diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8a56c67a..3c6a8ea2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 .debbuild
 .deps
+.rpmbuild
 .version
 .version.date
 Makefile
diff --git a/packaging/rpm.mk b/packaging/rpm.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cb70c141
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/rpm.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+RPMBUILD = .rpmbuild
+
+CORE_VERSION = $(shell cat .version 2> /dev/null)
+
+.PHONY: all
+all: clean .version build
+
+.PHONY: clean
+clean:
+	rm -rf $(RPMBUILD)
+
+.PHONY: build
+build: dist
+	for d in SOURCES SPECS; do mkdir -p $(RPMBUILD)/$$d; done
+	cp -afv core-$(CORE_VERSION).tar.gz $(RPMBUILD)/SOURCES
+	cp -afv packaging/rpm/core.spec $(RPMBUILD)/SPECS
+	rpmbuild -bb --clean $(RPMBUILD)/SPECS/core.spec \
+	    --define "_topdir $$PWD/.rpmbuild"
+	@printf "\nRPM packages saved in $(RPMBUILD)/RPMS\n\n"
+
+.PHONY: dist
+dist: Makefile
+	$(MAKE) dist
+
+Makefile: configure
+	./configure --prefix=/usr --exec-prefix=/usr
+
+configure: bootstrap.sh
+	./bootstrap.sh
+
+bootstrap.sh:
+	@printf "\nERROR: make must be called from the top-level directory:\n"
+	@printf "    make -f packaging/$(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))\n\n"
+	@false
+
+.version: Makefile
+	$(MAKE) $@
+
+$(RPMBUILD):
+	mkdir -p $@