diff --git a/erlang/Makefile.am b/erlang/Makefile.am
index a9825f60d..7dc0906a3 100644
--- a/erlang/Makefile.am
+++ b/erlang/Makefile.am
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ erlang_bin_DATA = guestfs.beam
 # The ./run script will set $ERL_LIBS to point to $(builddir)/erlang.
 # (See: http://www.erlang.org/doc/man/code.html)
 guestfs.beam: guestfs.erl
-	$(ERLC) +debug_info $^
+	$(guestfs_am_v_erlc)$(ERLC) +debug_info $^
 	mkdir -p $(PACKAGE)-$(VERSION)/ebin
 	cp $@ $(PACKAGE)-$(VERSION)/ebin
 
diff --git a/java/Makefile.am b/java/Makefile.am
index 0651fd31b..8b6944db0 100644
--- a/java/Makefile.am
+++ b/java/Makefile.am
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ libguestfs_jardir = $(JAR_INSTALL_DIR)
 libguestfs_jar_DATA = libguestfs-${VERSION}.jar
 libguestfs_jar_class_files = $(java_sources:.java=.class)
 $(libguestfs_jar_class_files): %.class: %.java
-	$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -d . -classpath $(srcdir):. $<
+	$(guestfs_am_v_javac)$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -d . -classpath $(srcdir):. $<
 
 libguestfs-${VERSION}.jar: $(libguestfs_jar_class_files)
 	$(JAR) cf $@ $^
@@ -140,9 +140,9 @@ TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(top_builddir)/run --test
 check_DATA = Bindtests.class $(java_tests:.java=.class)
 
 t/%.class: t/%.java libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar
-	$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -classpath libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar -d t $<
+	$(guestfs_am_v_javac)$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -classpath libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar -d t $<
 
 Bindtests.class: Bindtests.java libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar
-	$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -classpath libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar -d . $<
+	$(guestfs_am_v_javac)$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -classpath libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar -d . $<
 
 endif
diff --git a/ocaml/Makefile.am b/ocaml/Makefile.am
index acbfad188..501ac69b9 100644
--- a/ocaml/Makefile.am
+++ b/ocaml/Makefile.am
@@ -158,12 +158,12 @@ check_DATA += bindtests.opt
 endif
 
 %.bc: %.cmo mlguestfs.cma
-	$(top_builddir)/libtool -dlopen $(top_builddir)/src/.libs/libguestfs.la --mode=execute \
+	$(guestfs_am_v_ocamlc)$(top_builddir)/libtool -dlopen $(top_builddir)/src/.libs/libguestfs.la --mode=execute \
 	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -I . -package unix -linkpkg mlguestfs.cma $< -o $@
 
 if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
 %.opt: %.cmx mlguestfs.cmxa
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLOPTFLAGS) -cclib -L$(top_builddir)/src/.libs -I . -package unix -linkpkg mlguestfs.cmxa $< -o $@
+	$(guestfs_am_v_ocamlopt)$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLOPTFLAGS) -cclib -L$(top_builddir)/src/.libs -I . -package unix -linkpkg mlguestfs.cmxa $< -o $@
 endif
 
 check-valgrind:
@@ -173,16 +173,16 @@ CLEANFILES += bindtests.tmp
 
 # Dependencies.
 %.cmi: %.mli
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
+	$(guestfs_am_v_ocamlc)$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
 guestfs.cmo: guestfs.ml
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
+	$(guestfs_am_v_ocamlc)$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
 %.cmo: %.ml mlguestfs.cma
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
+	$(guestfs_am_v_ocamlc)$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
 if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
 guestfs.cmx: guestfs.ml
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLOPTFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
+	$(guestfs_am_v_ocamlopt)$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLOPTFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
 %.cmx: %.ml mlguestfs.cmxa
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLOPTFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
+	$(guestfs_am_v_ocamlopt)$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLOPTFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
 endif
 
 depend: .depend
diff --git a/subdir-rules.mk b/subdir-rules.mk
index 39c2f50d2..d6aaba7b6 100644
--- a/subdir-rules.mk
+++ b/subdir-rules.mk
@@ -56,11 +56,25 @@ MLARCHIVE = cmxa
 BEST = opt
 endif
 
+# custom silent rules
+guestfs_am_v_ocamlc = $(guestfs_am_v_ocamlc_@AM_V@)
+guestfs_am_v_ocamlc_ = $(guestfs_am_v_ocamlc_@AM_DEFAULT_V@)
+guestfs_am_v_ocamlc_0 = @echo "  OCAMLC  " $@;
+guestfs_am_v_ocamlopt = $(guestfs_am_v_ocamlopt_@AM_V@)
+guestfs_am_v_ocamlopt_ = $(guestfs_am_v_ocamlopt_@AM_DEFAULT_V@)
+guestfs_am_v_ocamlopt_0 = @echo " OCAMLOPT " $@;
+guestfs_am_v_javac = $(guestfs_am_v_javac_@AM_V@)
+guestfs_am_v_javac_ = $(guestfs_am_v_javac_@AM_DEFAULT_V@)
+guestfs_am_v_javac_0 = @echo "  JAVAC   " $@;
+guestfs_am_v_erlc = $(guestfs_am_v_erlc_@AM_V@)
+guestfs_am_v_erlc_ = $(guestfs_am_v_erlc_@AM_DEFAULT_V@)
+guestfs_am_v_erlc_0 = @echo "  ERLC    " $@;
+
 .mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
+	$(guestfs_am_v_ocamlc)$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
 .ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
+	$(guestfs_am_v_ocamlc)$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
 if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
 .ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
+	$(guestfs_am_v_ocamlopt)$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
 endif