diff --git a/build.pl b/build.pl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0f607be51c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,244 @@
+# !/usr/bin/perl
+
+use strict;
+use Getopt::Long;
+use Data::Dumper;
+use File::Path qw(make_path);
+use File::Spec::Functions qw(rel2abs catfile);
+use File::Basename;
+use FindBin qw($RealBin);
+use Cwd qw(abs_path);
+use POSIX;
+
+#set the timestamp in case we need to create a directory
+use constant DATETIME=>strftime("%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S", localtime);
+
+# The source solution
+my $solutionToBuild = catfile(catfile($RealBin, 'src'), 'MSBuild.sln');
+
+my $usage = <<"USAGE";
+Usage build.pl [-root=<outputRoot>] [-fullbuild] [-verify] [-tests] [-all] [-quiet] [-silent]
+
+The script can build MSBuild.exe using mono, verify by
+rebuilding with the generated MSBuild.exe and run tests.
+If the output root is not specified, the bin and packages
+subdirectories are created in the source tree (as well as
+bin-verify and packages-verify if verification build runs).
+If output root is provided, a dated subdirectory is created
+under the output root and the same subdirectories appear
+there. The tests are run either on the xbuild generated
+binaries or, if verification is done, on the verification
+binaries.
+
+Options:
+ root      - specifies the output root. The root is the
+             source tree by default.
+ fullBuild - do a rebuild instead of the incremental build.
+             This only makes a difference without the root
+             options, as the rooted build are always clean.
+ verify    - rebuild the source with the binaries generated
+             by the xbuild.
+ tests     - run the tests.
+ all       - shorthand for -verify and -tests flags.
+ quiet     - don't show any build output, only summaries
+ silent    - show nothing, not even summaries
+
+USAGE
+
+
+# Quick check if we are in the right place and that mono is installed
+# (just checking for solution and xbuild presence)
+die ("Solution $solutionToBuild does not exist\n") unless -e $solutionToBuild;
+die ("xbuild was not found") unless -e "/usr/bin/xbuild";
+
+my $buildRoot;
+my $runTests;
+my $verification;
+my $quiet;
+my $silent;
+my $fullBuild;
+my $allSteps;
+my $help;
+
+die $usage unless GetOptions(
+                             'root=s' => \$buildRoot,
+                             'verify' => \$verification,
+                             'tests' => \$runTests,
+                             'quiet' => \$quiet,
+                             'silent' => \$silent,
+                             'fullBuild' => \$fullBuild,
+                             'all' => \$allSteps,
+                             'help' => \$help
+                            );
+
+if ($help) {
+        print $usage;
+        exit (0);
+}
+
+# The all steps flag override some other
+if ($allSteps) {
+    $verification = 1;
+    $runTests = 1;
+}
+
+# We need nunit-console to run tests
+my $nunitConsole;
+if ($runTests) {
+    # Find the nunit console program
+    my $n = `which nunit-console`;
+    chomp $n;
+    
+    die ("Tests are requested, but nunit-console was not found") unless -e "/usr/bin/nunit-console";
+    
+    # Resolve any links
+    $nunitConsole = abs_path($n);
+    # Use version 4 if found
+    $n = $nunitConsole . '4';
+    $nunitConsole = $n if -e $n;
+}
+
+
+# Find the location where we're going to store results
+# If no root is specifed, use the script location (we'll create
+# bin, packages, bin-verify, packages-verify directories and the
+# logs there.
+# If root is specified, make a dated subdirectory there. That
+# will be our root.
