diff --git a/build-scripts/compile b/build-scripts/compile
index b1dd7a029..d09a78ac9 100755
--- a/build-scripts/compile
+++ b/build-scripts/compile
@@ -1,34 +1,55 @@
-#!/bin/sh -x
+#!/bin/sh
 
-. `dirname "$0"`/functions
+# Usage: PROJECT=[nova|community] ROLE=[hub|agent] ./buildscripts/build-scripts/compile
+#
+# This script compiles and installs the CFEngine repositories into
+# '$BASEDIR/cfengine/dist'. You should first run the 'autogen' script, then
+# 'configure' script before running this script.
+#
+# The script expects the following repositories to exist side by side:
+# .
+# ├── buildscripts
+# ├── core
+# ├── enterprise
+# ├── nova
+# └── masterfiles
+
+. "$(dirname "$0")"/functions
 . detect-environment
 . compile-options
 
 case "$PROJECT" in
-  community)
-    NOVA=no
-    ;;
-  nova)
-    NOVA=yes
-    ;;
-  *)
-    echo "Unknown project: $PROJECT"
-    exit 42;;
+    community)
+        NOVA=no
+        ;;
+    nova)
+        NOVA=yes
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo "$(basename "$0"): Error: Unknown project: $PROJECT"
+        exit 42
+        ;;
 esac
 
-$MAKE -C $BASEDIR/core -k
-$MAKE -C $BASEDIR/core install DESTDIR=$BASEDIR/cfengine/dist
+echo "$(basename "$0"): Debug: Running make in core repo..."
+run_and_print_on_failure $MAKE -C "$BASEDIR"/core -k
+echo "$(basename "$0"): Debug: Running make install in core repo..."
+run_and_print_on_failure $MAKE -C "$BASEDIR"/core install DESTDIR="$BASEDIR"/cfengine/dist
 
-if test "x$NOVA" = "xyes"; then
-    $MAKE -C $BASEDIR/enterprise -k
-    $MAKE -C $BASEDIR/enterprise install DESTDIR=$BASEDIR/cfengine/dist
-    if test "x$ROLE" = "xhub"; then
-        $MAKE -C $BASEDIR/nova -k
-        $MAKE -C $BASEDIR/nova install DESTDIR=$BASEDIR/cfengine/dist
-        $MAKE -C $BASEDIR/masterfiles install DESTDIR=$BASEDIR/cfengine/dist
+if [ "$NOVA" = yes ]; then
+    echo "$(basename "$0"): Debug: Running make in enterprise repo..."
+    run_and_print_on_failure $MAKE -C "$BASEDIR"/enterprise -k
+    echo "$(basename "$0"): Debug: Running make install in enterprise repo..."
+    run_and_print_on_failure $MAKE -C "$BASEDIR"/enterprise install DESTDIR="$BASEDIR"/cfengine/dist
+    if [ "$ROLE" = hub ]; then
+        echo "$(basename "$0"): Debug: Running make in nova repo..."
+        run_and_print_on_failure $MAKE -C "$BASEDIR"/nova -k
+        echo "$(basename "$0"): Debug: Running make install in nova repo..."
+        run_and_print_on_failure $MAKE -C "$BASEDIR"/nova install DESTDIR="$BASEDIR"/cfengine/dist
+        echo "$(basename "$0"): Debug: Running make install in masterfiles repo..."
+        run_and_print_on_failure $MAKE -C "$BASEDIR"/masterfiles install DESTDIR="$BASEDIR"/cfengine/dist
     fi
 else
-    $MAKE -C $BASEDIR/masterfiles install DESTDIR=$BASEDIR/cfengine/dist
+    echo "$(basename "$0"): Debug: Running make install in masterfiles repo..."
+    run_and_print_on_failure $MAKE -C "$BASEDIR"/masterfiles install DESTDIR="$BASEDIR"/cfengine/dist
 fi
-
-