diff --git a/makefiles/include.mk b/makefiles/include.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..204281e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/include.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
+
+ONF_MAKE ?= $(MAKEDIR)# fix this -- two distinct makefile imports needed
+ONF_MAKE ?= $(error ONF_MAKE= is required)
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+help::
+	@echo "Usage: make [options] [target] ..."
+
+include $(ONF_MAKE)/consts.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKE)/lint/include.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKE)/virtualenv.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKE)/help/variables.mk
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))
+
+# [EOF]