+if (!$buildRoot) {
+    $buildRoot = $RealBin;
+}
+else {
+    $buildRoot = catfile(rel2abs($buildRoot), DATETIME);
+    # Just make sure it's not a file
+    die ("Verification root '$buildRoot' exists and is a file") if -f $buildRoot;
+    make_path($buildRoot);
+}
+
+# Make some paths
+my $binRoot = catfile($buildRoot, "bin", "");
+my $verBinRoot = catfile($buildRoot, "bin-verify", "");
+my $packageRoot = catfile ($buildRoot, "packages", "");
+my $verPackageRoot = catfile ($buildRoot, "packages-verify", "");
+
+# The regex to parse build logs
+my $extractRegex = qr!^\s*Build binary target directory: '($buildRoot.+?)/?'!;
+
+my $msbuildPath;
+my $exitCode;
+my $errorCount;
+
+# Run the first build
+($exitCode, $errorCount, $msbuildPath) = runbuild('xbuild', '', '/');
+
+die ("Build with xbuild failed (code $exitCode)") unless $exitCode == 0;
+die ("Build with xbuild failed (error count $errorCount") unless $errorCount == 0;
+die ("Build succeeded, but MSBuild.exe binary was not found") unless -e $msbuildPath;
+
+# Use the MSBuild.exe we created and rebuild (if requested)
+if ($verification) {
+    my $MSBuildProgram = catfile($msbuildPath, 'MSBuild.exe');
+    $MSBuildProgram = 'mono ' . $MSBuildProgram if $^O == "MSWin32";
+    my $newMSBuildPath;
+    ($exitCode, $errorCount, $newMSBuildPath) = runbuild($MSBuildProgram, '-verify', '-');
+    die ("Build with msbuild failed (code $exitCode)") unless $exitCode == 0;
+    die ("Build with msbuild failed (error count $errorCount") unless $errorCount == 0;
+    print "New MSBuild path: $newMSBuildPath\n";
+    $msbuildPath = $newMSBuildPath if -e $newMSBuildPath;
+}
+
+if ($runTests) {
+    # Get the dlls for testing
+    my @file = glob catfile($msbuildPath, '*UnitTest*.dll');
+    runtests (@file);
+}
+
+# This functions runs a build.
+# runbuild(program, suffix, switch)
+#   program -- the build (xbuild or msbuild)
+#   suffix -- appended to log and output directory names
+#   switch -- either - or /
+sub runbuild {
+    die ('runbuild sub was not called correctly') unless @_ == 3;
+    my ($program, $suffix, $switch) = @_;
+
+    # Get paths of output directories and the log
+    my $binDir = catfile($buildRoot, "bin$suffix", "");
+    my $packagesDir = catfile ($buildRoot, "packages$suffix", "");
+    my $logFile = catfile($buildRoot, "MSBuild${suffix}.log");
+
+    # If we need to rebuild, add a switch for the task
+    my $rebuildSwitch = $fullBuild ? "${switch}t:Rebuild " : "";
+
+    # Generate and print the command we run
+    my $command = "$program ${switch}nologo ${switch}v:q ${switch}tv:4.0 $rebuildSwitch " .
+                  "${switch}p:Configuration=Debug-MONO " .
+                  "${switch}p:BinDir=$binDir ${switch}p:PackagesDir=$packagesDir " .
+                  "${switch}fl \"${switch}flp:LogFile=$logFile;V=diag\" $solutionToBuild";
+    print $command . "\n" unless $silent;
+
+    # Run build, parsing it's output to count errors and warnings
+    # Harakiri if can't run
+    open(BUILD_OUTPUT, "$command 2>&1 |") or die "Cannot run $program, error $!";
+    my $warningCount = 0;
+    my $errorCount = 0;
+    for (<BUILD_OUTPUT>) {
+        print $_ unless ($quiet || $silent);
+        m/:\s+error / && ($errorCount++, next);
+        m/:\s+warning / && ($warningCount++, next);
+    }
+
+    die "Failed to run $program, exit code $!" if $! != 0;
+    close BUILD_OUTPUT;
+    my $exitCode = $? >> 8;
+
+    # Search the log for the full output path
+    my $msbuildPath;
+    if (open LOG, '<', $logFile) {
+        m/$extractRegex/ && ($msbuildPath = $1, last) for <LOG>;
+        close (LOG);
+    }
+    else {
+        # It's not an error if the path cannot be found. At worst, we cannot verify
+        print "Warning: Cannot open log file $logFile: $!" if $! && !$silent;
+    }
+
+    print "Errors: $errorCount, Warnings $warningCount\n" unless $silent;
+    return ($exitCode, $errorCount, $msbuildPath);
+}
+
+# This function runs the test. It gets the list of dlls to test.
