diff --git a/installer/.gitignore b/installer/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..24404a12cf22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/installer/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/staging/sof*
diff --git a/installer/GNUmakefile b/installer/GNUmakefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2dc89bcc3f27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/installer/GNUmakefile
@@ -0,0 +1,265 @@
+
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+# Copyright(c) 2021 Intel Corporation
+
+
+.DEFAULT_GOAL := stage
+.PHONY: clean stage rsync
+.PHONY: signed unsigned ldicts topologies
+.PHONY: compare signed_dummies
+
+# Override ?= variables in config.mk
+-include config.mk
+
+UNSIGNED_list ?= bdw byt cht
+SIGNED_list  ?= apl cnl icl jsl tgl tgl-h
+# older SOF versions
+# SIGNED_list += hsw kbl skl sue
+
+# In a Linux kernel git clone, try:
+#   git grep 'sof-.*\.ri' -- sound/soc/
+ALIAS_list ?= glk cfl cml ehl
+
+$(info UNSIGNED_list = ${UNSIGNED_list} )
+$(info SIGNED_list   = ${SIGNED_list}   )
+$(info ALIAS_list    = ${ALIAS_list}    )
+
+# Same code, same Intel key
+target_of_glk := apl
+target_of_cfl := cnl
+target_of_cml := cnl
+
+# Same code, different Intel key
+target_of_ehl := tgl
+
+ifeq (,${TOOLCHAIN})
+  ifeq (,${XTENSA_TOOLS_ROOT})
+    TOOLCHAIN := gcc
+  else
+    TOOLCHAIN := xcc
+  endif
+endif
+
+TREE_OPTS ?= --sort=size --dirsfirst
+INSTALL_OPTS ?= -D -p -m 0664
+
+# Keep SOF_VERSION optional
+
+SOF_VERSION ?= $(shell git describe --dirty)
+ifneq (${SOF_VERSION},)
+VERSION_DIR := ${SOF_VERSION}/
+VERSION_SUFFIX := -${SOF_VERSION}
+endif
+
+
+
+      ################################
+      ###  Top-level directories  ####
+      ################################
+
+# Our input:  build_*_?cc/ directories
+BUILDS_ROOT ?= ${CURDIR}/../installer-builds
+BUILD_TOOLS ?= ${BUILDS_ROOT}/build_tools
+
+STAGING_SOF ?= staging/sof
+STAGING_SOF_VERSION := ${STAGING_SOF}${VERSION_SUFFIX}
+
+STAGING_SOF_TPLG ?= staging/sof-tplg
+
+stage: signed unsigned ldicts aliases topologies
+ifneq (${STAGING_SOF_VERSION},${STAGING_SOF})
+	ln -sfT sof${VERSION_SUFFIX} ${STAGING_SOF}
+	test -e ${STAGING_SOF}
+endif
+	@file ${STAGING_SOF}
+	@tree ${TREE_OPTS} ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}
+
+COMMUNITY	:= ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/community
+INTEL_SIGNED	:= ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/intel-signed
+${COMMUNITY} ${INTEL_SIGNED} ${BUILDS_ROOT} ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}:
+	mkdir -p $@
+
+# The noise for incremental, do-nothing builds is incredible otherwise,
+# especially for build_tools
+GNUMAKEFLAGS = --no-print-directory
+
+      #####################################
+      ###    rsync to local or remote  ####
+      #####################################
+
+# Default value
+FW_DESTDIR ?= /lib/firmware/intel/
+# We don't depend on any other target so:
+# - it's possible to deploy a staging _subset_,
+# - sudo never builds by accident
+rsync:
+	rsync -a --info=progress2 staging/sof* "${FW_DESTDIR}"
+ifneq (${USER_DESTDIR},)
+	# TODO: add more user space binaries: sof-ctl, probes,...
+	# absorbe scripts/sof-target-install.sh
+	rsync -a ${BUILD_TOOLS}/logger/sof-logger ${USER_DESTDIR}
+endif
+
+clean:
+	${RM} -r staging/sof*
+	${RM} ${BUILDS_ROOT}/staging_sof_tree.txt
+
+cleanall: clean
+	${RM} -r "${BUILD_TOOLS}/" "${BUILDS_ROOT}"/build_*_?cc/
+
+   ##########################################################
+   ###  Stage sof-*.ri firmware files and symbolic links ####
+   ##########################################################
+
+#
+# 1. Stages all *.ri files
+#
+# 2. Create symbolic links, including (broken) intel-signed symbolic
+#    links that must be fixed in a final release, otherwise the release
+#    is incomplete. To check all symlinks: file $(find -type l)
+#
+
+# '%' is the platform name
+SIGNED_FWS := ${SIGNED_list:%=${COMMUNITY}/sof-%.ri}
+# $(info SIGNED_FWS = ${SIGNED_FWS})
+signed: ${SIGNED_FWS}
+${SIGNED_FWS}: ${COMMUNITY}/sof-%.ri:    \
+               ${BUILDS_ROOT}/build_%_${TOOLCHAIN}/sof.ri     \
+	     | ${COMMUNITY} ${INTEL_SIGNED}
+	install ${INSTALL_OPTS} $< $@
