diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d21c078bba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+HOTDOC ?= hotdoc
+prefix ?= /usr
+datadir ?= ${prefix}/share
+devhelpdir ?= ${datadir}/devhelp/books
+docdir ?= ${datadir}/doc/${PACKAGE}
+htmldir ?= ${docdir}
+
+# emulate Automake well enough for hotdoc.mk
+AM_V_GEN ?=
+AMTAR ?= tar
+mkinstalldirs ?= install -d
+srcdir = $(CURDIR)
+top_srcdir = $(CURDIR)
+builddir = $(CURDIR)
+top_builddir = $(CURDIR)
+
+HOTDOC_PROJECTS = gst-docs
+
+gst_docs_HOTDOC_FLAGS = \
+	--conf-file hotdoc.json \
+	$(NULL)
+
+all:
+
+install:
+
+clean:
+
+.PHONY: all install clean
+
+-include $(shell $(HOTDOC) --makefile-path)