diff --git a/python/CMakeLists.txt b/python/CMakeLists.txt
index b8809519a87..4cb8cd8c8a3 100644
--- a/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -139,33 +139,31 @@ IF(WITH_QSCIAPI)
   INSTALL(FILES ${QGIS_PYTHON_API_FILE} DESTINATION "${QGIS_DATA_DIR}/python/qsci_apis")
 ENDIF(WITH_QSCIAPI)
 
-ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(compile_python_files ALL)
+# PyQGIS console and plugin utilities
+# files to copy to staging or install
+SET(PY_FILES
+  __init__.py
+  console.py
+  console_sci.py
+  console_help.py
+  console_settings.py
+  utils.py
+)
+FILE(GLOB UI_FILES *.ui)
+PYQT4_WRAP_UI(PYUI_FILES ${UI_FILES}) # returns absolute paths
+ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(pyutils ALL DEPENDS ${PYUI_FILES})
+
+# stage to output to make available when QGIS is run from build directory
+FOREACH(pyfile ${PY_FILES} ${PYUI_FILES})
+  ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND(TARGET pyutils
+    POST_BUILD
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy ${pyfile} "${QGIS_PYTHON_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}"
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
+    DEPENDS ${pyfile}
+  )
+ENDFOREACH(pyfile)
+
+INSTALL(FILES ${PY_FILES} ${PYUI_FILES} DESTINATION "${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR}")
 
 ADD_SUBDIRECTORY(console_help)
 
-ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND(TARGET compile_python_files
-       POST_BUILD
-       COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E make_directory ${QGIS_PYTHON_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}
-       WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
-)
-
-FILE(GLOB UI_FILES *.ui)
-PYQT4_WRAP_UI(PYUI_FILES ${UI_FILES})
-ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(console ALL DEPENDS ${PYUI_FILES})
-INSTALL(FILES ${PYUI_FILES} DESTINATION ${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR})
-
-FOREACH(file __init__.py utils.py console.py console_sci.py console_help.py console_settings.py)
-  ADD_CUSTOM_COMMAND(TARGET compile_python_files
-         POST_BUILD
-         COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy ${file} ${QGIS_PYTHON_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}
-         WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
-	 DEPENDS ${file}
-  )
-ENDFOREACH(file)
-
-PYTHON_INSTALL(__init__.py ${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR})
-PYTHON_INSTALL(utils.py    ${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR})
-PYTHON_INSTALL(console.py  ${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR})
-PYTHON_INSTALL(console_sci.py  ${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR})
-PYTHON_INSTALL(console_help.py  ${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR})
-PYTHON_INSTALL(console_settings.py  ${QGIS_PYTHON_DIR})