+	ln -sfT     intel-signed/sof-$*.ri ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/sof-$*.ri
+
+# '%' is the platform name
+UNSIGNED_FWS := ${UNSIGNED_list:%=${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/sof-%.ri}
+# $(info UNSIGNED_FWS = ${UNSIGNED_FWS})
+unsigned: ${UNSIGNED_FWS}
+${UNSIGNED_FWS}: ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/sof-%.ri:   \
+                 ${BUILDS_ROOT}/build_%_${TOOLCHAIN}/sof.ri
+	install ${INSTALL_OPTS} $< $@
+
+
+BUILD_SOF_RIS := \
+      ${UNSIGNED_list:%=${BUILDS_ROOT}/build_%_${TOOLCHAIN}/sof.ri} \
+        ${SIGNED_list:%=${BUILDS_ROOT}/build_%_${TOOLCHAIN}/sof.ri}
+
+# The build is not deterministic; use this to reduce noise when testing
+# this Makefile.
+# Also very useful with XCC, see next comment.
+ifneq (true,${BUILD_ONLY_ONCE})
+.PHONY: ${BUILD_SOF_RIS}
+endif
+
+# Incremental builds are not possible with XCC because the entire
+# toolchain requires $XTENSA_SYSTEM but CMake does not support
+# build-time environment variables. In the future we could move the
+# XTENSA_SYSTEM values out of xtensa-build-all.sh and into some shared
+# config file included here.
+${BUILD_SOF_RIS}: ${BUILDS_ROOT}/build_%_${TOOLCHAIN}/sof.ri: | ${BUILDS_ROOT}
+	cd ${BUILDS_ROOT} && bdir="$$(dirname $@)" &&  \
+      if [ -d $${bdir} ] && [ xcc != "${TOOLCHAIN}" ] ; then \
+        cmake --build $${bdir} -- bin; else \
+      $(CURDIR)/../scripts/xtensa-build-all.sh $*; fi
+
+
+       ########################################
+       ###  Stage *.ldc logger dictionaries ###
+       ########################################
+
+# '%' is the platform name
+LDICTS := ${UNSIGNED_list:%=${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/sof-%.ldc} \
+            ${SIGNED_list:%=${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/sof-%.ldc}
+# $(info LDICTS = ${LDICTS})
+ldicts: ${LDICTS}
+${LDICTS}: ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/sof-%.ldc:  \
+                                ${BUILDS_ROOT}/build_%_${TOOLCHAIN}/sof.ri
+	install ${INSTALL_OPTS} ${BUILDS_ROOT}/build_$*_${TOOLCHAIN}/sof.ldc $@
+
+
+        #######################################
+        ###  Platform -> platform aliases  ####
+        #######################################
+
+# '%' is the platform name
+COMM_ALIASES   := ${ALIAS_list:%=${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/community/sof-%.ri}
+DICT_ALIASES   := ${ALIAS_list:%=${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/sof-%.ldc}
+SIGNED_ALIASES := ${ALIAS_list:%=${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/sof-%.ri}
+aliases: ${SIGNED_ALIASES} ${COMM_ALIASES} ${DICT_ALIASES}
+
+${COMM_ALIASES}: ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/community/sof-%.ri: | ${COMMUNITY}
+	ln -sfT sof-${target_of_$*}.ri $@
+
+${DICT_ALIASES}: ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/sof-%.ldc: | ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}
+	ln -sfT sof-${target_of_$*}.ldc $@
+
+# Some have the same key, others just the code. We don't make any
+# difference here and let the intel-signed/ directory handle this.
+${SIGNED_ALIASES}: ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/sof-%.ri: | ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}
+	ln -sfT intel-signed/sof-$*.ri $@
+
+
+            ##################################
+            ### Stage sof-tplg/ topologies ###
+            ##################################
+
+# The build is not deterministic; use this to reduce noise when testing
+# this Makefile
+ifneq (true,${BUILD_ONLY_ONCE})
+.PHONY: ${BUILD_TOOLS}
+endif
+
+topologies: ${BUILD_TOOLS}
+	install ${INSTALL_OPTS}  -t ${STAGING_SOF_TPLG}${VERSION_SUFFIX}/ \
+               ${BUILD_TOOLS}/topology/sof-*.tplg
+ifneq (,${VERSION_SUFFIX})
+	ln -sfT sof-tplg${VERSION_SUFFIX} ${STAGING_SOF_TPLG}
+	test -e ${STAGING_SOF_TPLG}
+endif
+	@file ${STAGING_SOF_TPLG}
+	@tree ${TREE_OPTS} ${STAGING_SOF_TPLG}${VERSION_SUFFIX} | \
+            head -n 10; printf '├── ...\n..\n'
+
+# We should use more targets rather than set -e and a multi-lines script
+# but that would be verbose.
+${BUILD_TOOLS}:
+	set -e; if test -d ${BUILD_TOOLS}; then \
+        for i in topologies sof-logger; do \
