diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 2cfb03ce..0acca622 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -29,4 +29,7 @@ INCLUDES = -Icompat
 
 man_MANS = event.3
 
+verify: libevent.a
+	cd $(srcdir)/test && make verify	
+
 DISTCLEANFILES = *~
diff --git a/README b/README
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9873d2a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+To build libevent, type
+
+$ ./configure && make
+
+Install as root via
+
+# make install
+
+You can run the regression tests by
+
+$ make verify
+
+Before, reporting any problems, please run the regression tests.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/sample/Makefile.am b/sample/Makefile.am
index b2a0481a..7d12e63c 100644
--- a/sample/Makefile.am
+++ b/sample/Makefile.am
@@ -10,4 +10,6 @@ event_test_sources = event-test.c
 time_test_sources = time-test.c
 signal_test_sources = signal-test.c
 
+verify:
+
 DISTCLEANFILES = *~
diff --git a/test/Makefile.am b/test/Makefile.am
index 86783b42..28e47784 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/Makefile.am
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ bench_sources = bench.c
 
 DISTCLEANFILES = *~
 
-all:	test
-
 test: test-init test-eof test-weof test-time regress
+
+verify: test
 	@./test.sh
 
 bench test-init test-eof test-weof test-time regress: ../libevent.a