diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7759355
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#
+# Copyright 2016 the original author or authors.
+#
+# 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.
+#
+
+VENVDIR := venv
+
+.PHONY: venv
+
+default: build
+
+help:
+	@echo "Usage: make [<target>]"
+	@echo "where available targets are:"
+	@echo
+	@echo "build        : Build the Voltha docker image (default target)"
+	@echo "fetch        : Pre-fetch artifacts for subsequent local builds"
+	@echo "help         : Print this help"
+	@echo "venv         : Rebuild local Python virtualenv from scratch"
+	@echo
+
+venv:
+	rm -fr ${VENVDIR}
+	@virtualenv ${VENVDIR}
+	@. ${VENVDIR}/bin/activate && \
+	    if ! pip install -r requirements.txt; \
+	    then \
+	        echo "On MAC OS X, if the installation failed with an error \n'<openssl/opensslv.h>': file not found,"; \
+	        echo "see the BUILD.md file for a workaround"; \
+	    fi
+
+
+