diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c38edf2..2191219 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,19 +7,24 @@
 GIT_HOST = git.openstack.org
 
 PWD := $(shell pwd)
-TOP_DIR := $(shell basename $(PWD))
-export GOPATH := $(PWD)-gopath
-DEST := $(GOPATH)/src/$(GIT_HOST)/openstack/$(TOP_DIR).git
+BASE_DIR := $(shell basename $(PWD))
+# Keep an existing GOPATH, make a private one if it is undefined
+GOPATH_DEFAULT := $(PWD)/.go
+export GOPATH ?= $(GOPATH_DEFAULT)
+DEST := $(GOPATH)/src/$(GIT_HOST)/openstack/$(BASE_DIR).git
 
 env:
 	@echo "PWD: $(PWD)"
-	@echo "TOP_DIR: $(TOP_DIR)"
+	@echo "BASE_DIR: $(BASE_DIR)"
 	@echo "GOPATH: $(GOPATH)"
 	@echo "DEST: $(DEST)"
 
-work: $(GOPATH)
+work: $(GOPATH) $(DEST)
 
 $(GOPATH):
+	mkdir -p $(GOPATH)
+
+$(DEST): $(GOPATH)
 	mkdir -p $(shell dirname $(DEST))
 	ln -s $(PWD) $(DEST)
 
@@ -29,8 +34,8 @@ get: work
 test: get
 	cd $(DEST); go test -tags=unit ./...
 
-fmt:
-	cd $(DEST); go fmt ./...
+fmt: work
+	cd $(DEST) && go fmt ./...
 
 cover:
 	@echo "$@ not yet implemented"
@@ -43,3 +48,21 @@ relnotes:
 
 translation:
 	@echo "$@ not yet implemented"
+
+.bindep:
+	virtualenv .bindep
+	.bindep/bin/pip install bindep
+
+bindep: .bindep
+	@.bindep/bin/bindep -b -f bindep.txt || true
+
+install-distro-packages:
+	tools/install-distro-packages.sh
+
+clean:
+	rm -rf .bindep
+	if [ "$(GOPATH)" = "$(GOPATH_DEFAULT)" ]; then \
+		rm -rf $(GOPATH); \
+	fi
+
+.PHONY: bindep clean
diff --git a/bindep.txt b/bindep.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e3550e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bindep.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+pkg-config
+build-essential
+golang-go
+golint
+make
diff --git a/tools/install-distro-packages.sh b/tools/install-distro-packages.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c5801a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/install-distro-packages.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/bin/bash -xe
+
+# Local version to install bindep packages
+# Suitable for use for development
+
+function is_fedora {
+    [ -f /usr/bin/yum ] && cat /etc/*release | grep -q -e "Fedora"
+}
+
+PACKAGES=$(make bindep || true)
+
+# inspired from project-config install-distro-packages.sh
+if apt-get -v >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then
+    sudo apt-get -qq update
+    sudo PATH=/usr/sbin:/sbin:$PATH DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive \
+        apt-get -q --option "Dpkg::Options::=--force-confold" \
+        --assume-yes install $PACKAGES
+elif emerge --version >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then
+    sudo emerge -uDNq --jobs=4 @world
+    sudo PATH=/usr/sbin:/sbin:$PATH emerge -q --jobs=4 $PACKAGES
+else
+    is_fedora && YUM=dnf || YUM=yum
+    sudo PATH=/usr/sbin:/sbin:$PATH $YUM install -y $PACKAGES
+fi