diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b29fab20..2df3bc79 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 vips-*.tar.gz
-gtk-doc.make
 libvips-scan 
 libvips-scan.c
 Makefile.in
diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
index 0be480be..547924fb 100755
--- a/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -28,13 +28,7 @@ cp $ACDIR/lcmessage.m4 m4
 cp $ACDIR/progtest.m4 m4
 cp $ACDIR/introspection.m4 m4
 
-# some systems struggle to install gtk-doc ... test for it first
-if gtkdocize --version >/dev/null 2>&1; then 
-  echo setting up gtk-doc ...
-  gtkdocize --copy --docdir doc/reference --flavour no-tmpl 
-else
-  echo no gtk-doc found -- disabling
-fi
+gtkdocize --copy --docdir doc/reference --flavour no-tmpl || exit 1
 
 # some systems need libtoolize, some glibtoolize ... how annoying
 echo testing for glibtoolize ...
diff --git a/gtk-doc.make b/gtk-doc.make
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1f75dfdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gtk-doc.make
@@ -0,0 +1,280 @@
+# -*- mode: makefile -*-
+
+####################################
+# Everything below here is generic #
+####################################
+
+if GTK_DOC_USE_LIBTOOL
+GTKDOC_CC = $(LIBTOOL) --tag=CC --mode=compile $(CC) $(INCLUDES) $(GTKDOC_DEPS_CFLAGS) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)
+GTKDOC_LD = $(LIBTOOL) --tag=CC --mode=link $(CC) $(GTKDOC_DEPS_LIBS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(AM_LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS)
+GTKDOC_RUN = $(LIBTOOL) --mode=execute
+else
+GTKDOC_CC = $(CC) $(INCLUDES) $(GTKDOC_DEPS_CFLAGS) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)
+GTKDOC_LD = $(CC) $(GTKDOC_DEPS_LIBS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(AM_LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS)
+GTKDOC_RUN =
+endif
+
+# We set GPATH here; this gives us semantics for GNU make
+# which are more like other make's VPATH, when it comes to
+# whether a source that is a target of one rule is then
+# searched for in VPATH/GPATH.
+#
+GPATH = $(srcdir)
+
+TARGET_DIR=$(HTML_DIR)/$(DOC_MODULE)
+
+SETUP_FILES = \
+	$(content_files)		\
+	$(DOC_MAIN_SGML_FILE)		\
+	$(DOC_MODULE)-sections.txt	\
+	$(DOC_MODULE)-overrides.txt
+
+EXTRA_DIST = 				\
+	$(HTML_IMAGES)			\
+	$(SETUP_FILES)
+
+DOC_STAMPS=setup-build.stamp scan-build.stamp tmpl-build.stamp sgml-build.stamp \
+	html-build.stamp pdf-build.stamp \
+	tmpl.stamp sgml.stamp html.stamp pdf.stamp
+
+SCANOBJ_FILES = 		 \
+	$(DOC_MODULE).args 	 \
+	$(DOC_MODULE).hierarchy  \
+	$(DOC_MODULE).interfaces \
+	$(DOC_MODULE).prerequisites \
+	$(DOC_MODULE).signals
+
+REPORT_FILES = \
+	$(DOC_MODULE)-undocumented.txt \
+	$(DOC_MODULE)-undeclared.txt \
+	$(DOC_MODULE)-unused.txt
+
+CLEANFILES = $(SCANOBJ_FILES) $(REPORT_FILES) $(DOC_STAMPS)
+
+if ENABLE_GTK_DOC
+if GTK_DOC_BUILD_HTML
+HTML_BUILD_STAMP=html-build.stamp
+else
+HTML_BUILD_STAMP=
+endif
+if GTK_DOC_BUILD_PDF
+PDF_BUILD_STAMP=pdf-build.stamp
+else
+PDF_BUILD_STAMP=
+endif
+
+all-local: $(HTML_BUILD_STAMP) $(PDF_BUILD_STAMP)
+else
+all-local:
+endif
+
+docs: $(HTML_BUILD_STAMP) $(PDF_BUILD_STAMP)
+
+$(REPORT_FILES): sgml-build.stamp
+
+#### setup ####
+
+setup-build.stamp:
+	-@if test "$(abs_srcdir)" != "$(abs_builddir)" ; then \
+	    echo '  DOC   Preparing build'; \
