diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 8d1934ab..8b6350ba 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # Rakefile to build a project using HUDSON
+RAKE_ROOT = File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__))
 
 begin
   require 'rdoc/task'
@@ -26,6 +27,11 @@ ENV["DEB_DISTRIBUTION"] ? PKG_DEB_DISTRIBUTION = ENV["DEB_DISTRIBUTION"] : PKG_D
 
 CLEAN.include(["build", "doc"])
 
+begin
+  load File.join(RAKE_ROOT, 'ext', 'packaging.rake')
+rescue LoadError
+end
+
 def announce(msg='')
   STDERR.puts "================"
   STDERR.puts msg
diff --git a/ext/packaging.rake b/ext/packaging.rake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3adb3409
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/packaging.rake
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+build_defs_file = File.join(RAKE_ROOT, 'ext', 'build_defaults.yaml')
+if File.exist?(build_defs_file)
+  begin
+    require 'yaml'
+    @build_defaults ||= YAML.load_file(build_defs_file)
+  rescue Exception => e
+    STDERR.puts "Unable to load yaml from #{build_defs_file}:"
+    raise e
+  end
+  @packaging_url  = @build_defaults['packaging_url']
+  @packaging_repo = @build_defaults['packaging_repo']
+  raise "Could not find packaging url in #{build_defs_file}" if @packaging_url.nil?
+  raise "Could not find packaging repo in #{build_defs_file}" if @packaging_repo.nil?
+
+  namespace :package do
+    desc "Bootstrap packaging automation, e.g. clone into packaging repo"
+    task :bootstrap do
+      if File.exist?(File.join(RAKE_ROOT, "ext", @packaging_repo))
+        puts "It looks like you already have ext/#{@packaging_repo}. If you don't like it, blow it away with package:implode."
+      else
+        cd File.join(RAKE_ROOT, 'ext') do
+          %x{git clone #{@packaging_url}}
+        end
+      end
+    end
+    desc "Remove all cloned packaging automation"
+    task :implode do
+      rm_rf File.join(RAKE_ROOT, "ext", @packaging_repo)
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+begin
+  load File.join(RAKE_ROOT, 'ext', 'packaging', 'packaging.rake')
+rescue LoadError
+end