diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index f5078807b..42aca0c9f 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS= foreign
 
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
 
-SUBDIRS=desktop pkg-config include libs hw nq qtv qw tools ruamoko
-DIST_SUBDIRS=$(SUBDIRS) RPM debian doc vc2005 vc2008
+SUBDIRS=desktop pkg-config include @top_dirs@
+DIST_SUBDIRS=desktop pkg-config include \
+			 libs hw nq qtv qw tools ruamoko\
+			 RPM debian doc vc2005 vc2008
 
 ## configure.ac needs to be listed here for older autoconfs
 EXTRA_DIST=	ChangeLog configure.ac bootstrap \
diff --git a/config.d/build_control.m4 b/config.d/build_control.m4
index 760adb3e8..558ded93e 100644
--- a/config.d/build_control.m4
+++ b/config.d/build_control.m4
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@ QW_DESKTOP_DATA=""
 NQ_DESKTOP_DATA=""
 
 CD_TARGETS=""
-SND_PLUGIN_TARGETS="snd_output_disk.la"
-SND_REND_TARGETS=""
 SND_TARGETS=""
 VID_MODEL_TARGETS=""
 VID_REND_TARGETS=""
@@ -263,23 +261,27 @@ if test "x$ENABLE_servers_nq" = xyes; then
 	SV_TARGETS="$SV_TARGETS nq"
 	QF_NEED(nq, [common server])
 	QF_NEED(console, [server])
+	QF_NEED(top, [nq])
 fi
 if test "x$ENABLE_servers_qtv" = xyes; then
 	QTV_TARGETS="qtv\$(EXEEXT) $QTV_TARGETS"
 	SV_TARGETS="$SV_TARGETS qtv"
 #	QF_NEED(qtv, [common server])
 	QF_NEED(console, [server])
+	QF_NEED(top, [qtv])
 fi
 if test "x$ENABLE_servers_master" = xyes; then
 	HW_TARGETS="hw-master\$(EXEEXT) $HW_TARGETS"
 	QW_TARGETS="qw-master\$(EXEEXT) $QW_TARGETS"
 	SV_TARGETS="$SV_TARGETS master"
+	QF_NEED(top, [hw qw])
 fi
 if test "x$ENABLE_servers_qw" = xyes; then
 	QW_TARGETS="qw-server\$(EXEEXT) $QW_TARGETS"
 	SV_TARGETS="$SV_TARGETS qw"
 	QF_NEED(qw, [common server])
 	QF_NEED(console, [server])
+	QF_NEED(top, [qw])
 fi
 
 if test "x$ENABLE_tools_bsp2img" = xyes; then
@@ -319,9 +321,16 @@ if test "x$ENABLE_tools_wav" = xyes; then
 	QF_NEED(tools,[wav])
 fi
 
-QF_PROCESS_NEED_DIRS(tools,[bsp2img carne pak qfbsp qfcc qflight qflmp qfmodelgen qfvis qwaq wad wav])
+QF_NEED(top, [libs hw nq qtv qw])
 
-AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_RUAMOKO, test "$ENABLE_tools_qfcc" = "yes" -a "$ENABLE_tools_pak" = "yes")
+QF_PROCESS_NEED_DIRS(tools,[bsp2img carne pak qfbsp qfcc qflight qflmp qfmodelgen qfvis qwaq wad wav])
+QF_PROCESS_NEED_FUNC(tools,[bsp2img carne pak qfbsp qfcc qflight qflmp qfmodelgen qfvis qwaq wad wav], QF_NEED(top,tools))
+
+if test "$ENABLE_tools_qfcc" = "yes" -a "$ENABLE_tools_pak" = "yes"; then
+	QF_NEED(top, [ruamoko])
+fi
+
+QF_PROCESS_NEED_DIRS(top, [libs hw nq qtv qw tools ruamoko])
 
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(swrend, [asm])
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(QFrenderer, [gl glsl sw sw32])
@@ -343,21 +352,14 @@ if test -n "$CL_TARGETS"; then
 	JOY_TARGETS="libQFjs.la"
 else
 	unset CDTYPE
-	CD_PLUGIN_TARGETS=""
+	unset SOUND_TYPES
 	CD_TARGETS=""
 	JOY_TARGETS=""
-	SND_PLUGIN_TARGETS=""
-	SND_REND_TARGETS=""
 	SND_TARGETS=""
 	AUDIO_TARGETS=""
-	unset SOUND_TYPES
 fi
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(SND_OUTPUT_DEFAULT, "$SND_OUTPUT_DEFAULT", [Define this to the default sound output driver.])
 
-CD_PLUGIN_STATIC=""
-SND_PLUGIN_STATIC=""
-SND_REND_STATIC=""
-
 if test "x$enable_shared" = xno; then
 	PREFER_PIC=
 	PREFER_NON_PIC=
@@ -406,8 +408,6 @@ fi
 
 dnl Do not use -module here, it belongs in makefile.am due to automake
 dnl needing it there to work correctly
-AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(CD_PLUGIN_LIST, $CD_PLUGIN_LIST, [list of cd plugins])
-AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(CD_PLUGIN_PROTOS, $CD_PLUGIN_PROTOS, [list of cd prototypes])
 
 AC_SUBST(HW_TARGETS)
 AC_SUBST(NQ_TARGETS)
diff --git a/m4/quakeforge.m4 b/m4/quakeforge.m4
index e871e3a9d..fcb7b8616 100644
--- a/m4/quakeforge.m4
+++ b/m4/quakeforge.m4
@@ -136,6 +136,13 @@ QF_STATIC_PLUGIN_LIBS(m4_default($4,$1),[$1],[$2],[$3])
 QF_STATIC_PLUGIN_PROTOS(m4_default($4,$1),[$1],[$2])
 QF_STATIC_PLUGIN_LIST(m4_default($4,$1),[$1],[$2])])
 
+AC_DEFUN([QF_PROCESS_NEED_FUNC],
+[m4_foreach_w([qfn_need], [$2],
+[if test x"${$1[_need_]qfn_need}" = xyes; then
+	$3
+fi
+])])
+
 AC_DEFUN([QF_WITH_TARGETS], [
 AC_ARG_WITH($1,
 	[$2]
diff --git a/ruamoko/cl_menu/Makefile.am b/ruamoko/cl_menu/Makefile.am
index 0a84ec944..b7463679f 100644
--- a/ruamoko/cl_menu/Makefile.am
+++ b/ruamoko/cl_menu/Makefile.am
@@ -19,11 +19,7 @@ STRIP=`echo -n $(srcdir)/ | sed -e 's/[^/]//g' | wc -c`
 
 menu_data=menu.dat$(GZ) menu.sym$(GZ) menu.plist
 
-if BUILD_RUAMOKO
 data=$(menu_data)
-else
-data=
-endif
 
 pkgdata_DATA= $(data)
 EXTRA_DATA= $(menu_data)
diff --git a/ruamoko/game/Makefile.am b/ruamoko/game/Makefile.am
index 1f3fece7b..c4060c1f5 100644
--- a/ruamoko/game/Makefile.am
+++ b/ruamoko/game/Makefile.am
@@ -19,11 +19,7 @@ endif
 # so we have to bite the bullet and pass this to the shell every time.
 STRIP=`echo -n $(srcdir)/ | sed -e 's/[^/]//g' | wc -c`
 
-if BUILD_RUAMOKO
 data=game.dat$(GZ)
-else
-data=
-endif
 
 noinst_DATA= $(data)
 EXTRA_DATA= game.dat
diff --git a/ruamoko/gui/Makefile.am b/ruamoko/gui/Makefile.am
index 3848270e1..c8fb007bd 100644
--- a/ruamoko/gui/Makefile.am
+++ b/ruamoko/gui/Makefile.am
@@ -11,11 +11,7 @@ RANLIB=touch
 INCLUDES=	-I$(top_srcdir)/ruamoko/include -I$(top_srcdir)/include
 
 gui_libs=libgui.a
-if BUILD_RUAMOKO
 libs=$(gui_libs)
-else
-libs=
-endif
 
 pkglib_LIBRARIES= $(libs)
 EXTRA_LIBRARIES= $(gui_libs)
diff --git a/ruamoko/lib/Makefile.am b/ruamoko/lib/Makefile.am
index b3d70bf0a..0d5533bdd 100644
--- a/ruamoko/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/ruamoko/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -14,11 +14,7 @@ noinst_HEADERS= \
 	Array+Private.h
 
 ruamoko_libs=libr.a libqw.a libnq.a libcsqc.a
-if BUILD_RUAMOKO
 libs=$(ruamoko_libs)
-else
-libs=
-endif
 
 pkglib_LIBRARIES= $(libs)
 EXTRA_LIBRARIES= $(ruamoko_libs)
diff --git a/ruamoko/scheme/Makefile.am b/ruamoko/scheme/Makefile.am
index 258c741e5..3e1eee859 100644
--- a/ruamoko/scheme/Makefile.am
+++ b/ruamoko/scheme/Makefile.am
@@ -22,12 +22,8 @@ RANLIB=touch
 INCLUDES=	-I$(top_srcdir)/ruamoko/include -I$(top_srcdir)/include
 
 scheme_libs=libscheme.a
-if BUILD_RUAMOKO
 libs=$(scheme_libs)
 data=$(scheme_data)
-else
-libs=
-endif
 
 pkglib_LIBRARIES= $(libs)
 EXTRA_LIBRARIES= $(scheme_libs)