diff --git a/Configurations/descrip.mms.tmpl b/Configurations/descrip.mms.tmpl
index 2798b19916..065d5a3394 100644
--- a/Configurations/descrip.mms.tmpl
+++ b/Configurations/descrip.mms.tmpl
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ ENGINES={- join(", ", map { "-\n\t".$_.".EXE" } @{$unified_info{engines}}) -}
 PROGRAMS={- join(", ", map { "-\n\t".$_.".EXE" } grep { !m|^\[\.test\]| } @{$unified_info{programs}}) -}
 TESTPROGS={- join(", ", map { "-\n\t".$_.".EXE" } grep { m|^\[\.test\]| } @{$unified_info{programs}}) -}
 SCRIPTS={- join(", ", map { "-\n\t".$_ } @{$unified_info{scripts}}) -}
+DEPS={- our @deps = map { (my $x = $_) =~ s|\.o$|\$(DEP_EXT)|; $x; }
+                    grep { $unified_info{sources}->{$_}->[0] =~ /\.c$/ }
+                    keys %{$unified_info{sources}};
+        join(", ", map { "-\n\t".$_ } @deps); -}
 
 # DESTDIR is for package builders so that they can configure for, say,
 # SYS$COMMON:[OPENSSL] and yet have everything installed in STAGING:[USER].
@@ -200,14 +204,22 @@ NODEBUG=@
 
 # The main targets ###################################################
 
-all : descrip.mms, build_libs, build_engines, build_apps
+all : config.timestamp, -
+      build_libs_nodep, build_engines_nodep, build_apps_nodep, -
+      depend
 
-build_libs : $(LIBS)
-build_engines : $(ENGINES)
-build_apps : $(PROGRAMS), $(SCRIPTS)
-build_tests : $(TESTPROGS)
+build_libs : config.timestamp, build_libs_nodep, depend
+build_libs_nodep : $(LIBS)
+build_engines : config.timestamp, build_engines_nodep, depend
+build_engines_nodep : $(ENGINES)
+build_apps : config.timestamp, build_apps_nodep, depend
+build_apps_nodep : $(PROGRAMS), $(SCRIPTS)
+build_tests : config.timestamp, build_tests_nodep, depend
+build_tests_nodep : $(TESTPROGS)
 
-test tests : build_apps, build_engines, build_tests, rehash
+test tests : config.timestamp, -
+             build_apps_nodep, build_engines_nodep, build_tests_nodep, -
+             depend, rehash
         SET DEFAULT [.test]{- move("test") -}
         DEFINE SRCTOP {- sourcedir() -}
         DEFINE BLDTOP {- builddir() -}
@@ -242,24 +254,18 @@ clean : libclean
         - DELETE [.test]*.LOG;*
         - DELETE []*.MAP;*
 
-DCLEAN_CMD=$(PERL) -pe "if (/^# DO NOT DELETE.*/) { exit(0); }"
-dclean :
-        $(DCLEAN_CMD) < descrip.mms > descrip.mms.new
-        RENAME descrip.mms.new descrip.mms
-        PURGE descrip.mms
-
-{- our @deps = map { (my $x = $_) =~ s|\.o$|\$(DEP_EXT)|; $x; }
-               grep { $unified_info{sources}->{$_}->[0] =~ /\.c$/ }
-               keys %{$unified_info{sources}};
-   ""; -}
-depend : {- join(",-\n\t", @deps); -}
-        $(DCLEAN_CMD) < descrip.mms > descrip.mms.new
-        OPEN/APPEND DESCRIP descrip.mms.new
-        WRITE DESCRIP "# DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE -- make depend depends on it."
-        {- join("\n\t", map { "TYPE $_ /OUTPUT=DESCRIP:" } @deps); -}
-        CLOSE DESCRIP
-        RENAME descrip.mms.new descrip.mms
-        PURGE descrip.mms
+depend : descrip.mms
+descrip.mms : FORCE
+        @ $(PERL) -pe "if (/^# DO NOT DELETE.*/) { exit(0); }" -
+                < descrip.mms > descrip.mms-new
+        @ OPEN/APPEND DESCRIP descrip.mms-new
+        @ WRITE DESCRIP "# DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE -- make depend depends on it."
+        @ {- join("\n\t", map { "IF F\$SEARCH(\"$_\") .NES. \"\" THEN TYPE $_ /OUTPUT=DESCRIP:" } @deps); -}
+        @ CLOSE DESCRIP
+        @ DIFF/OUTPUT=NLA0: descrip.mms,descrip.mms-new
+        @ IF $SEVERITY .EQ. 3 THEN RENAME descrip.mms-new descrip.mms
+        @ IF F$SEARCH("descrip.mms-new") .NES. "" THEN DELETE descrip.mms-new;*
+        -@ SPAWN/OUTPUT=NLA0: PURGE/NOLOG descrip.mms
 
