diff --git a/packaging/Makefile b/packaging/Makefile
index ac06deb..f9a35ee 100644
--- a/packaging/Makefile
+++ b/packaging/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-__ignored__ := $(shell ./copy-local-resources-into-package-folders.sh)
-
 .PHONY: check-tools build-image build sign clean veryclean keyfile
 
 # If you run:
@@ -18,7 +16,7 @@ DOCKER_SQUID_IP=$(shell docker inspect squid | preserves-tool convert -o unquote
 HTTP_PROXY=http://$(DOCKER_SQUID_IP):3128/
 endif
 
-ARCH?=aarch64
+export ARCH?=aarch64
 DOCKER_ARCH=$(shell ./map_docker_arch.sh $(ARCH))
 KEYFILE?=synit-apk-key
 UID:=$(shell id -u)
@@ -43,15 +41,21 @@ DOCKER_BUILD_ARGS=\
 	--build-arg UID=$(UID) \
 	--build-arg BUILD_USER=$(BUILD_USER)
 
-build: build-image
+build: build-image prepare-all
 	$(DOCKER_CMD) make -f Makefile.internal $@ KEYFILE=$(KEYFILE)
 sign: build-image
 	$(DOCKER_CMD) make -f Makefile.internal $@ KEYFILE=$(KEYFILE)
-%.apk: build-image
+%.apk: build-image %.prepare
 	$(DOCKER_CMD) make -f Makefile.internal $@ KEYFILE=$(KEYFILE)
-%.checksum: build-image
+%.checksum: build-image %.prepare
 	$(DOCKER_CMD) make -f Makefile.internal $@ KEYFILE=$(KEYFILE)
 
+prepare-all: $(patsubst %,%.prepare,$(file < package-list))
+
+%.prepare:
+	@if [ -f packages/$*/Makefile.external ]; then \
+		$(MAKE) -C packages/$* -f Makefile.external prepare; fi
+
 clean:
 	rm -f .build-image.*
 	-docker rmi synit-build:aarch64
diff --git a/packaging/Makefile.internal b/packaging/Makefile.internal
index 27098ec..4495308 100644
--- a/packaging/Makefile.internal
+++ b/packaging/Makefile.internal
@@ -7,19 +7,7 @@ ARCH = $(shell apk --print-arch)
 ARCH_TARGET = $(TARGET)/packages/$(ARCH)
 SIGNING_KEY = $(HOME)/.abuild/$(KEYFILE)
 
-PACKAGES = \
-	preserves-schemas.apk \
-	preserves-tools.apk \
-	py3-preserves.apk \
-	py3-syndicate.apk \
-	squeak-cog-vm.apk \
-	squeak-stack-vm.apk \
-	syndicate-schemas.apk \
-	syndicate-server.apk \
-	syndicate-sh.apk \
-	synit-pid1.apk \
-	synit-splash.apk \
-	synit-config.apk \
+PACKAGES = $(patsubst %,%.apk,$(file < package-list))
 
 build: $(PACKAGES) sign
 
diff --git a/packaging/copy-local-resources-into-package-folders.sh b/packaging/copy-local-resources-into-package-folders.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index a67607d..0000000
--- a/packaging/copy-local-resources-into-package-folders.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-rsync -a ../protocols packages/synit-config
diff --git a/packaging/package-list b/packaging/package-list
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca94628
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/package-list
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+preserves-schemas
+preserves-tools
+py3-preserves
+py3-syndicate
+squeak-cog-vm
+squeak-stack-vm
+syndicate-schemas
+syndicate-server
+syndicate-sh
+synit-pid1
+synit-splash
+synit-config
diff --git a/packaging/packages/synit-config/Makefile.external b/packaging/packages/synit-config/Makefile.external
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a42e0fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/packages/synit-config/Makefile.external
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+
+prepare:
+	rsync -a ../../../protocols .
diff --git a/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/.gitignore b/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/.gitignore
index 12fb65c..77a3d04 100644
--- a/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/.gitignore
+++ b/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,5 @@
 buildlog.*
+synit-pid1.x86_64
+synit-pid1.armv7
+synit-pid1.aarch64
+VERSION
diff --git a/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/APKBUILD b/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/APKBUILD
index 1aaa357..59a44ad 100644
--- a/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/APKBUILD
+++ b/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/APKBUILD
@@ -1,19 +1,15 @@
 # Contributor: Tony Garnock-Jones <tonyg@leastfixedpoint.com>
 # Maintainer: Tony Garnock-Jones <tonyg@leastfixedpoint.com>
 pkgname=synit-pid1
-pkgver=0.0.2
-pkgrel=1
+pkgver=$(cat VERSION)
+pkgrel=$(date '+%Y%m%d%H%M%S')
 pkgdesc="synit pid 1 program"
 url="https://synit.org/"
 arch="all"
 license="GPLv3"
 depends="syndicate-server s6"
 makedepends=""
-source="
-synit-pid1.aarch64
-synit-pid1.armv7
-synit-pid1.x86_64
-"
+source=""
 builddir="$srcdir/"
 options="!check"
 
@@ -23,12 +19,6 @@ build() {
 
 package() {
     mkdir -p "$pkgdir/sbin"
-    cp -p synit-pid1.${CARCH} "$pkgdir/sbin/synit-pid1"
+    cp -p "$startdir/synit-pid1.${CARCH}" "$pkgdir/sbin/synit-pid1"
     cp -p "$startdir/synit-log" "$pkgdir/sbin/synit-log"
 }
-
-sha512sums="
-03ee111c5b4d2da50219a7ba95e4afdcc90e485866472e483c8ecdd6bdc824ce3c0d6565622afb0af6372f34f93c9ca2f536c224f45868957610fd425cc8640b  synit-pid1.aarch64
-8c8b836e5aace4fb36c474495752ff661dd75548b6e0d779171b7508194608721982c726ceb30e30b8e21fe776de8c4150787191d482d4feeb2903765f6269b3  synit-pid1.armv7
-aa993cd216e989162586c08d9656e3fd3c715430977f659c1b2fcc35311cc7936d4f39acec9c997e1be1cd6dc8563d6b8b46ce905fecd87711a9973043a2d063  synit-pid1.x86_64
-"
diff --git a/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/Makefile.external b/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/Makefile.external
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38d28db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/packages/synit-pid1/Makefile.external
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+
+prepare:
+	rm -f synit-pid1.$(ARCH)
+	$(MAKE) -C ../../../synit-pid1 $(ARCH)-binary-release
+	cp -p ../../../synit-pid1/target/$(ARCH)-*/release/synit-pid1 synit-pid1.$(ARCH)
+	(cd ../../../synit-pid1 && cargo metadata --format-version 1) | \
+		preserves-tool convert --output-format unquoted \
+			--select '. "packages" / [. "name" = "synit-pid1"] . "version"' > VERSION