+sub runtests {
+    my @files = @_;
+
+    # Create directory for output
+    my $testResultsDir = catfile($buildRoot, 'TestResults');
+    make_path($testResultsDir);
+
+    # Output file names in that directory
+    my $xmlResultFile = catfile($testResultsDir, 'Results.xml');
+    my $outputFile = catfile($testResultsDir, 'TestOutput.txt');
+
+    # Build the command to run the test
+    my $command = "$nunitConsole -xml:$xmlResultFile " . join (' ', @files);
+    print $command . "\n" unless $silent;
+
+    # Run it silently
+    system("$command 2>&1 >$outputFile");
+
+    # Count the passed/failed tests by readin the output XML file
+    my $testsFailed = 0;
+    my $testsSucceeded = 0;
+    
+    my $testRegex = qr!^\s*<test-case.+executed="True".+success="((?:True)|(?:False))"!;
+
+    if (open LOG, '<', $xmlResultFile) {
+        m/$testRegex/ && ($1 eq 'True' ? $testsSucceeded++ : $testsFailed++) for <LOG>;
+        close (LOG);
+    }
+    else {
+        print "Warning: Cannot open log file $xmlResultFile: $!" if $! && !$silent;
+    }
+    my $testsRan = $testsSucceeded + $testsFailed;
+    print "Tests ran: $testsRan, tests succeeded: $testsSucceeded, tests failed: $testsFailed\n" unless $silent;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dir.props b/dir.props
index 4755b9bdd6e..b31322f9070 100644
--- a/dir.props
+++ b/dir.props
@@ -10,19 +10,19 @@
     <BinDir>$(ProjectDir)bin$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</BinDir>
     <TestWorkingDir>$(BinDir)tests$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</TestWorkingDir>
     <PackagesDir>$(ProjectDir)packages$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</PackagesDir>
-    <ToolsDir>$(PackagesDir)Microsoft.DotNet.BuildTools.$(MSBuildToolsVersion)$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)lib$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</ToolsDir>
+    <ToolsDir>$([System.IO.Path]::Combine($(PackagesDir)Microsoft.DotNet.BuildTools.$(MSBuildToolsVersion),"lib")$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</ToolsDir>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <!-- Common nuget properties -->
   <PropertyGroup>
     <NuGetDir>$(PackagesDir)</NuGetDir>
     <NuGetToolPath>$(PackagesDir)NuGet.exe</NuGetToolPath>
-    <NuGetConfigFile>$(SourceDir).nuget$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)NuGet.Config</NuGetConfigFile>
+    <NuGetConfigFile>$([System.IO.Path]::Combine("$(SourceDir).nuget","NuGet.Config"))</NuGetConfigFile>
     <NuGetConfigCommandLine>-ConfigFile "$(NuGetConfigFile)"</NuGetConfigCommandLine>
 
     <NugetRestoreCommand>"$(NuGetToolPath)"</NugetRestoreCommand>
     <NugetRestoreCommand>$(NugetRestoreCommand) install</NugetRestoreCommand>
-    <NugetRestoreCommand>$(NugetRestoreCommand) -OutputDirectory "$(PackagesDir.TrimEnd('\/'.ToCharArray()))"</NugetRestoreCommand>
+    <NugetRestoreCommand>$(NugetRestoreCommand) -OutputDirectory "$(PackagesDir.TrimEnd('\'))"</NugetRestoreCommand>
     <NugetRestoreCommand>$(NugetRestoreCommand) $(NuGetConfigCommandLine)</NugetRestoreCommand>
     <NugetRestoreCommand Condition="'$(OS)' != 'Windows_NT'">mono $(NuGetRestoreCommand)</NugetRestoreCommand>
   </PropertyGroup>
@@ -67,10 +67,10 @@
 
   <!-- Setup the default output and intermediate paths -->
   <PropertyGroup>
-    <BaseOutputPath>$(ProjectDir)bin$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</BaseOutputPath>
+    <BaseOutputPath>$(BinDir)</BaseOutputPath>
     <BaseOutputPathWithConfig>$([System.IO.Path]::Combine($(BaseOutputPath)$(OS),$(Configuration)))$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</BaseOutputPathWithConfig>
     <BaseOutputPathWithConfig Condition="'$(Platform)' != 'AnyCPU'">$([System.IO.Path]::Combine($(BaseOutputPath)$(Platform),$(OS),$(Configuration)))$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</BaseOutputPathWithConfig>
-    <OutputPath>$(BaseOutputPathWithConfig)$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</OutputPath>