 # Install helper targets #############################################
 
@@ -345,7 +351,7 @@ install_config : [.VMS]openssl_startup.com [.VMS]openssl_shutdown.com -
                 {- sourcefile("VMS", "openssl_shutdown.com.in") -} -
                 > [.VMS]openssl_shutdown.com
 
-vmsconfig.pm : descrip.mms
+vmsconfig.pm : config.timestamp
         OPEN/WRITE/SHARE=READ CONFIG []vmsconfig.pm
         WRITE CONFIG "package vmsconfig;"
         WRITE CONFIG "use strict; use warnings;"
@@ -377,7 +383,7 @@ check_INSTALLTOP :
 
 # Helper targets #####################################################
 
-rehash : [.apps]openssl.exe, copy-certs
+rehash : copy-certs, build_apps_nodep
         !MCR [.apps]openssl.exe rehash {- builddir("certs", "demo") -}
         $(PERL) [.tools]c_rehash. [.certs.demo]
 
@@ -396,8 +402,8 @@ debug_logicals :
 
 # Building targets ###################################################
 
-descrip.mms : {- sourcefile("Configurations", "descrip.mms.tmpl") -} $(SRCDIR)Configure ! $(SRCDIR)config.com
-        @ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "descrip.mms is older than $?."
+config.timestamp : {- sourcefile("Configurations", "descrip.mms.tmpl") -} $(SRCDIR)Configure ! $(SRCDIR)config.com
+        @ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "Detected changed: $?"
         @ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "Reconfiguring..."
         perl $(SRCDIR)Configure reconf
         @ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "*************************************************"
@@ -405,6 +411,11 @@ descrip.mms : {- sourcefile("Configurations", "descrip.mms.tmpl") -} $(SRCDIR)Co
         @ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "***   Please run the same mms command again   ***"
         @ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "***                                           ***"
         @ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "*************************************************"
+        @ IF F$SEARCH("config.timestamp",1) .NES. "" THEN -
+                OPEN/APPEND TIMESTAMP "config.timestamp"
+        @ IF F$SEARCH("config.timestamp",2) .EQS. "" THEN -
+                OPEN/WRITE TIMESTAMP "config.timestamp"
+        @ close TIMESTAMP
         @ exit %10000000
 
 {-
diff --git a/Configurations/unix-Makefile.tmpl b/Configurations/unix-Makefile.tmpl
index 3cfbfd2e45..092a7b348c 100644
--- a/Configurations/unix-Makefile.tmpl
+++ b/Configurations/unix-Makefile.tmpl
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ ENGINES={- join(" ", map { $_."\$(SHLIB_EXT_SIMPLE)" } @{$unified_info{engines}}
 PROGRAMS={- join(" ", map { $_."\$(EXE_EXT)" } grep { !m|^test/| } @{$unified_info{programs}}) -}
 TESTPROGS={- join(" ", map { $_."\$(EXE_EXT)" } grep { m|^test/| } @{$unified_info{programs}}) -}
 SCRIPTS={- join(" ", @{$unified_info{scripts}}) -}
+DEPS={- join(" ", map { (my $x = $_) =~ s|\.o$|\$(DEP_EXT)|; $x; }
+                  grep { $unified_info{sources}->{$_}->[0] =~ /\.c$/ }
+                  keys %{$unified_info{sources}}); -}
+
 BIN_SCRIPTS=$(BLDDIR)/tools/c_rehash
 MISC_SCRIPTS=$(SRCDIR)/tools/c_hash $(SRCDIR)/tools/c_info \
 	     $(SRCDIR)/tools/c_issuer $(SRCDIR)/tools/c_name \
@@ -146,15 +150,19 @@ PROCESSOR= {- $config{processor} -}
 
 # The main targets ###################################################
 
-all: build_libs build_engines build_apps link-utils
+all: config.timestamp build_libs_nodep build_engines_nodep build_apps_nodep \
+     depend link-utils
 
-# The pkg-config files depend on the libraries as well as Makefile
-build_libs: libcrypto.pc libssl.pc openssl.pc
-build_engines: $(ENGINES)
-build_apps: $(PROGRAMS) $(SCRIPTS)
-build_tests: $(TESTPROGS)
+build_libs: config.timestamp build_libs_nodep depend
+build_libs_nodep: libcrypto.pc libssl.pc openssl.pc
+build_engines: config.timestamp build_engines_nodep depend
+build_engines_nodep: $(ENGINES)
+build_apps: config.timestamp build_apps_nodep depend
+build_apps_nodep: $(PROGRAMS) $(SCRIPTS)
+build_tests: config.timestamp build_tests_nodep depend
+build_tests_nodep: $(TESTPROGS)
 
-test tests: build_tests build_apps build_engines rehash
+test tests: build_tests_nodep build_apps_nodep build_engines_nodep depend rehash
 	( cd test; \
 	  SRCTOP=../$(SRCDIR) \
 	  BLDTOP=../$(BLDDIR) \
@@ -181,20 +189,18 @@ clean: libclean
 	-rm -f `find $(BLDDIR) -type l`
 	rm -f $(TARFILE)
 
