diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a221bdc027..66ab992442 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # The default target of this Makefile is...
 all::
 
+# Define QUIET_MAKE to have a less verbose compile.
+#
 # Define NO_OPENSSL environment variable if you do not have OpenSSL.
 # This also implies MOZILLA_SHA1.
 #
@@ -602,6 +604,19 @@ endif
 ifdef NO_PERL_MAKEMAKER
 	export NO_PERL_MAKEMAKER
 endif
+ifdef QUIET_MAKE
+	QUIET_CC       = @echo '   ' CC $<;
+	QUIET_AR       = @echo '   ' AR $@;
+	QUIET_LINK     = @echo '   ' LINK $@;
+	QUIET_BUILT_IN = @echo '   ' BUILTIN $@;
+	QUIET_GEN      = @echo '   ' GEN $@;
+	QUIET_SUBDIR0  = @subdir=
+	QUIET_SUBDIR1  = ;echo '   ' SUBDIR $$subdir; $(MAKE) -C$$subdir
+	export QUIET_MAKE
+else
+	QUIET_SUBDIR0  = $(MAKE) -C
+	QUIET_SUBDIR1  =
+endif
 
 # Shell quote (do not use $(call) to accommodate ancient setups);
 
@@ -637,35 +652,34 @@ ifneq (,$X)
 endif
 
 all::
-	$(MAKE) -C git-gui all
-	$(MAKE) -C perl PERL_PATH='$(PERL_PATH_SQ)' prefix='$(prefix_SQ)' all
-	$(MAKE) -C templates
+	$(QUIET_SUBDIR0)git-gui $(QUIET_SUBDIR1) all
+	$(QUIET_SUBDIR0)perl $(QUIET_SUBDIR1) PERL_PATH='$(PERL_PATH_SQ)' prefix='$(prefix_SQ)' all
+	$(QUIET_SUBDIR0)templates $(QUIET_SUBDIR1)
 
 strip: $(PROGRAMS) git$X
 	$(STRIP) $(STRIP_OPTS) $(PROGRAMS) git$X
 
 git$X: git.c common-cmds.h $(BUILTIN_OBJS) $(GITLIBS) GIT-CFLAGS
-	$(CC) -DGIT_VERSION='"$(GIT_VERSION)"' \
+	$(QUIET_LINK)$(CC) -DGIT_VERSION='"$(GIT_VERSION)"' \
 		$(ALL_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(filter %.c,$^) \
 		$(BUILTIN_OBJS) $(ALL_LDFLAGS) $(LIBS)
 
 help.o: common-cmds.h
 
 $(BUILT_INS): git$X
-	rm -f $@ && ln git$X $@
+	$(QUIET_BUILT_IN)rm -f $@ && ln git$X $@
 
 common-cmds.h: Documentation/git-*.txt
-	./generate-cmdlist.sh > $@+
-	mv $@+ $@
+	$(QUIET_GEN)./generate-cmdlist.sh > $@+ && mv $@+ $@
 
 $(patsubst %.sh,%,$(SCRIPT_SH)) : % : %.sh
-	rm -f $@ $@+
+	$(QUIET_GEN)rm -f $@ $@+ && \
 	sed -e '1s|#!.*/sh|#!$(SHELL_PATH_SQ)|' \
 	    -e 's|@@PERL@@|$(PERL_PATH_SQ)|g' \
 	    -e 's/@@GIT_VERSION@@/$(GIT_VERSION)/g' \
 	    -e 's/@@NO_CURL@@/$(NO_CURL)/g' \
-	    $@.sh >$@+
-	chmod +x $@+
+	    $@.sh >$@+ && \
+	chmod +x $@+ && \
 	mv $@+ $@
 
 $(patsubst %.perl,%,$(SCRIPT_PERL)): perl/perl.mak
@@ -674,7 +688,7 @@ perl/perl.mak: GIT-CFLAGS
 	$(MAKE) -C perl PERL_PATH='$(PERL_PATH_SQ)' prefix='$(prefix_SQ)' $(@F)
 