+    <OutputPath>$(BaseOutputPathWithConfig)</OutputPath>
 
     <BaseIntermediateOutputPath>$(BaseOutputPath)obj$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</BaseIntermediateOutputPath>
     <IntermediateOutputPath>$([System.IO.Path]::Combine($(BaseIntermediateOutputPath)$(MSBuildProjectName),$(OS),$(Configuration)))$([System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar)</IntermediateOutputPath>
diff --git a/dir.targets b/dir.targets
index 9e888718577..7a2c9ed7e82 100644
--- a/dir.targets
+++ b/dir.targets
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@
     Needed to avoid the IntialTargets from having an Output which ends up getting
     added to the output references when you have a project to project reference.
   -->
-  <Target Name="_RestoreBuildToolsWrapper" DependsOnTargets="_RestoreBuildTools" />
+  <Target Name="_RestoreBuildToolsWrapper" DependsOnTargets="_DisplayBuildInfo;_RestoreBuildTools" />
+
+  <Target Name="_DisplayBuildInfo">
+    <Message Importance="High" Text="Build binary target directory: '$(BaseOutputPathWithConfig)'" />
+  </Target>
 
   <Target Name="_RestoreBuildTools"
           Inputs="$(MSBuildThisFileFullPath);$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)dir.props"
diff --git a/src/Framework/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Framework.UnitTests.csproj b/src/Framework/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Framework.UnitTests.csproj
index 4f431e7d47b..c1e54911997 100644
--- a/src/Framework/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Framework.UnitTests.csproj
+++ b/src/Framework/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Framework.UnitTests.csproj
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Reference Include="nunit.framework">
-      <HintPath>..\..\..\packages\NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
+      <HintPath>$(PackagesDir)NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
       <Private>True</Private>
     </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System" />
diff --git a/src/Utilities/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Utilities.UnitTests.csproj b/src/Utilities/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Utilities.UnitTests.csproj
index c7333bdd249..d9533501063 100644
--- a/src/Utilities/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Utilities.UnitTests.csproj
+++ b/src/Utilities/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Utilities.UnitTests.csproj
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Reference Include="nunit.framework">
-      <HintPath>..\..\..\packages\NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
+      <HintPath>$(PackagesDir)NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
       <Private>True</Private>
     </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System" />
diff --git a/src/XMakeBuildEngine/Microsoft.Build.csproj b/src/XMakeBuildEngine/Microsoft.Build.csproj
index 5405da2103a..e61dd260140 100644
--- a/src/XMakeBuildEngine/Microsoft.Build.csproj
+++ b/src/XMakeBuildEngine/Microsoft.Build.csproj
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@
     </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow, Version=4.5.24.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
       <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
-      <HintPath>..\..\packages\Microsoft.Tpl.Dataflow.4.5.24\lib\portable-net45+win8+wpa81\System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow.dll</HintPath>
+      <HintPath>$(PackagesDir)Microsoft.Tpl.Dataflow.4.5.24\lib\portable-net45+win8+wpa81\System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow.dll</HintPath>
       <Private>True</Private>
     </Reference>
     <!-- If TargetRetailBuildFramework is set to true, reference the public key version. Otherwise reference the project. -->
