diff --git a/helper-templates/automake.sh b/helper-templates/automake.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..6d237945bc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helper-templates/automake.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#
+# This helper runs the GNU autoconf tools and friends for a template.
+# Optionally $automake_dir may be specified for a specific directory.
+#
+
+run_automake()
+{
+	$PKGFS_MASTERDIR/bin/aclocal
+	$PKGFS_MASTERDIR/bin/libtoolize --automake
+	$PKGFS_MASTERDIR/bin/automake -a --foreign -i
+	$PKGFS_MASTERDIR/bin/autoconf
+}
+
+if [ -z "$automake_dir" ]; then
+	cd $wrksrc && run_automake
+else
+	cd $wrksrc/$automake_dir && run_automake
+fi