 $(patsubst %.perl,%,$(SCRIPT_PERL)): % : %.perl
-	rm -f $@ $@+
+	$(QUIET_GEN)rm -f $@ $@+ && \
 	INSTLIBDIR=`$(MAKE) -C perl -s --no-print-directory instlibdir` && \
 	sed -e '1{' \
 	    -e '	s|#!.*perl|#!$(PERL_PATH_SQ)|' \
@@ -685,20 +699,18 @@ $(patsubst %.perl,%,$(SCRIPT_PERL)): % : %.perl
 	    -e '}' \
 	    -e 's|@@INSTLIBDIR@@|'"$$INSTLIBDIR"'|g' \
 	    -e 's/@@GIT_VERSION@@/$(GIT_VERSION)/g' \
-	    $@.perl >$@+
-	chmod +x $@+
+	    $@.perl >$@+ && \
+	chmod +x $@+ && \
 	mv $@+ $@
 
 git-cherry-pick: git-revert
-	cp $< $@+
-	mv $@+ $@
+	$(QUIET_GEN)cp $< $@+ && mv $@+ $@
 
 git-status: git-commit
-	cp $< $@+
-	mv $@+ $@
+	$(QUIET_GEN)cp $< $@+ && mv $@+ $@
 
 gitweb/gitweb.cgi: gitweb/gitweb.perl
-	rm -f $@ $@+
+	$(QUIET_GEN)rm -f $@ $@+ && \
 	sed -e '1s|#!.*perl|#!$(PERL_PATH_SQ)|' \
 	    -e 's|++GIT_VERSION++|$(GIT_VERSION)|g' \
 	    -e 's|++GIT_BINDIR++|$(bindir)|g' \
@@ -716,12 +728,12 @@ gitweb/gitweb.cgi: gitweb/gitweb.perl
 	    -e 's|++GITWEB_FAVICON++|$(GITWEB_FAVICON)|g' \
 	    -e 's|++GITWEB_SITE_HEADER++|$(GITWEB_SITE_HEADER)|g' \
 	    -e 's|++GITWEB_SITE_FOOTER++|$(GITWEB_SITE_FOOTER)|g' \
-	    $< >$@+
-	chmod +x $@+
+	    $< >$@+ && \
+	chmod +x $@+ && \
 	mv $@+ $@
 
 git-instaweb: git-instaweb.sh gitweb/gitweb.cgi gitweb/gitweb.css
-	rm -f $@ $@+
+	$(QUIET_GEN)rm -f $@ $@+ && \
 	sed -e '1s|#!.*/sh|#!$(SHELL_PATH_SQ)|' \
 	    -e 's/@@GIT_VERSION@@/$(GIT_VERSION)/g' \
 	    -e 's/@@NO_CURL@@/$(NO_CURL)/g' \
@@ -729,15 +741,15 @@ git-instaweb: git-instaweb.sh gitweb/gitweb.cgi gitweb/gitweb.css
 	    -e '/@@GITWEB_CGI@@/d' \
 	    -e '/@@GITWEB_CSS@@/r gitweb/gitweb.css' \
 	    -e '/@@GITWEB_CSS@@/d' \
-	    $@.sh > $@+
-	chmod +x $@+
+	    $@.sh > $@+ && \
+	chmod +x $@+ && \
 	mv $@+ $@
 
 configure: configure.ac
-	rm -f $@ $<+
+	$(QUIET_GEN)rm -f $@ $<+ && \
 	sed -e 's/@@GIT_VERSION@@/$(GIT_VERSION)/g' \
-	    $< > $<+
-	autoconf -o $@ $<+
+	    $< > $<+ && \
+	autoconf -o $@ $<+ && \
 	rm -f $<+
 
 # These can record GIT_VERSION
@@ -747,25 +759,25 @@ git$X git.spec \
 	: GIT-VERSION-FILE
 
 %.o: %.c GIT-CFLAGS
-	$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) $<
+	$(QUIET_CC)$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) $<
 %.o: %.S
-	$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) $<
+	$(QUIET_CC)$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) $<
 
 exec_cmd.o: exec_cmd.c GIT-CFLAGS
-	$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) '-DGIT_EXEC_PATH="$(gitexecdir_SQ)"' $<
+	$(QUIET_CC)$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) '-DGIT_EXEC_PATH="$(gitexecdir_SQ)"' $<
 builtin-init-db.o: builtin-init-db.c GIT-CFLAGS
-	$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) -DDEFAULT_GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR='"$(template_dir_SQ)"' $<
+	$(QUIET_CC)$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) -DDEFAULT_GIT_TEMPLATE_DIR='"$(template_dir_SQ)"' $<
 
 http.o: http.c GIT-CFLAGS
-	$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) -DGIT_USER_AGENT='"git/$(GIT_VERSION)"' $<
+	$(QUIET_CC)$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) -DGIT_USER_AGENT='"git/$(GIT_VERSION)"' $<
 
 ifdef NO_EXPAT
 http-fetch.o: http-fetch.c http.h GIT-CFLAGS
-	$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) -DNO_EXPAT $<
+	$(QUIET_CC)$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) -DNO_EXPAT $<
 endif
 
 git-%$X: %.o $(GITLIBS)
-	$(CC) $(ALL_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(ALL_LDFLAGS) $(filter %.o,$^) $(LIBS)
+	$(QUIET_LINK)$(CC) $(ALL_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(ALL_LDFLAGS) $(filter %.o,$^) $(LIBS)
 