+          cmake --build ${BUILD_TOOLS} -- $$i; done; else         \
+          BUILD_TOOLS_DIR=${BUILD_TOOLS} ../scripts/build-tools.sh -T -l ; \
+        fi
+
+
+             ####################
+             ### Self-Testing ###
+             ####################
+
+COMPARE_REFS ?= /lib/firmware/intel
+
+checktree:
+	cd ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION} && \
+             tree -a --dirsfirst . >  ${BUILDS_ROOT}/staging_sof_tree.txt
+	# Update sof-apl-nocodec.tplg when adding or removing a default platform
+	diff -u tests/staging_sof_ref.txt ${BUILDS_ROOT}/staging_sof_tree.txt
+	# Check two random topologies are there
+	test -f ${STAGING_SOF_TPLG}/sof-apl-nocodec.tplg
+	test -f ${STAGING_SOF_TPLG}/sof-imx8qxp-nocodec.tplg
+
+# Useful for testing this Makefile. COMPARE_REFS can be /lib/firmware,
+# sof-bin, a previous version of this Makefile,...
+# As the first arguments maybe symbolic links, their trailing slash is
+# critical.
+compare: stage
+	! diff -qr --no-dereference ${COMPARE_REFS}/sof/ \
+             ${STAGING_SOF_VERSION}/ \
+             | grep -v ' differ$$' # || true
+	! diff -qr --no-dereference ${COMPARE_REFS}/sof-tplg/ \
+             ${STAGING_SOF_TPLG}${VERSION_SUFFIX}/ \
+             | grep -v ' differ$$'
+
+# Invoke this manually to check symbolic links are correct
+SIGNED_DUMMIES := ${SIGNED_list:%=${INTEL_SIGNED}/sof-%.ri} \
+                   ${ALIAS_list:%=${INTEL_SIGNED}/sof-%.ri}
+signed_dummies: ${SIGNED_DUMMIES}
+	! file $$(find . -type l) | grep -i broken
+
+${SIGNED_DUMMIES}: | ${INTEL_SIGNED}
+	touch $@
diff --git a/installer/README.md b/installer/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5819a4a80d89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/installer/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+The GNUmakefile in this directory prepares ``/lib/firmware/intel/sof/`` and
+``/lib/firmware/intel/sof-tplg/`` directories.
+
+It extracts what's needed from the output of the scripts
+``./scripts/xtensa-build-all.sh`` and ``./scripts/build-tools.sh -T
+-l``. It automatically runs these scripts when needed for the platforms
+listed in config.mk and performs incremental builds when they have
+already been run.
+
+It does not copy anything to ``/lib/firmware/`` directly but to local,
+"staging" subdirectory first. The staging area can then be installed with
+rsync to a local or remote ``/lib/firmware/intel/`` or to a release
+location. This gives an opportunity to inspect the staging area and
+avoids running everything as root.
+
+The default target (re-)generates the staging area:
+
+    make -C installer/
+
+Then, to install the staging area:
+
+    sudo make -C installer/ rsync
+
+By default, the "rsync" target installs to the local
+``/lib/firmware/intel/`` directory. To install to a different host or
+different directory, copy the ``sample-config.mk`` file to ``config.mk``
+and follow the instructions inside the file. ``config.mk`` can also be
+used to change the list of platforms installed and a number of other
+Make variables. As usual with Make, many parameters can also be
+overridden on the command line.
+
+To stage and install in one go:
+
+    make -C installer/ stage rsync
+
+"stage" is the default target and it tries to stage everything:
+firmware, dictionaries and topologies. As usual with Make, it's possible
+to invoke individual targets. Find a list of targets at the top of
+GNUMakefile.
+
+You can use `make -jN stage` to build multiple platforms faster but do
+*not* `make -jN stage rsync` as this will start deploying before the
+builds are all complete. That's because we want the rsync target to be
+able to deploy subsets. Instead do: `make -jN somethings && make rsync`.
+
+Sample output:
+
+    staging/sof: symbolic link to sof-v1.6.1
+    staging/sof-v1.6.1/
+    ├── community/
+    │   ├── sof-tgl.ri
+    │   ├── sof-cnl.ri
+    │   ├── sof-icl.ri
+    │   ├── sof-jsl.ri
+    │   ├── sof-apl.ri
+    │   ├── sof-cfl.ri -> sof-cnl.ri
+    │   ├── sof-cml.ri -> sof-cnl.ri
+    │   ├── sof-ehl.ri -> sof-tgl.ri
+    │   └── sof-glk.ri -> sof-apl.ri
+    ├── intel-signed/
+    ├── sof-bdw.ri
+    ├── sof-cht.ri
+    ├── sof-byt.ri
+    ├── sof-cnl.ldc
+    ├── sof-tgl.ldc
