diff --git a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/CONFIG b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/CONFIG
index d66731683..e4e0712d3 100644
--- a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/CONFIG
+++ b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/CONFIG
@@ -1,28 +1,25 @@
 # CONFIG
 
-RULES=$(EPICS_BASE)
+RULES = $(EPICS_BASE)
 
 include $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE
--include $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH)
 -include $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).Common
+
 ifdef T_A
 -include $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE.Common.$(T_A)
 -include $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).$(T_A)
 endif
 
-CONFIG=$(RULES)/configure
+CONFIG = $(RULES)/configure
 include $(CONFIG)/CONFIG
 
 # Override for definition in base
 INSTALL_LOCATION = $(TOP)
 include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG_SITE
--include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG_SITE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH)
 -include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG_SITE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).Common
 
 ifdef T_A
  -include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG_SITE.Common.$(T_A)
  -include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG_SITE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).$(T_A)
-
- -include $(TOP)/configure/O.$(T_A)/CONFIG_APP_INCLUDE
 endif
 
diff --git a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/CONFIG_SITE b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/CONFIG_SITE
index f0ab4026c..72b399d43 100644
--- a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/CONFIG_SITE
+++ b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/CONFIG_SITE
@@ -1,34 +1,33 @@
 # CONFIG_SITE
 
 # Make any application-specific changes to the EPICS build
-# configuration variables in this file.
+#   configuration variables in this file.
 #
 # Host/target specific settings can be specified in files named
-#  CONFIG_SITE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).Common
-#  CONFIG_SITE.Common.$(T_A)
-#  CONFIG_SITE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).$(T_A)
-
-# Set this when you only want to compile this application
-# for a subset of the cross-compiled target architectures
-# that Base is built for.
-#CROSS_COMPILER_TARGET_ARCHS = vxWorks-68040
-
-# Set this when your IOC and the host use different paths
-# to access the application. This will be needed to boot
-# from a Microsoft FTP server or with some NFS mounts.
-# You must rebuild in the iocBoot directory for this to
-# take effect.
-#IOCS_APPL_TOP = <path to application top as seen by IOC>
-
-# If you don't want to install into $(TOP) then
-# define INSTALL_LOCATION here
-#INSTALL_LOCATION=<fullpathname>
+#   CONFIG_SITE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).Common
+#   CONFIG_SITE.Common.$(T_A)
+#   CONFIG_SITE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).$(T_A)
 
 # CHECK_RELEASE controls the consistency checking of the support
-# applications defined in the $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE* files.
+#   applications pointed to by the RELEASE* files.
 # Normally CHECK_RELEASE should be set to YES.
 # Set CHECK_RELEASE to NO to disable checking completely.
-# Set CHECK_RELEASE to WARN to perform consistency checking,
-# but continue the build even if conflicts are found.
+# Set CHECK_RELEASE to WARN to perform consistency checking but
+#   continue building anyway if conflicts are found.
 CHECK_RELEASE = YES
 
+# Set this when you only want to compile this application
+#   for a subset of the cross-compiled target architectures
+#   that Base is built for.
+#CROSS_COMPILER_TARGET_ARCHS = vxWorks-68040
+
+# To install files into a location other than $(TOP) define
+#   INSTALL_LOCATION here.
+#INSTALL_LOCATION=</path/name/to/install/top>
+
+# Set this when your IOC and the host use different paths
+#   to access the application. This will be needed to boot
+#   from a Microsoft FTP server or with some NFS mounts.
+# You must rebuild in the iocBoot directory for this to
+#   take effect.
+#IOCS_APPL_TOP = </IOC/path/to/application/top>
diff --git a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/Makefile b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/Makefile
index aefe673e4..925430940 100644
--- a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/Makefile
+++ b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/Makefile
@@ -6,4 +6,3 @@ TARGETS = $(CONFIG_TARGETS)
 CONFIGS += $(subst ../,,$(wildcard $(CONFIG_INSTALLS)))
 
 include $(TOP)/configure/RULES
-
diff --git a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RELEASE b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RELEASE
index 073e3af3e..057d8c792 100644
--- a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RELEASE
+++ b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RELEASE
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#RELEASE Location of external products
+#RELEASE Location of external support modules
 #
 # IF YOU MAKE ANY CHANGES to this file you MUST at least run
 # "gnumake" in this directory afterwards; you usually need
@@ -15,20 +15,14 @@
 #  RELEASE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).Common
 #  RELEASE.Common.$(T_A)
 #  RELEASE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).$(T_A)
-#
-# If using a module with a shared set of rules, point RULES at 
-# its top directory: 
-# RULES=/path/to/epics/support/modules/rules/x-y
 
 TEMPLATE_TOP=_TEMPLATE_TOP_
 
-#If using the sequencer, point SNCSEQ at its top directory:
+# If using the sequencer, point SNCSEQ at its top directory:
 #SNCSEQ=$(EPICS_BASE)/../modules/soft/seq
 
 # EPICS_BASE usually appears last so other apps can override stuff:
 EPICS_BASE=_EPICS_BASE_
 
-#Capfast users may need the following definitions
-#CAPFAST_TEMPLATES=
-#SCH2EDIF_PATH=
-
+# Set RULES to use build rules from somewhere other than EPICS_BASE:
+#RULES=/path/to/epics/support/module/rules/x-y