diff --git a/configure/CONFIG_COMMON b/configure/CONFIG_COMMON
index 593127fc2..9963af751 100644
--- a/configure/CONFIG_COMMON
+++ b/configure/CONFIG_COMMON
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ BUILD_ARCHS = $(EPICS_HOST_ARCH) $(CROSS1) $(CROSS2)
 CONFIG_TARGETS += CONFIG_APP_INCLUDE RULES_INCLUDE
 CONFIG_INSTALLS += ../RULES_BUILD
 
+#-------------------------------------------------------
+# Check configure/RELEASE file for consistency
+CHECK_RELEASE_YES = checkRelease
+CHECK_RELEASE_NO =
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------
 # Cross compile default, HOST or CROSS, CONFIG.crossCommon will override
 BUILD_CLASS = HOST
diff --git a/configure/RULES.ioc b/configure/RULES.ioc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c6c89428f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/configure/RULES.ioc
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#RULES.ioc
+include $(EPICS_BASE)/configure/RULES_DIRS
+
+all:    install
+
+buildInstall : build
+
+install: buildInstall
+
+rebuild: clean install
+
+ifeq ($(wildcard $(TOP)/config/RELEASE.$(ARCH)),$(TOP)/config/RELEASE.$(ARCH))
+cdCommands: $(TOP)/config/RELEASE.$(ARCH)
+endif
+
+cdCommands: Makefile $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG
+ifeq ($(IOCS_APPL_TOP),)
+	$(PERL) $(TOOLS)/convertRelease.pl -a $(ARCH) $@
+else
+	$(PERL) $(TOOLS)/convertRelease.pl -a $(ARCH) -t $(IOCS_APPL_TOP) $@
+endif
+
+clean:
+	@$(RM) cdCommands
diff --git a/configure/RULES_ARCHS b/configure/RULES_ARCHS
index 2a760da46..167451a82 100644
--- a/configure/RULES_ARCHS
+++ b/configure/RULES_ARCHS
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 all: install
 
+build install buildInstall: $(CHECK_RELEASE_$(CHECK_RELEASE))
+
 rebuild: clean all
 
 ACTIONS = inc
@@ -34,6 +36,9 @@ $(buildDirs):
 O.Common:
 	$(MKDIR) O.Common
 
+checkRelease: $(wildcard $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE*)
+	$(PERL) $(TOOLS)/convertRelease.pl -t $(TOP) $@
+
 #
 # special clean rule
 #
@@ -47,4 +52,5 @@ clean$(DIVIDER)% ::
 .PHONY : $(buildActionArchTargets)
 .PHONY : $(buildArchs)
 .PHONY : $(ACTIONS) clean all
+.PHONY : checkSupport
 
diff --git a/configure/RULES_BUILD b/configure/RULES_BUILD
index 904292537..78f98c63d 100644
--- a/configure/RULES_BUILD
+++ b/configure/RULES_BUILD
@@ -323,14 +323,8 @@ $(OBJLIB_MUNCHNAME):%.munch : %_ctdt$(OBJ) %$(OBJ)
 	$(LDCMD)
 
 # Ext, app and module rules
-CONFIG_APP_INCLUDE: $(wildcard $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE*)
-	@$(RM) $@
-	@$(PERL) $(TOOLS)/makeConfigAppInclude.pl $(EPICS_HOST_ARCH) $(T_A) $@ $(TOP)
-
-RULES_INCLUDE: $(wildcard $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE*)
-	@$(RM) $@
-	@$(PERL) $(TOOLS)/makeRulesInclude.pl $(EPICS_HOST_ARCH) $(T_A) $@ $(TOP)
-
+RULES_INCLUDE CONFIG_APP_INCLUDE: $(wildcard $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE*)
+	$(PERL) $(TOOLS)/convertRelease.pl -h $(EPICS_HOST_ARCH) $@
 
 binInstalls:  $(BIN_INSTALLS)
 	@echo "Installing $(^F)"
diff --git a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/Makefile b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/Makefile
index 3e9979cec..32b201fce 100644
--- a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/Makefile
+++ b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/Makefile
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ TOP=..
 
 include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG
 
+# Set the following to NO to disable consistency checking of
+# the support applications defined in $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE
+CHECK_RELEASE = YES
+
 TARGETS = $(CONFIG_TARGETS)
 CONFIGS += $(subst ../,,$(wildcard $(CONFIG_INSTALLS)))
 
diff --git a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RULES.ioc b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RULES.ioc
index 34be190cf..5ba101303 100644
--- a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RULES.ioc
+++ b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RULES.ioc
@@ -1,17 +1,2 @@
 #RULES.ioc
-include $(EPICS_BASE)/configure/RULES_DIRS
-
-all:    install
-
-buildInstall : build
-
-install: buildInstall
-
-rebuild: clean install
-
-cdCommands: Makefile $(TOOLS)/makeIocCdCommands.pl $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG \
-                     $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE
-	$(PERL) $(TOOLS)/makeIocCdCommands.pl $(ARCH) $(IOCS_APPL_TOP)
-
-clean:
-	@$(RM) cdCommands
+include $(EPICS_BASE)/configure/RULES.ioc