+    ├── sof-icl.ldc
+    ├── sof-jsl.ldc
+    ├── sof-apl.ldc
+    ├── sof-bdw.ldc
+    ├── sof-byt.ldc
+    ├── sof-cht.ldc
+    ├── sof-apl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-apl.ri
+    ├── sof-cfl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-cfl.ri
+    ├── sof-cml.ri -> intel-signed/sof-cml.ri
+    ├── sof-cnl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-cnl.ri
+    ├── sof-ehl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-ehl.ri
+    ├── sof-glk.ri -> intel-signed/sof-glk.ri
+    ├── sof-icl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-icl.ri
+    ├── sof-jsl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-jsl.ri
+    ├── sof-tgl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-tgl.ri
+    ├── sof-cfl.ldc -> sof-cnl.ldc
+    ├── sof-cml.ldc -> sof-cnl.ldc
+    ├── sof-ehl.ldc -> sof-tgl.ldc
+    └── sof-glk.ldc -> sof-apl.ldc
+
diff --git a/installer/sample-config.mk b/installer/sample-config.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a0aa1730dab6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/installer/sample-config.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# To customize the installation, copy this file to config.mk and edit
+# it. Leave undefined to use default values.
+
+# As usual with Make, all these can also be passed as either CLI
+# arguments or environment variables.  Warning: undefined is NOT the
+# same as blank!
+
+# Everything is installed by default. To install and deploy fewer
+# patforms override the default lists like this:
+# UNSIGNED_list :=
+# SIGNED_list := apl tgl
+
+# The default FW_DESTDIR is the local /lib/firmware/intel directory
+# _remote := test-system.local
+# FW_DESTDIR     := root@${_remote}:/lib/firmware/intel
+# USER_DESTDIR   := ${_remote}:bin/
+
+# Define this empty for a plain sof/ directory and no sof -> sof-v1.2.3
+# symbolic links.
+# SOF_VERSION :=
+#
+# SOF_VERSION := $(shell git describe --tags )
+# SOF_VERSION := v1.6.14
+
+# Uncomment this to have the build_*_?cc/ directories at the top-level
+# BUILDS_ROOT := ${CURDIR}/..
+
+# The build is not deterministic; use this to reduce noise when testing
+# the installer/ itself
+# BUILD_ONLY_ONCE := true
diff --git a/installer/tests/staging_sof_ref.txt b/installer/tests/staging_sof_ref.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..104fef8dc94b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/installer/tests/staging_sof_ref.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+.
+├── community
+│   ├── sof-apl.ri
+│   ├── sof-cfl.ri -> sof-cnl.ri
+│   ├── sof-cml.ri -> sof-cnl.ri
+│   ├── sof-cnl.ri
+│   ├── sof-ehl.ri -> sof-tgl.ri
+│   ├── sof-glk.ri -> sof-apl.ri
+│   ├── sof-icl.ri
+│   ├── sof-jsl.ri
+│   ├── sof-tgl-h.ri
+│   └── sof-tgl.ri
+├── intel-signed
+├── sof-apl.ldc
+├── sof-apl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-apl.ri
+├── sof-bdw.ldc
+├── sof-bdw.ri
+├── sof-byt.ldc
+├── sof-byt.ri
+├── sof-cfl.ldc -> sof-cnl.ldc
+├── sof-cfl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-cfl.ri
+├── sof-cht.ldc
+├── sof-cht.ri
+├── sof-cml.ldc -> sof-cnl.ldc
+├── sof-cml.ri -> intel-signed/sof-cml.ri
+├── sof-cnl.ldc
+├── sof-cnl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-cnl.ri
+├── sof-ehl.ldc -> sof-tgl.ldc
+├── sof-ehl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-ehl.ri
+├── sof-glk.ldc -> sof-apl.ldc
+├── sof-glk.ri -> intel-signed/sof-glk.ri
+├── sof-icl.ldc
+├── sof-icl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-icl.ri
+├── sof-jsl.ldc
+├── sof-jsl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-jsl.ri
+├── sof-tgl-h.ldc
+├── sof-tgl-h.ri -> intel-signed/sof-tgl-h.ri
+├── sof-tgl.ldc
+└── sof-tgl.ri -> intel-signed/sof-tgl.ri
+
+2 directories, 36 files
diff --git a/scripts/build-tools.sh b/scripts/build-tools.sh
index f14cdd74f8bf..6718f915689d 100755
--- a/scripts/build-tools.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-tools.sh
@@ -24,14 +24,16 @@ EOFUSAGE
 reconfigure_build()
 {
         rm -rf "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR"
-        mkdir "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR"
+        mkdir -p "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR"
 
