGS := -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti -fno-threadsafe-statics
-#CPPFLAGS += -Weffc++
-ASMFLAGS := -DASSEMBLY
-LDFLAGS := 
+GLOBAL_OPTFLAGS ?= -Os
+GLOBAL_COMPILEFLAGS := -g -fno-builtin -finline -W -Wall -Wno-multichar -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-unused-function -include $(CONFIGHEADER)
+GLOBAL_CFLAGS := --std=c99 -Werror-implicit-function-declaration
+#GLOBAL_CFLAGS += -Werror
+GLOBAL_CPPFLAGS := -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti -fno-threadsafe-statics
+#GLOBAL_CPPFLAGS += -Weffc++
+GLOBAL_ASMFLAGS := -DASSEMBLY
+GLOBAL_LDFLAGS := 
 
-CFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections
-LDFLAGS += -gc-sections
+GLOBAL_COMPILEFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections
+GLOBAL_LDFLAGS += -gc-sections
 
 # top level rule
 all:: $(OUTBIN) $(OUTELF).lst $(OUTELF).debug.lst $(OUTELF).sym $(OUTELF).size
 
-# master object list
-OBJS :=
+# master module object list
+ALLOBJS_MODULE :=
+
+# master object list (for dep generation)
+ALLOBJS :=
 
 # a linker script needs to be declared in one of the project/target/platform files
 LINKER_SCRIPT := 			
@@ -95,10 +99,6 @@ include make/recurse.mk
 # any extra top level build dependencies that someone declared
 all:: $(EXTRA_BUILDDEPS)
 
-ALLOBJS := \
-	$(BOOTOBJS) \
-	$(OBJS)
-
 # add some automatic configuration defines
 DEFINES += \
 	PROJECT_$(PROJECT)=1 \
@@ -113,10 +113,10 @@ DEFINES += \
 	DEBUG=$(DEBUG)
 endif
 
-ALLOBJS := $(addprefix $(BUILDDIR)/,$(ALLOBJS))
-
 DEPS := $(ALLOBJS:%o=%d)
 
+#$(warning DEPS=$(DEPS))
+
 # default to no ccache
 CCACHE ?= 
 CC := $(CCACHE) $(TOOLCHAIN_PREFIX)gcc
@@ -130,6 +130,25 @@ NM := $(TOOLCHAIN_PREFIX)nm
 # comment out or override if you want to see the full output of each command
 NOECHO ?= @
 
+#$(warning ALLMODULE_OBJS=$(ALLMODULE_OBJS))
+
+ifneq ($(OBJS),)
+$(warning OBJS=$(OBJS))
+$(error OBJS is not empty, please convert to new module format)
+endif
+ifneq ($(OPTFLAGS),)
+$(warning OPTFLAGS=$(OPTFLAGS))
+$(error OPTFLAGS is not empty, please use GLOBAL_OPTFLAGS or MODULE_OPTFLAGS)
+endif
+ifneq ($(CFLAGS),)
+$(warning CFLAGS=$(CFLAGS))
+$(error CFLAGS is not empty, please use GLOBAL_CFLAGS or MODULE_CFLAGS)
+endif
+ifneq ($(CPPFLAGS),)
+$(warning CPPFLAGS=$(CPPFLAGS))
+$(error CPPFLAGS is not empty, please use GLOBAL_CPPFLAGS or MODULE_CPPFLAGS)
+endif
+
 # the logic to compile and link stuff is in here
 include make/build.mk
 
@@ -143,24 +162,7 @@ install: all
 configheader:
 
 $(CONFIGHEADER): configheader
-	@$(MKDIR)
-	@echo generating $@
-	@rm -f $(CONFIGHEADER).tmp; \
-	echo \#ifndef __CONFIG_H > $(CONFIGHEADER).tmp; \
-	echo \#define __CONFIG_H >> $(CONFIGHEADER).tmp; \
-	for d in `echo $(DEFINES) | tr [:lower:] [:upper:]`; do \
-		echo "#define $$d" | sed "s/=/\ /g;s/-/_/g;s/\//_/g" >> $(CONFIGHEADER).tmp; \
-	done; \
-	echo \#endif >> $(CONFIGHEADER).tmp; \
-	if [ -f "$(CONFIGHEADER)" ]; then \
-		if cmp "$(CONFIGHEADER).tmp" "$(CONFIGHEADER)"; then \
-			rm -f $(CONFIGHEADER).tmp; \
-		else \
-			mv $(CONFIGHEADER).tmp $(CONFIGHEADER); \
-		fi \
-	else \
-		mv $(CONFIGHEADER).tmp $(CONFIGHEADER); \
-	fi
+	$(call MAKECONFIGHEADER,$@,DEFINES)
 
 # Empty rule for the .d files. The above rules will build .d files as a side
 # effect. Only works on gcc 3.x and above, however.