diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 26cfd5e..8502e2e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 
 MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY := make_helpers/
 include ${MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY}build_macros.mk
+include ${MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY}unix.mk
 
 ################################################################################
 # Default values for build configurations
@@ -535,14 +536,14 @@
 
 clean:
 	@echo "  CLEAN"
-	${Q}rm -rf ${BUILD_PLAT}
+	$(call SHELL_REMOVE_DIR,${BUILD_PLAT})
 	${Q}${MAKE} --no-print-directory -C ${FIPTOOLPATH} clean
 	${Q}${MAKE} PLAT=${PLAT} --no-print-directory -C ${CRTTOOLPATH} clean
 
 realclean distclean:
 	@echo "  REALCLEAN"
-	${Q}rm -rf ${BUILD_BASE}
-	${Q}rm -f ${CURDIR}/cscope.*
+	$(call SHELL_REMOVE_DIR,${BUILD_BASE})
+	$(call SHELL_DELETE_ALL, ${CURDIR}/cscope.*)
 	${Q}${MAKE} --no-print-directory -C ${FIPTOOLPATH} clean
 	${Q}${MAKE} PLAT=${PLAT} --no-print-directory -C ${CRTTOOLPATH} clean
 
@@ -563,24 +564,24 @@
 .PHONY: ${CRTTOOL}
 ${CRTTOOL}:
 	${Q}${MAKE} PLAT=${PLAT} --no-print-directory -C ${CRTTOOLPATH}
-	@echo
+	@${ECHO_BLANK_LINE}
 	@echo "Built $@ successfully"
-	@echo
+	@${ECHO_BLANK_LINE}
 
 ifneq (${GENERATE_COT},0)
 certificates: ${CRT_DEPS} ${CRTTOOL}
 	${Q}${CRTTOOL} ${CRT_ARGS}
-	@echo
+	@${ECHO_BLANK_LINE}
 	@echo "Built $@ successfully"
 	@echo "Certificates can be found in ${BUILD_PLAT}"
-	@echo
+	@${ECHO_BLANK_LINE}
 endif
 
 ${BUILD_PLAT}/${FIP_NAME}: ${FIP_DEPS} ${FIPTOOL}
 	${Q}${FIPTOOL} --dump ${FIP_ARGS} $@
-	@echo
+	@${ECHO_BLANK_LINE}
 	@echo "Built $@ successfully"
-	@echo
+	@${ECHO_BLANK_LINE}
 
 ifneq (${GENERATE_COT},0)
 fwu_certificates: ${FWU_CRT_DEPS} ${CRTTOOL}
diff --git a/make_helpers/unix.mk b/make_helpers/unix.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab60435
--- /dev/null
+++ b/make_helpers/unix.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2016, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+#
+# Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
+# list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#
+# Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+# this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+# and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+#
+# Neither the name of ARM nor the names of its contributors may be used
+# to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific
+# prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+# AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+# IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+# ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
+# LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
+# CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
+# SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+# INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+# CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+# ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+# POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+#
+
+# Trusted Firmware shell command definitions for a Unix style environment.
+
+ifndef UNIX_MK
+    UNIX_MK := $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))
+
+    ECHO_BLANK_LINE := echo
+
+    DIR_DELIM := /
+    PATH_SEP := :
+
+    # These defines provide Unix style equivalents of the shell commands
+    # required by the Trusted Firmware build environment.
+
+    # ${1} is the file to be copied.
+    # ${2} is the destination file name.
+    define SHELL_COPY
+	${Q}cp -f  "${1}"  "${2}"
+    endef
+
+    # ${1} is the directory to be copied.
+    # ${2} is the destination directory path.
+    define SHELL_COPY_TREE
+	${Q}cp -rf  "${1}"  "${2}"
+    endef
+
+    # ${1} is the file to be deleted.
+    define SHELL_DELETE
+	-${Q}rm -f  "${1}"
+    endef
+
+    # ${1} is a space delimited list of files to be deleted.
+    # Note that we do not quote ${1}, as multiple parameters may be passed.
+    define SHELL_DELETE_ALL
+	-${Q}rm -rf  ${1}
+    endef
+
+    # ${1} is the directory to be generated.
+    # ${2} is optional, and allows a prerequisite to be specified.
+    define MAKE_PREREQ_DIR
+
+${1} : ${2}
+	${Q}mkdir -p  "${1}"
+
+    endef
+
+    define SHELL_REMOVE_DIR
+	-${Q}rm -rf  "${1}"
+    endef
+
+endif
diff --git a/tools/cert_create/Makefile b/tools/cert_create/Makefile
index accd5fc..b19d618 100644
--- a/tools/cert_create/Makefile
+++ b/tools/cert_create/Makefile
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 
 MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY := ../../make_helpers/
 include ${MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY}build_macros.mk
+include ${MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY}unix.mk
 
 PLATFORM_ROOT		:=	../../plat/
 include ${MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY}plat_helpers.mk
@@ -77,7 +78,6 @@
 LIB := -lssl -lcrypto
 
 CC := gcc
-RM := rm -rf
 
 .PHONY: all clean realclean
 
@@ -95,7 +95,8 @@
 	${Q}${CC} -c ${CFLAGS} ${INC_DIR} $< -o $@
 
 clean:
-	${Q}${RM} -f src/build_msg.o ${OBJECTS}
+	$(call SHELL_DELETE_ALL, src/build_msg.o ${OBJECTS})
 
 realclean: clean
-	${Q}${RM} -f ${BINARY}
+	$(call SHELL_DELETE, ${BINARY})
+
diff --git a/tools/fip_create/Makefile b/tools/fip_create/Makefile
index c72bae5..9f0bf7a 100644
--- a/tools/fip_create/Makefile
+++ b/tools/fip_create/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #
-# Copyright (c) 2014, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+# Copyright (c) 2014-2016, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 #
 # Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
 # modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@
 # POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #
 
+MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY := ../../make_helpers/
+include ${MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY}build_macros.mk
+include ${MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY}unix.mk
+
 PROJECT = fip_create
 OBJECTS = fip_create.o
 
@@ -43,7 +47,6 @@
 INCLUDE_PATHS = -I.
 
 CC := gcc
-RM := rm -rf
 
 .PHONY: all clean
 
@@ -52,14 +55,14 @@
 ${PROJECT}: ${OBJECTS} Makefile
 	@echo "  LD      $@"
 	${Q}${CC} ${OBJECTS} -o $@
-	@echo
+	@${ECHO_BLANK_LINE}
 	@echo "Built $@ successfully"
-	@echo
+	@${ECHO_BLANK_LINE}
 
 %.o: %.c %.h Makefile
 	@echo "  CC      $<"
 	${Q}${CC} -c ${CFLAGS} ${INCLUDE_PATHS} $< -o $@
 
 clean:
-	${Q}${RM} ${PROJECT}
-	${Q}${RM} ${OBJECTS}
+	$(call SHELL_DELETE_ALL, ${PROJECT} ${OBJECTS})
+