-        cd "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR"
-        cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="$CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE" ..
+        ( cd "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR"
+          cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="$CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE" "${SOF_REPO}/tools"
+        )
 
         mkdir "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR/fuzzer"
-        cd "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR/fuzzer"
-        cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="$CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE" ../../fuzzer
+        ( cd "$BUILD_TOOLS_DIR/fuzzer"
+          cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="$CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE" "${SOF_REPO}/tools/fuzzer"
+        )
 }
 
 make_tool()
@@ -71,7 +73,7 @@ main()
                 BUILD_ALL
         SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)
         SOF_REPO=$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")
-        BUILD_TOOLS_DIR="$SOF_REPO"/tools/build_tools
+        : "${BUILD_TOOLS_DIR:=$SOF_REPO/tools/build_tools}"
         : "${NO_PROCESSORS:=$(nproc)}"
         BUILD_ALL=false
 
diff --git a/scripts/cmake/xtensa-toolchain.cmake b/scripts/cmake/xtensa-toolchain.cmake
index 9c4af027dd01..75414f2b4fe4 100644
--- a/scripts/cmake/xtensa-toolchain.cmake
+++ b/scripts/cmake/xtensa-toolchain.cmake
@@ -71,12 +71,18 @@ if(XCC)
 		COMMAND ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} --show-config=config
 		OUTPUT_VARIABLE cc_config_output
 		OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
-		ERROR_QUIET
+		RESULT_VARIABLE show_config_res
 	)
+	if(NOT ${show_config_res} EQUAL 0)
+		message(WARNING "${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} --show-config "
+		  "failed with: ${show_config_res}")
+	endif()
 
 	string(REGEX MATCH "[a-zA-Z]+-[0-9]+.[0-9]+-[a-zA-Z]*" XCC_TOOLS_VERSION "${cc_config_output}")
 	if(NOT XCC_TOOLS_VERSION)
-		message(WARNING "Couldn't get compiler description from '${cc_config_output}'")
+		message(WARNING
+		  "Couldn't get ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} description,"
+		  " --show-config printed: '${cc_config_output}'")
 		set(XCC_TOOLS_VERSION "UNKNOWN-${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME}")
 	endif()
 else()
diff --git a/scripts/xtensa-build-all.sh b/scripts/xtensa-build-all.sh
index 703de63740de..e952460c403d 100755
--- a/scripts/xtensa-build-all.sh
+++ b/scripts/xtensa-build-all.sh
@@ -14,9 +14,22 @@ BUILD_JOBS=$(nproc --all)
 BUILD_VERBOSE=
 PLATFORMS=()
 
