diff --git a/py/apigen/layout.py b/py/apigen/layout.py
index a786252cb..9e509f143 100644
--- a/py/apigen/layout.py
+++ b/py/apigen/layout.py
@@ -31,12 +31,15 @@ class LayoutPage(confrest.PyPage):
         self.body.insert(0, self.nav)
 
     def update_menubar_links(self, node):
+        docrelpath = py.std.os.environ.get('APIGEN_DOCRELPATH', '../py/doc')
+        if not docrelpath.endswith('/'):
+            docrelpath += '/'
         for item in node:
             if not isinstance(item, py.xml.Tag):
                 continue
             if (item.__class__.__name__ == 'a' and hasattr(item.attr, 'href')
                     and not item.attr.href.startswith('http://')):
-                item.attr.href = self.relpath + '../py/doc/' + item.attr.href
+                item.attr.href = self.relpath + docrelpath + item.attr.href
 
     def setup_scripts_styles(self, copyto=None):
         for path, name in self.stylesheets:
diff --git a/py/bin/_docgen.py b/py/bin/_docgen.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..c32df3136
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py/bin/_docgen.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+""" quick tool to get documentation + apigen docs generated
+
+    given a certain targetpath, apigen docs will be placed in 'apigen',
+
+    user can choose to only build either docs or apigen docs: in this case,
+    the navigation bar will be adjusted
+"""
+
+from _findpy import py
+import py
+pypath = py.__package__.getpath()
+
+def run_tests(path, envvars='', args=''):
+    pytestpath = pypath.join('bin/py.test')
+    cmd = ('PYTHONPATH="%s" %s python "%s" %s "%s"' %
+            (pypath.dirpath(), envvars, pytestpath, args, path))
+    print cmd
+    py.process.cmdexec(cmd)
+
+def build_apigen_docs(targetpath, testargs=''):
+    run_tests(pypath,
+              'APIGEN_TARGET="%s/apigen" APIGEN_DOCRELPATH="../doc/"' % (
+               targetpath,),
+              testargs + ' --apigen="%s/apigen/apigen.py"' % (pypath,))
+
+def build_docs(targetpath, testargs):
+    docpath = pypath.join('doc')
+    run_tests(docpath, '',
+              testargs + ' --forcegen --apigenrelpath="../apigen/"')
+    topath = targetpath.ensure('doc', dir=True)
+    docpath.copy(topath)
+
+def build_nav(targetpath, docs=True, api=True):
+    pass
+
+def build(targetpath, docs=True, api=True, testargs=''):
+    targetpath.ensure(dir=True)
+    if docs:
+        print 'building docs'
+        build_docs(targetpath, testargs)
+    if api:
+        print 'building api'
+        build_apigen_docs(targetpath, testargs)
+        
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    import sys
+    if len(sys.argv) == 1:
+        print 'usage: %s <targetdir> [options]'
+        print
+        print '  targetdir: a path to a directory (created if it doesn\'t'
+        print '             exist) where the docs are put'
+        print '  options: options passed to py.test when running the tests'
+        sys.exit(1)
+    targetpath = py.path.local(sys.argv[1])
+    args = ' '.join(sys.argv[2:])
+    build(targetpath, True, True, args)
+