+	    files=`echo $(SETUP_FILES) $(expand_content_files) $(DOC_MODULE).types`; \
+	    if test "x$$files" != "x" ; then \
+	        for file in $$files ; do \
+	            test -f $(abs_srcdir)/$$file && \
+	                cp -pu $(abs_srcdir)/$$file $(abs_builddir)/ || true; \
+	        done; \
+	    fi; \
+	    test -d $(abs_srcdir)/tmpl && \
+	        { cp -rp $(abs_srcdir)/tmpl $(abs_builddir)/; \
+	        chmod -R u+w $(abs_builddir)/tmpl; } \
+	fi
+	@touch setup-build.stamp
+
+#### scan ####
+
+scan-build.stamp: $(HFILE_GLOB) $(CFILE_GLOB)
+	@echo '  DOC   Scanning header files'
+	@_source_dir='' ; \
+	for i in $(DOC_SOURCE_DIR) ; do \
+	    _source_dir="$${_source_dir} --source-dir=$$i" ; \
+	done ; \
+	gtkdoc-scan --module=$(DOC_MODULE) --ignore-headers="$(IGNORE_HFILES)" $${_source_dir} $(SCAN_OPTIONS) $(EXTRA_HFILES)
+	@if grep -l '^..*$$' $(DOC_MODULE).types > /dev/null 2>&1 ; then \
+	    echo "  DOC   Introspecting gobjects"; \
+	    scanobj_options=""; \
+	    gtkdoc-scangobj 2>&1 --help | grep  >/dev/null "\-\-verbose"; \
+	    if test "$(?)" = "0"; then \
+	        if test "x$(V)" = "x1"; then \
+	            scanobj_options="--verbose"; \
+	        fi; \
+	    fi; \
+	    CC="$(GTKDOC_CC)" LD="$(GTKDOC_LD)" RUN="$(GTKDOC_RUN)" CFLAGS="$(GTKDOC_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)" LDFLAGS="$(GTKDOC_LIBS) $(LDFLAGS)" \
+	    gtkdoc-scangobj $(SCANGOBJ_OPTIONS) $$scanobj_options --module=$(DOC_MODULE); \
+	else \
+	    for i in $(SCANOBJ_FILES) ; do \
+	        test -f $$i || touch $$i ; \
+	    done \
+	fi
+	@touch scan-build.stamp
+
+$(DOC_MODULE)-decl.txt $(SCANOBJ_FILES) $(DOC_MODULE)-sections.txt $(DOC_MODULE)-overrides.txt: scan-build.stamp
+	@true
+
+#### templates ####
+
+tmpl-build.stamp: setup-build.stamp $(DOC_MODULE)-decl.txt $(SCANOBJ_FILES) $(DOC_MODULE)-sections.txt $(DOC_MODULE)-overrides.txt
+	@echo '  DOC   Rebuilding template files'
+	@gtkdoc-mktmpl --module=$(DOC_MODULE) $(MKTMPL_OPTIONS)
+	@if test "$(abs_srcdir)" != "$(abs_builddir)" ; then \
+	  if test -w $(abs_srcdir) ; then \
+	    cp -rp $(abs_builddir)/tmpl $(abs_srcdir)/; \
+	  fi \
+	fi
+	@touch tmpl-build.stamp
+
+tmpl.stamp: tmpl-build.stamp
+	@true
+
+$(srcdir)/tmpl/*.sgml:
+	@true
+
+#### xml ####
+
+sgml-build.stamp: tmpl.stamp $(DOC_MODULE)-sections.txt $(srcdir)/tmpl/*.sgml $(expand_content_files)
+	@echo '  DOC   Building XML'
+	@-chmod -R u+w $(srcdir)
+	@_source_dir='' ; \
+	for i in $(DOC_SOURCE_DIR) ; do \
+	    _source_dir="$${_source_dir} --source-dir=$$i" ; \
+	done ; \
+	gtkdoc-mkdb --module=$(DOC_MODULE) --output-format=xml --expand-content-files="$(expand_content_files)" --main-sgml-file=$(DOC_MAIN_SGML_FILE) $${_source_dir} $(MKDB_OPTIONS)
+	@touch sgml-build.stamp
+
+sgml.stamp: sgml-build.stamp
+	@true
+
+#### html ####
+
+html-build.stamp: sgml.stamp $(DOC_MAIN_SGML_FILE) $(content_files)
+	@echo '  DOC   Building HTML'
+	@rm -rf html
+	@mkdir html
+	@mkhtml_options=""; \
+	gtkdoc-mkhtml 2>&1 --help | grep  >/dev/null "\-\-verbose"; \
+	if test "$(?)" = "0"; then \
+	  if test "x$(V)" = "x1"; then \
+	    mkhtml_options="$$mkhtml_options --verbose"; \
+	  fi; \
+	fi; \
+	gtkdoc-mkhtml 2>&1 --help | grep  >/dev/null "\-\-path"; \
+	if test "$(?)" = "0"; then \
+	  mkhtml_options="$$mkhtml_options --path=\"$(abs_srcdir)\""; \
+	fi; \
+	cd html && gtkdoc-mkhtml $$mkhtml_options $(MKHTML_OPTIONS) $(DOC_MODULE) ../$(DOC_MAIN_SGML_FILE)