-PATH=$pwd/local/bin:$PATH
+SOF_TOP=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)
+
+# As CMake forks one compiler process for each source file, the XTensa
+# compiler spends much more time idle waiting for the license server
+# over the network than actually using CPU or disk. A factor 3 has been
+# found optimal for 16 nproc 25ms away from the server; your mileage may
+# vary.
+#
+# The entire, purely local gcc build is so fast (~ 1s) that observing
+# any difference between -j nproc and -j nproc*N is practically
+# impossible so let's not waste RAM when building with gcc.
+
+if [ -n "$XTENSA_TOOLS_ROOT" ]; then
+    BUILD_JOBS=$((BUILD_JOBS * 3))
+fi
 
-pwd=$(pwd)
 
 die()
 {
@@ -31,7 +44,7 @@ print_usage()
 {
     cat <<EOF
 Re-configures and re-builds SOF using the corresponding compiler and
-platform's _defconfig file.
+the <platform>_defconfig file.
 
 usage: $0 [options] platform(s)
 
@@ -40,7 +53,7 @@ usage: $0 [options] platform(s)
        -u Force UP ARCH
        -d Enable debug build
        -c Interactive menuconfig
-       -o copies the file argument from src/arch/xtensa/configs/override/$arg.config
+       -o arg, copies src/arch/xtensa/configs/override/<arg>.config
 	  to the build directory after invoking CMake and before Make.
        -k Configure rimage to use a non-default \${RIMAGE_PRIVATE_KEY}
            DEPRECATED: use the more flexible \${PRIVATE_KEY_OPTION} below.
@@ -57,6 +70,25 @@ following environment variable:
 or:
      PRIVATE_KEY_OPTION='-DRIMAGE_PRIVATE_KEY=path/to/key'  $0 ...
 
+This script supports XtensaTools but only when installed in a specific
+directory structure, example:
+
+myXtensa/
+└── install/
+    ├── builds/
+    │   ├── RD-2012.5-linux/
+    │   │   └── Intel_HiFiEP/
+    │   └── RG-2017.8-linux/
+    │       ├── LX4_langwell_audio_17_8/
+    │       └── X4H3I16w2D48w3a_2017_8/
+    └── tools/
+        ├── RD-2012.5-linux/
+        │   └── XtensaTools/
+        └── RG-2017.8-linux/
+            └── XtensaTools/
+
+$ XTENSA_TOOLS_ROOT=/path/to/myXtensa $0 ...
+
 Supported platforms ${SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS[*]}
 
 EOF
@@ -85,7 +117,7 @@ SIGNING_TOOL=RIMAGE
 
 if [ -n "${OVERRIDE_CONFIG}" ]
 then
-	OVERRIDE_CONFIG="src/arch/xtensa/configs/override/$OVERRIDE_CONFIG.config"
+	OVERRIDE_CONFIG="${SOF_TOP}/src/arch/xtensa/configs/override/$OVERRIDE_CONFIG.config"
 	[ -f "${OVERRIDE_CONFIG}" ] || die 'Invalid override config file %s\n' "${OVERRIDE_CONFIG}"
 fi
 
@@ -136,7 +168,7 @@ then
 fi
 
 OLDPATH=$PATH
-WORKDIR="$pwd"
+CURDIR="$(pwd)"
 
