diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..830e730
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -e
+root=$(readlink -e $(dirname $0))
+
+prefix="/opt/nntpchan"
+
+help_text="usage: $0 [--prefix /opt/nntpchan]"
+
+# check for help flags first
+for arg in $@ ; do
+    case $arg in
+        -h|--help)
+            echo $help_text
+            exit 0
+            ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+_next=""
+want_rebuild="0"
+want_quiet="0"
+# check for build flags
+for arg in $@ ; do
+    case $arg in
+        -q|--quiet)
+            want_quiet="1"
+            ;;
+        -r|--rebuild)
+            want_rebuild="1"
+            ;;
+        --prefix)
+            _next="prefix"
+            ;;
+        --prefix=*)
+            prefix=$(echo $arg | cut -d'=' -f2)
+            ;;
+        *)
+            if [ "X$_next" == "Xprefix" ] ; then
+                # set prefix
+                prefix="$arg"
+                _next=""
+            fi
+            ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+_cmd() {
+    if [ "X$want_quiet" == "X1" ] ; then
+        $@ &> /dev/null
+    else
+        $@
+    fi
+}
+
+if [ "X$want_rebuild" == "X1" ] ; then
+    _cmd echo "rebuilding daemon";
+    _cmd $root/build.sh
+fi
+
+if [ ! -e $root/srndv2 ] ; then
+    _cmd echo "building daemon"
+    # TODO: use different GOPATH for root?
+    _cmd $root/build.sh
+fi
+
+
+_cmd mkdir -p $prefix
+_cmd mkdir -p $prefix/webroot/thm
+_cmd mkdir -p $prefix/webroot/img
+_cmd cp -f $root/srndv2 $prefix/srndv2
+_cmd cp -rf $root/{doc,contrib,certs} $prefix/
+_cmd echo "installed to $prefix"