 ssh-pull.o: ssh-fetch.c
 ssh-push.o: ssh-upload.c
@@ -779,11 +791,11 @@ git-imap-send$X: imap-send.o $(LIB_FILE)
 
 http.o http-fetch.o http-push.o: http.h
 git-http-fetch$X: fetch.o http.o http-fetch.o $(GITLIBS)
-	$(CC) $(ALL_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(ALL_LDFLAGS) $(filter %.o,$^) \
+	$(QUIET_LINK)$(CC) $(ALL_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(ALL_LDFLAGS) $(filter %.o,$^) \
 		$(LIBS) $(CURL_LIBCURL) $(EXPAT_LIBEXPAT)
 
 git-http-push$X: revision.o http.o http-push.o $(GITLIBS)
-	$(CC) $(ALL_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(ALL_LDFLAGS) $(filter %.o,$^) \
+	$(QUIET_LINK)$(CC) $(ALL_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(ALL_LDFLAGS) $(filter %.o,$^) \
 		$(LIBS) $(CURL_LIBCURL) $(EXPAT_LIBEXPAT)
 
 $(LIB_OBJS) $(BUILTIN_OBJS) fetch.o: $(LIB_H)
@@ -791,7 +803,7 @@ $(patsubst git-%$X,%.o,$(PROGRAMS)): $(LIB_H) $(wildcard */*.h)
 $(DIFF_OBJS): diffcore.h
 
 $(LIB_FILE): $(LIB_OBJS)
-	rm -f $@ && $(AR) rcs $@ $(LIB_OBJS)
+	$(QUIET_AR)rm -f $@ && $(AR) rcs $@ $(LIB_OBJS)
 
 XDIFF_OBJS=xdiff/xdiffi.o xdiff/xprepare.o xdiff/xutils.o xdiff/xemit.o \
 	xdiff/xmerge.o
@@ -799,7 +811,7 @@ $(XDIFF_OBJS): xdiff/xinclude.h xdiff/xmacros.h xdiff/xdiff.h xdiff/xtypes.h \
 	xdiff/xutils.h xdiff/xprepare.h xdiff/xdiffi.h xdiff/xemit.h
 
 $(XDIFF_LIB): $(XDIFF_OBJS)
-	rm -f $@ && $(AR) rcs $@ $(XDIFF_OBJS)
+	$(QUIET_AR)rm -f $@ && $(AR) rcs $@ $(XDIFF_OBJS)
 
 
 perl/Makefile: perl/Git.pm perl/Makefile.PL GIT-CFLAGS
diff --git a/perl/Makefile b/perl/Makefile
index 099beda873..2fceff2791 100644
--- a/perl/Makefile
+++ b/perl/Makefile
@@ -6,11 +6,15 @@ makfile:=perl.mak
 PERL_PATH_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(PERL_PATH))
 prefix_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(prefix))
 
+ifdef QUIET_MAKE
+	QUIET = @
+endif
+
 all install instlibdir: $(makfile)
-	$(MAKE) -f $(makfile) $@
+	$(QUIET)$(MAKE) -f $(makfile) $@
 
 clean:
-	test -f $(makfile) && $(MAKE) -f $(makfile) $@ || exit 0
+	$(QUIET)test -f $(makfile) && $(MAKE) -f $(makfile) $@ || exit 0
 	$(RM) ppport.h
 	$(RM) $(makfile)
 	$(RM) $(makfile).old
diff --git a/templates/Makefile b/templates/Makefile
index 0eeee43feb..81bd86ccf3 100644
--- a/templates/Makefile
+++ b/templates/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # make and install sample templates
 
+ifdef QUIET_MAKE
+	QUIET = @
+endif
+
 INSTALL ?= install
 TAR ?= tar
 prefix ?= $(HOME)
@@ -18,7 +22,7 @@ all: boilerplates.made custom
 
 bpsrc = $(filter-out %~,$(wildcard *--*))
 boilerplates.made : $(bpsrc)
-	ls *--* 2>/dev/null | \
+	$(QUIET)ls *--* 2>/dev/null | \
 	while read boilerplate; \
 	do \
 		case "$$boilerplate" in *~) continue ;; esac && \
@@ -29,13 +33,13 @@ boilerplates.made : $(bpsrc)
 		*--) ;; \
 		*) cp $$boilerplate blt/$$dst ;; \
 		esac || exit; \
-	done || exit
+	done && \
 	date >$@
 
 # If you need build-tailored templates, build them into blt/
 # directory yourself here.
 custom:
-	: no custom templates yet
+	$(QUIET): no custom templates yet
 
 clean:
 	rm -rf blt boilerplates.made