diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index deb58f2624..f74c52d618 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I macros
 
-SUBDIRS=linbox benchmarks tests interfaces doc examples
+SUBDIRS=linbox benchmarks tests interfaces doc examples programs
 
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
 pkgconfig_DATA = linbox.pc
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ examples:
 benchmarks:
 	(cd benchmarks; ${MAKE} benchmarks)
 
+programs:
+	(cd programs; ${MAKE} programs)
+
 perfpublisher: benchmarks/perfpublisher tests/perfpublisher
 
 benchmarks/perfpublisher:
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1422122560..91aa620849 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -220,6 +220,8 @@ interfaces/kaapi/Makefile
 benchmarks/Makefile
 benchmarks/data/Makefile
 benchmarks/matrix/Makefile
+programs/Makefile
+programs/smith/Makefile
 linbox.pc
 ])
 
diff --git a/programs/Makefile.am b/programs/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a939a507cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/programs/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+SUBDIRS=smith
+
+programs:
+	(cd smith; ${MAKE} programs)
diff --git a/programs/smith/Makefile.am b/programs/smith/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cb81afb1c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/programs/smith/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+programs: