diff --git a/mk/apm.mk b/mk/apm.mk
index 065314f98b..532a4c9aee 100644
--- a/mk/apm.mk
+++ b/mk/apm.mk
@@ -17,11 +17,8 @@ include $(MK_DIR)/configure.mk
 else
 
 # short-circuit build for the help target
-ifeq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),help)
 include $(MK_DIR)/help.mk
 
-else
-
 # common makefile components
 include $(MK_DIR)/targets.mk
 include $(MK_DIR)/sketch_sources.mk
@@ -59,5 +56,3 @@ endif
 endif
 
 endif
-
-endif
diff --git a/mk/board_avr.mk b/mk/board_avr.mk
index e3cba572d6..9b01552603 100644
--- a/mk/board_avr.mk
+++ b/mk/board_avr.mk
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ include $(MK_DIR)/find_tools.mk
 #
 DEFINES         =   -DF_CPU=$(F_CPU)
 DEFINES        +=   -DSKETCH=\"$(SKETCH)\" -DAPM_BUILD_DIRECTORY=APM_BUILD_$(SKETCH)
-DEFINES        +=   $(EXTRAFLAGS) # from user config.mk
+DEFINES        +=   $(EXTRAFLAGS)
 DEFINES        +=   -DCONFIG_HAL_BOARD=$(HAL_BOARD)
 WARNFLAGS       =   -Wformat -Wall -Wshadow -Wpointer-arith -Wcast-align
 WARNFLAGS      +=   -Wwrite-strings -Wformat=2 -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-missing-field-initializers
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ endif
 # Library object files
 LIBOBJS			:=	$(SKETCHLIBOBJS)
 
+HARDWARE ?= arduino
+BOARD ?= mega2560
+
 # Find the hardware directory to use
 HARDWARE_DIR		:=	$(firstword $(wildcard $(SKETCHBOOK)/hardware/$(HARDWARE) \
 							$(ARDUINO)/hardware/$(HARDWARE)))
diff --git a/mk/board_flymaple.mk b/mk/board_flymaple.mk
index 2eb068e2a6..b3850c6fe2 100644
--- a/mk/board_flymaple.mk
+++ b/mk/board_flymaple.mk
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ endif
 
 TOOLCHAIN = ARM
 
-#include $(MK_DIR)/find_arduino.mk
 include $(MK_DIR)/find_tools.mk
 
 HARDWARE := leaflabs
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ LD_MEM_DIR := sram_64k_flash_512k
 #
 DEFINES         =   -DF_CPU=$(F_CPU) -DMCU_$(MCU) -DBOARD_$(BOARD) -DERROR_LED_PORT=GPIOA -DERROR_LED_PIN=5 -DVECT_TAB_FLASH 
 DEFINES        +=   -DSKETCH=\"$(SKETCH)\" -DAPM_BUILD_DIRECTORY=APM_BUILD_$(SKETCH)
-DEFINES        +=   $(EXTRAFLAGS) # from user config.mk
+DEFINES        +=   $(EXTRAFLAGS)
 DEFINES        +=   -DCONFIG_HAL_BOARD=$(HAL_BOARD)
 WARNFLAGS       =   -Wformat -Wall -Wshadow -Wpointer-arith -Wcast-align -Wno-psabi
 WARNFLAGS      +=   -Wwrite-strings -Wformat=2 
diff --git a/mk/board_native.mk b/mk/board_native.mk
index 453e0f173a..10d9e1bc01 100644
--- a/mk/board_native.mk
+++ b/mk/board_native.mk
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ include $(MK_DIR)/find_tools.mk
 #
 DEFINES         =   -DF_CPU=$(F_CPU)
 DEFINES        +=   -DSKETCH=\"$(SKETCH)\" -DSKETCHNAME="\"$(SKETCH)\"" -DSKETCHBOOK="\"$(SKETCHBOOK)\"" -DAPM_BUILD_DIRECTORY=APM_BUILD_$(SKETCH)
-DEFINES        +=   $(EXTRAFLAGS) # from user config.mk
+DEFINES        +=   $(EXTRAFLAGS)
 DEFINES        +=   -DCONFIG_HAL_BOARD=$(HAL_BOARD) -DCONFIG_HAL_BOARD_SUBTYPE=$(HAL_BOARD_SUBTYPE)
 WARNFLAGS       =   -Wformat -Wall -Wshadow -Wpointer-arith -Wcast-align -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-missing-field-initializers
 WARNFLAGS      +=   -Wwrite-strings -Wformat=2
diff --git a/mk/configure.mk b/mk/configure.mk
index c9ff7fda69..1c265d0481 100644
--- a/mk/configure.mk
+++ b/mk/configure.mk
@@ -1,34 +1,2 @@
 configure:
-	$(warning WARNING - A $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk file has been written)
-	$(warning Please edit the file to match your system configuration, if you use a different board or port)
-	@echo  > $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo \# Select \'mega\' for the 1280 APM1, \'mega2560\' otherwise >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo BOARD = mega2560     >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo  >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo \# HAL_BOARD determines default HAL target. >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo HAL_BOARD ?= HAL_BOARD_APM2 >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo  >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo \# The communication port used to communicate with the APM. >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-ifneq ($(findstring CYGWIN, $(SYSTYPE)),)
-	@echo PORT = COM3 >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-else
-	@echo PORT = /dev/ttyACM0 >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-endif
-	@echo  >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo  \# uncomment and fill in the path to Arduino if installed in an exotic location >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo  \# ARDUINO = /path/to/Arduino  >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo  >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-######################## PX4 ####################################	
-	@echo \# PX4Firmware tree: fill in the path to PX4Firmware repository from github.com/diydrones: >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo PX4_ROOT=../PX4Firmware >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo  >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo \# PX4NuttX tree: fill in the path to PX4NuttX repository from github.com/diydrones: >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo NUTTX_SRC=../PX4NuttX/nuttx >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-###################### VRBRAIN ##################################	
-	@echo \# VRBRAIN Firmware tree: >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo VRBRAIN_ROOT=../VRNuttX >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo  >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo \# VRBRAIN NuttX tree: >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo VRBRAIN_NUTTX_SRC=../VRNuttX/NuttX/nuttx >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	@echo  >> $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-	
\ No newline at end of file
+	@echo "make configure is no longer required"
diff --git a/mk/environ.mk b/mk/environ.mk
index 6aafc51e0b..d508562dfb 100644
--- a/mk/environ.mk
+++ b/mk/environ.mk
@@ -107,19 +107,6 @@ ifneq ($(findstring CYGWIN, $(SYSTYPE)),)
   endif
 endif
 
-# Jump over the next makefile sections when runing a "make configure"
-ifneq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),configure)
-
-################################################################################
-# Config options
-#
-# The Makefile calling us must specify BOARD
-#
-include $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk
-ifeq ($(PORT),)
-$(error ERROR: could not locate $(SKETCHBOOK)/config.mk, please run 'make configure' first and edit config.mk)
-endif
-
 ifneq ($(APPDIR),)
 # this is a recusive PX4 build
 HAL_BOARD = HAL_BOARD_PX4
@@ -194,20 +181,9 @@ ifneq ($(findstring flymaple, $(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
 HAL_BOARD = HAL_BOARD_FLYMAPLE
 endif
 
-# default to APM2
+# default to SITL
 ifeq ($(HAL_BOARD),)
-#$(warning No HAL_BOARD in config.mk - defaulting to HAL_BOARD_APM2)
-HAL_BOARD = HAL_BOARD_APM2
-HAL_BOARD_SUBTYPE = HAL_BOARD_SUBTYPE_AVR_APM2
+HAL_BOARD = HAL_BOARD_SITL
+HAL_BOARD_SUBTYPE = HAL_BOARD_SUBTYPE_NONE
 endif
 
-HARDWARE		?=	arduino
-ifeq ($(BOARD),)
-BOARD = mega2560
-endif
-
-ifneq ($(findstring apm1-1280, $(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
-BOARD = mega
-endif
-
-endif
diff --git a/mk/help.mk b/mk/help.mk
index 41a63d99a0..0a328d1e36 100644
--- a/mk/help.mk
+++ b/mk/help.mk
@@ -8,20 +8,18 @@ help:
 	@echo ""
 	@echo " Before building a target you need to be in the target vehicle type directory"
 	@echo " e.g. ArduPlane, ArduCopter, APMrover2, AntennaTracker"
-	@echo " and run \"make configure\""
 	@echo ""
 	@echo " Most targets support a \"-upload\" extension to upload the firmware"
 	@echo " to a connected board.  e.g. \"make px4-v2-upload\""
 	@echo ""
+	@echo " Some targets support a \"-debug\" extension to enable a debug build"
+	@echo " (with debug symbols, and without optimisation)"
+	@echo ""
 	@echo " Note that the px4 builds are NOT parallel safe, NO -j flag"
 	@echo ""
 	@echo " Targets"
 	@echo " -------"
 	@echo ""
-	@echo "  configure - Set up build for vehicle type"
-	@echo ""
-	@echo "  all - Build all targets"
-	@echo ""
 	@echo "  apm1 - the APM1 board"
 	@echo "  apm2 - the APM2 board"
 	@echo "  px4-v1 - the PX4v1 board"
diff --git a/mk/px4_targets.mk b/mk/px4_targets.mk
index 563c6d8716..99e127bd1b 100644
--- a/mk/px4_targets.mk
+++ b/mk/px4_targets.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # PX4 build is via external build system
 
-ifneq ($(PX4_ROOT),)
+PX4_ROOT=../PX4Firmware
 
 # cope with relative paths
 ifeq ($(wildcard $(PX4_ROOT)/nuttx-configs),)
@@ -171,13 +171,3 @@ $(PX4_ROOT)/Archives/px4io-v2.export:
 px4-archives:
 	$(v) $(PX4_MAKE_ARCHIVES)
 
-else
-
-px4:
-	$(error ERROR: You need to add PX4_ROOT to your config.mk)
-
-px4-clean: px4
-
-px4-upload: px4
-
-endif
diff --git a/mk/targets.mk b/mk/targets.mk
index 28d601bd91..2bb7e6db04 100644
--- a/mk/targets.mk
+++ b/mk/targets.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-default: all
+default: help
 
 # convenient targets for our supported boards
 sitl: HAL_BOARD = HAL_BOARD_SITL
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ apm1: all
 apm1-1280: HAL_BOARD = HAL_BOARD_APM1
 apm1-1280: TOOLCHAIN = AVR
 apm1-1280: all
+apm1-1280: BOARD = mega
 
 apm2: HAL_BOARD = HAL_BOARD_APM2
 apm2: TOOLCHAIN = AVR