diff --git a/src/XMakeBuildEngine/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Engine.UnitTests.csproj b/src/XMakeBuildEngine/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Engine.UnitTests.csproj
index faca6bb7b8c..b4131a26618 100644
--- a/src/XMakeBuildEngine/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Engine.UnitTests.csproj
+++ b/src/XMakeBuildEngine/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Engine.UnitTests.csproj
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@
       <Name>Microsoft.Build</Name>
     </ProjectReference>
     <Reference Include="nunit.framework">
-      <HintPath>..\..\..\packages\NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
+      <HintPath>$(PackagesDir)NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
       <Private>True</Private>
     </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System" />
diff --git a/src/XMakeBuildEngine/UnitTestsPublicOM/Microsoft.Build.Engine.OM.UnitTests.csproj b/src/XMakeBuildEngine/UnitTestsPublicOM/Microsoft.Build.Engine.OM.UnitTests.csproj
index 37fe7ac7918..e98c6d302a4 100644
--- a/src/XMakeBuildEngine/UnitTestsPublicOM/Microsoft.Build.Engine.OM.UnitTests.csproj
+++ b/src/XMakeBuildEngine/UnitTestsPublicOM/Microsoft.Build.Engine.OM.UnitTests.csproj
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@
       <Name>Microsoft.Build</Name>
     </ProjectReference>
     <Reference Include="nunit.framework">
-      <HintPath>..\..\..\packages\NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
+      <HintPath>$(PackagesDir)NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
       <Private>True</Private>
     </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System" />
diff --git a/src/XMakeCommandLine/UnitTests/CommandLineSwitches_Tests.cs b/src/XMakeCommandLine/UnitTests/CommandLineSwitches_Tests.cs
index f6d8c8c5a43..6dea0ab741b 100644
--- a/src/XMakeCommandLine/UnitTests/CommandLineSwitches_Tests.cs
+++ b/src/XMakeCommandLine/UnitTests/CommandLineSwitches_Tests.cs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.Build.UnitTests
     public class CommandLineSwitchesTests
     {
         [TestFixtureSetUp]
-        public static void Setup(TestContext testContext)
+        public static void Setup()
         {
             // Make sure resources are initialized
             MSBuildApp.Initialize();
diff --git a/src/XMakeCommandLine/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.CommandLine.UnitTests.csproj b/src/XMakeCommandLine/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.CommandLine.UnitTests.csproj
index 1ecdd83dca3..7e527169941 100644
--- a/src/XMakeCommandLine/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.CommandLine.UnitTests.csproj
+++ b/src/XMakeCommandLine/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.CommandLine.UnitTests.csproj
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Reference Include="nunit.framework">
-      <HintPath>..\..\..\packages\NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
+      <HintPath>$(PackagesDir)NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
       <Private>True</Private>
     </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System" />
diff --git a/src/XMakeTasks/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Tasks.UnitTests.csproj b/src/XMakeTasks/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Tasks.UnitTests.csproj
index f50d8adb43a..ddbb388342e 100644
--- a/src/XMakeTasks/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Tasks.UnitTests.csproj
+++ b/src/XMakeTasks/UnitTests/Microsoft.Build.Tasks.UnitTests.csproj
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Reference Include="nunit.framework">
-      <HintPath>..\..\..\packages\NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
+      <HintPath>$(PackagesDir)NUnit.2.6.4\lib\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
       <Private>True</Private>
     </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System" />