diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e192a352e..fc078cee7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ usage:
 # 
 # etcfiles has to be done first.
 .if ${COMPILER_TYPE} == "ack"
-world: mkfiles includes depend libraries install
+world: mkfiles includes depend libraries install etcforce
 .elif ${COMPILER_TYPE} == "gnu"
-world: mkfiles includes depend gnu-libraries install
+world: mkfiles includes depend gnu-libraries install etcforce
 .endif
 
 mkfiles:
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ depend::
 etcfiles::
 	$(MAKE) -C etc install
 
+etcforce::
+	$(MAKE) -C etc installforce
+
 all::
 	$(MAKE) -C boot all
 	$(MAKE) -C commands all
diff --git a/docs/UPDATING b/docs/UPDATING
index 3024d99b7..7f9d3cc0d 100644
--- a/docs/UPDATING
+++ b/docs/UPDATING
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+20100827:
+	From now on, the rc scripts, recovery scripts and system.conf in /etc
+	and /usr/etc are updated automatically by make world. If you want to
+	change them, do so in the source tree. If you make changes to your
+	settings in /etc and /usr/etc, merge them into the the source tree
+	before issuing a make world.
+
 20100805:
 	mkfs and fsck have been renamed to mkfs.mfs and fsck.mfs, respectively.
 	Moreover, they have been moved to /sbin, which is by default not in
diff --git a/etc/Makefile b/etc/Makefile
index 21952134b..bcb3d7c86 100644
--- a/etc/Makefile
+++ b/etc/Makefile
@@ -28,3 +28,21 @@ install::
 	for u in /usr/ast ~root; do cp ast/.[aepv]* $$u ; done
 	@echo "Installing fonts.."
 	install -m 644 -o root -g operator fonts/*.fnt /usr/lib/fonts/
+
+installforce:: $(ETC)/rc $(ETC)/rs.inet $(ETC)/rs.single $(ETC)/system.conf $(USRETC)/rc
+
+$(ETC)/rc: rc
+	install -m 755 -o root -g operator $> $@
+
+$(ETC)/rs.inet: rs.inet
+	install -m 755 -o root -g operator $> $@
+
+$(ETC)/rs.single: rs.single
+	install -m 755 -o root -g operator $> $@
+
+$(ETC)/system.conf: system.conf
+	install -m 644 -o root -g operator $> $@
+
+$(USRETC)/rc: usr/rc
+	install -m 755 -o root -g operator $> $@
+