+	-@test "x$(HTML_IMAGES)" = "x" || \
+	for file in $(HTML_IMAGES) ; do \
+	  if test -f $(abs_srcdir)/$$file ; then \
+	    cp $(abs_srcdir)/$$file $(abs_builddir)/html; \
+	  fi; \
+	  if test -f $(abs_builddir)/$$file ; then \
+	    cp $(abs_builddir)/$$file $(abs_builddir)/html; \
+	  fi; \
+	done;
+	@echo '  DOC   Fixing cross-references'
+	@gtkdoc-fixxref --module=$(DOC_MODULE) --module-dir=html --html-dir=$(HTML_DIR) $(FIXXREF_OPTIONS)
+	@touch html-build.stamp
+
+#### pdf ####
+
+pdf-build.stamp: sgml.stamp $(DOC_MAIN_SGML_FILE) $(content_files)
+	@echo '  DOC   Building PDF'
+	@rm -f $(DOC_MODULE).pdf
+	@mkpdf_options=""; \
+	gtkdoc-mkpdf 2>&1 --help | grep  >/dev/null "\-\-verbose"; \
+	if test "$(?)" = "0"; then \
+	  if test "x$(V)" = "x1"; then \
+	    mkpdf_options="$$mkpdf_options --verbose"; \
+	  fi; \
+	fi; \
+	if test "x$(HTML_IMAGES)" != "x"; then \
+	  for img in $(HTML_IMAGES); do \
+	    part=`dirname $$img`; \
+	    echo $$mkpdf_options | grep >/dev/null "\-\-imgdir=$$part "; \
+	    if test $$? != 0; then \
+	      mkpdf_options="$$mkpdf_options --imgdir=$$part"; \
+	    fi; \
+	  done; \
+	fi; \
+	gtkdoc-mkpdf --path="$(abs_srcdir)" $$mkpdf_options $(DOC_MODULE) $(DOC_MAIN_SGML_FILE) $(MKPDF_OPTIONS)
+	@touch pdf-build.stamp
+
+##############
+
+clean-local:
+	@rm -f *~ *.bak
+	@rm -rf .libs
+
+distclean-local:
+	@rm -rf xml html $(REPORT_FILES) $(DOC_MODULE).pdf \
+	    $(DOC_MODULE)-decl-list.txt $(DOC_MODULE)-decl.txt
+	@if test "$(abs_srcdir)" != "$(abs_builddir)" ; then \
+	    rm -f $(SETUP_FILES) $(expand_content_files) $(DOC_MODULE).types; \
+	    rm -rf tmpl; \
+	fi
+
+maintainer-clean-local: clean
+	@rm -rf xml html
+
+install-data-local:
+	@installfiles=`echo $(builddir)/html/*`; \
+	if test "$$installfiles" = '$(builddir)/html/*'; \
+	then echo 1>&2 'Nothing to install' ; \
+	else \
+	  if test -n "$(DOC_MODULE_VERSION)"; then \
+	    installdir="$(DESTDIR)$(TARGET_DIR)-$(DOC_MODULE_VERSION)"; \
+	  else \
+	    installdir="$(DESTDIR)$(TARGET_DIR)"; \
+	  fi; \
+	  $(mkinstalldirs) $${installdir} ; \
+	  for i in $$installfiles; do \
+	    echo ' $(INSTALL_DATA) '$$i ; \
+	    $(INSTALL_DATA) $$i $${installdir}; \
+	  done; \
+	  if test -n "$(DOC_MODULE_VERSION)"; then \
+	    mv -f $${installdir}/$(DOC_MODULE).devhelp2 \
+	      $${installdir}/$(DOC_MODULE)-$(DOC_MODULE_VERSION).devhelp2; \
+	  fi; \
+	  $(GTKDOC_REBASE) --relative --dest-dir=$(DESTDIR) --html-dir=$${installdir}; \
+	fi
+
+uninstall-local:
+	@if test -n "$(DOC_MODULE_VERSION)"; then \
+	  installdir="$(DESTDIR)$(TARGET_DIR)-$(DOC_MODULE_VERSION)"; \
+	else \
+	  installdir="$(DESTDIR)$(TARGET_DIR)"; \
+	fi; \
+	rm -rf $${installdir}
+
+#
+# Require gtk-doc when making dist
+#
+if ENABLE_GTK_DOC
+dist-check-gtkdoc:
+else
+dist-check-gtkdoc:
+	@echo "*** gtk-doc must be installed and enabled in order to make dist"
+	@false
+endif
+
+dist-hook: dist-check-gtkdoc dist-hook-local
+	@mkdir $(distdir)/tmpl
+	@mkdir $(distdir)/html
+	@-cp ./tmpl/*.sgml $(distdir)/tmpl
+	@cp ./html/* $(distdir)/html
+	@-cp ./$(DOC_MODULE).pdf $(distdir)/
+	@-cp ./$(DOC_MODULE).types $(distdir)/
+	@-cp ./$(DOC_MODULE)-sections.txt $(distdir)/
+	@cd $(distdir) && rm -f $(DISTCLEANFILES)
+	@$(GTKDOC_REBASE) --online --relative --html-dir=$(distdir)/html
+
+.PHONY : dist-hook-local docs