 # build platforms
 for platform in "${PLATFORMS[@]}"
@@ -252,7 +284,7 @@ do
 			# default key for TGL
 			if [ -z "$PRIVATE_KEY_OPTION" ]
 			then
-				PRIVATE_KEY_OPTION="-D${SIGNING_TOOL}_PRIVATE_KEY=$pwd/keys/otc_private_key_3k.pem"
+	PRIVATE_KEY_OPTION="-D${SIGNING_TOOL}_PRIVATE_KEY=$SOF_TOP/keys/otc_private_key_3k.pem"
 			fi
 			;;
 		tgl-h)
@@ -265,7 +297,7 @@ do
 			# default key for TGL
 			if [ -z "$PRIVATE_KEY_OPTION" ]
 			then
-				PRIVATE_KEY_OPTION="-D${SIGNING_TOOL}_PRIVATE_KEY=$pwd/keys/otc_private_key_3k.pem"
+	PRIVATE_KEY_OPTION="-D${SIGNING_TOOL}_PRIVATE_KEY=$SOF_TOP/keys/otc_private_key_3k.pem"
 			fi
 			;;
 		jsl)
@@ -299,7 +331,6 @@ do
 			;;
 
 	esac
-	ROOT="$pwd/../xtensa-root/$HOST"
 
 	if [ -n "$XTENSA_TOOLS_ROOT" ]
 	then
@@ -316,21 +347,26 @@ do
 				XCC="none"
 				XTOBJCOPY="none"
 				XTOBJDUMP="none"
-				echo "XTENSA_TOOLS_DIR is not a directory"
+				>&2 printf 'WARNING: %s
+\t is not a directory, reverting to gcc\n' "$XTENSA_TOOLS_DIR"
 		fi
 	fi
 
-	# update ROOT directory for xt-xcc
+	# CMake uses ROOT_DIR for includes and libraries a bit like
+	# --sysroot would.
+	ROOT="$SOF_TOP/../xtensa-root/$HOST"
+
 	if [ "$XCC" == "xt-xcc" ]
 	then
 		TOOLCHAIN=xt
 		ROOT="$XTENSA_BUILDS_DIR/$XTENSA_CORE/xtensa-elf"
 		export XTENSA_SYSTEM=$XTENSA_BUILDS_DIR/$XTENSA_CORE/config
+		printf 'XTENSA_SYSTEM=%s\n' "${XTENSA_SYSTEM}"
 		PATH=$XTENSA_TOOLS_DIR/XtensaTools/bin:$OLDPATH
 		COMPILER="xcc"
 	else
 		TOOLCHAIN=$HOST
-		PATH=$pwd/../$HOST/bin:$OLDPATH
+		PATH=$SOF_TOP/../$HOST/bin:$OLDPATH
 		COMPILER="gcc"
 
 		case "$platform" in
@@ -347,20 +383,21 @@ do
 	mkdir "$BUILD_DIR"
 	cd "$BUILD_DIR"
 
+	printf 'PATH=%s\n' "$PATH"
 	( set -x # log the main commands and their parameters
 	cmake -DTOOLCHAIN="$TOOLCHAIN" \
 		-DROOT_DIR="$ROOT" \
 		-DMEU_OPENSSL="${MEU_OPENSSL}" \
 		"${MEU_PATH_OPTION}" \
 		"${PRIVATE_KEY_OPTION}" \
-		..
+		"$SOF_TOP"
 
 	cmake --build .  --  ${PLATFORM}${DEFCONFIG_PATCH}_defconfig
 	)
 
 	if [ -n "$OVERRIDE_CONFIG" ]
 	then
-		cp "../$OVERRIDE_CONFIG" override.config
+		cp "$OVERRIDE_CONFIG" override.config
 	fi
 
 	if [[ "x$MAKE_MENUCONFIG" == "xyes" ]]
@@ -392,7 +429,7 @@ do
 
 	cmake --build .  --  bin -j "${BUILD_JOBS}" ${BUILD_VERBOSE}
 
-	cd "$WORKDIR"
+	cd "$CURDIR"
 done # for platform in ...
 
 # list all the images
diff --git a/src/arch/xtensa/CMakeLists.txt b/src/arch/xtensa/CMakeLists.txt
index b429348e5808..ff10dd91a4e4 100644
--- a/src/arch/xtensa/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/arch/xtensa/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -504,7 +504,9 @@ else()
 	add_custom_target(
 		bin ALL
 		COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy sof-${fw_name}.ri ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sof-${fw_output_name}.ri
+		COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy sof-${fw_name}.ri ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sof.ri
 		COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy sof-${fw_name}.ldc ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sof-${fw_output_name}.ldc
+		COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy sof-${fw_name}.ldc ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sof.ldc
 		DEPENDS run_meu bin_extras glue_binary_files
 		VERBATIM
 		USES_TERMINAL