diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e192aa65..065cb1d4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # intermediate build output:
 
 *.o
-espeak-data-local/
 
 # libraries
 
@@ -15,3 +14,14 @@ src/espeak
 src/espeakedit
 src/speak
 
+# espeak-data
+
+espeak-data/dictsource
+espeak-data/phsource
+espeak-data/*_dict
+espeak-data/intonations
+espeak-data/phondata
+espeak-data/phondata-manifest
+espeak-data/phonindex
+espeak-data/phontab
+
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b61e3cb9..2b58260f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,16 +4,15 @@ DATADIR=$(PREFIX)/share/espeak-data
 
 PLATFORM=big_endian
 
-.PHONY: all clean distclean espeak espeakedit espeak-phoneme-data espeak-data espeak-data-local
+.PHONY: all clean distclean espeak espeakedit espeak-phoneme-data espeak-data
 
 ##### standard build actions:
 
-all: espeak espeakedit espeak-data-local
+all: espeak espeakedit espeak-data
 
 install:
 	cd src && make DESTDIR=$(DESTDIR) PREFIX=$(PREFIX) install && cd ..
 	install -m 755 src/espeakedit $(DESTDIR)$(BINDIR)
-	cp -prf espeak-data-local/* $(DESTDIR)$(DATADIR)
 
 clean:
 	cd src && rm -f *.o *~ && cd ..
@@ -21,7 +20,8 @@ clean:
 distclean: clean
 	cd src && rm -f libespeak.a libespeak.so.* speak espeak espeakedit && cd ..
 	cd platforms/$(PLATFORM) && rm -f espeak-phoneme-data && cd ../..
-	rm -rf espeak-data-local
+	rm -rf espeak-data/dictsource espeak-data/phsource espeak-data/phondata-manifest
+	cd espeak-data && rm -f *_dict && cd ..
 
 ##### build targets:
 
@@ -34,23 +34,13 @@ espeakedit:
 espeak-phoneme-data:
 	cd platforms/$(PLATFORM) && make PREFIX=$(PREFIX) && cd ../..
 
-espeak-data: espeakedit
+espeak-data-dir:
+	rm -rf espeak-data/dictsource espeak-data/phsource espeak-data/phondata-manifest
+	cp -a phsource espeak-data/phsource
+	cp -a dictsource espeak-data/dictsource
+
+espeak-data: espeakedit espeak-data-dir
 	rm -rf $(HOME)/espeak-data
-	cp -a espeak-data $(HOME)/espeak-data
-	cp -a phsource $(HOME)/espeak-data/phsource
-	cp -a dictsource $(HOME)/espeak-data/dictsource
-	mv $(HOME)/espeak-data/phsource/intonation $(HOME)/espeak-data/intonations
+	ln -sv $(PWD)/espeak-data $(HOME)/espeak-data
 	src/espeakedit --compile
 
-espeak-data-local: espeak-phoneme-data espeak-data
-	rm -rf espeak-data-local
-	cp -a $(HOME)/espeak-data espeak-data-local
-	platforms/$(PLATFORM)/espeak-phoneme-data espeak-data-local espeak-data-local espeak-data-local/phondata-manifest
-	mkdir -p espeak-data-local/mbrola
-	mkdir -p espeak-data-local/mbrola_ph
-	mkdir -p espeak-data-local/soundicons
-	mkdir -p espeak-data-local/voices/test
-	rm -rf espeak-data-local/dictsource
-	rm -rf espeak-data-local/phsource
-	rm -rf espeak-data-local/phondata-manifest
-