-DCLEAN_CMD=sed -e '/^. DO NOT DELETE.*/,$$d'
-dclean:
-	$(DCLEAN_CMD) < Makefile >Makefile.new
-	mv -f Makefile.new Makefile
-
-DEPS={- join(" ", map { (my $x = $_) =~ s|\.o$|\$(DEP_EXT)|; $x; }
-                  grep { $unified_info{sources}->{$_}->[0] =~ /\.c$/ }
-                  keys %{$unified_info{sources}}); -}
-depend: $(DEPS)
-	( $(DCLEAN_CMD) < Makefile; \
+# This exists solely for those who still type 'make depend'
+depend: Makefile
+Makefile: FORCE
+	@( sed -e '/^# DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE.*/,$$d' < Makefile; \
 	  echo '# DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE -- make depend depends on it.'; \
 	  echo; \
-	  cat `find . -name '*$(DEP_EXT)'` ) > Makefile.new
-	mv -f Makefile.new Makefile
+	  for d in $(DEPS); do \
+	    if [ -f $$d ]; then cat $$d; fi; \
+	  done ) > Makefile.new
+	@if ! cmp Makefile.new Makefile >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+		mv -f Makefile.new Makefile; \
+	fi
 
 # Install helper targets #############################################
 
@@ -579,7 +585,7 @@ dist:
 
 # Helper targets #####################################################
 
-rehash: link-utils copy-certs build_apps
+rehash: link-utils copy-certs build_apps_nodep
 	@if [ -z "$(CROSS_COMPILE)" ]; then \
 		(OPENSSL="$(BLDDIR)/util/shlib_wrap.sh apps/openssl"; \
 		[ -x "$(BLDDIR)/openssl.exe" ] && OPENSSL="$(BLDDIR)/openssl.exe" || :; \
@@ -592,12 +598,12 @@ rehash: link-utils copy-certs build_apps
 
 link-utils: $(BLDDIR)/util/opensslwrap.sh $(BLDDIR)/util/shlib_wrap.sh
 
-$(BLDDIR)/util/opensslwrap.sh: Makefile
+$(BLDDIR)/util/opensslwrap.sh: config.timestamp
 	@if [ "$(SRCDIR)" != "$(BLDDIR)" ]; then \
 	    mkdir -p "$(BLDDIR)/util"; \
 	    ln -sf "../$(SRCDIR)/util/opensslwrap.sh" "$(BLDDIR)/util"; \
 	fi
-$(BLDDIR)/util/shlib_wrap.sh: Makefile
+$(BLDDIR)/util/shlib_wrap.sh: config.timestamp
 	@if [ "$(SRCDIR)" != "$(BLDDIR)" ]; then \
 	    mkdir -p "$(BLDDIR)/util"; \
 	    ln -sf "../$(SRCDIR)/util/shlib_wrap.sh" "$(BLDDIR)/util"; \
@@ -651,11 +657,11 @@ $(SRCDIR)/crypto/objects/obj_xref.h: $(SRCDIR)/crypto/objects/objxref.pl \
                 > $(SRCDIR)/crypto/objects/obj_xref.h
 	@sleep 1; touch $(SRCDIR)/crypto/objects/obj_xref.h; sleep 1
 
-FORCE :
+FORCE:
 
 # Building targets ###################################################
 
-libcrypto.pc libssl.pc openssl.pc: Makefile $(LIBS)
+libcrypto.pc libssl.pc openssl.pc: config.timestamp $(LIBS)
 libcrypto.pc:
 	@ ( echo 'prefix=$(INSTALLTOP)'; \
 	    echo 'exec_prefix=$${prefix}'; \
@@ -698,8 +704,8 @@ openssl.pc:
 # wasn't passed down automatically.  It's quite safe to use it like we do
 # below; if it doesn't exist, the result will be empty and 'make' will pick
 # up $(MAKEFLAGS) which is passed down as an environment variable.
-Makefile: {- $config{build_file_template} -} $(SRCDIR)/Configure $(SRCDIR)/config
-	@echo "Makefile is older than {- $config{build_file_template} -}, $(SRCDIR)/Configure or $(SRCDIR)/config."
+config.timestamp: {- $config{build_file_template} -} $(SRCDIR)/Configure $(SRCDIR)/config
+	@echo "Detected that {- $config{build_file_template} -}, $(SRCDIR)/Configure or $(SRCDIR)/config may have changed."
 	@echo "Reconfiguring..."
 	$(SRCDIR)/Configure reconf
 	@echo "**************************************************"
@@ -707,6 +713,7 @@ Makefile: {- $config{build_file_template} -} $(SRCDIR)/Configure $(SRCDIR)/confi
 	@echo "***   Please run the same make command again   ***"
 	@echo "***                                            ***"
 	@echo "**************************************************"
+	@touch config.timestamp
 	@false
 
 {-