diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index e91c19b..9ae8902 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -5,23 +5,58 @@ _fontship = $(shell sed -e "$(program_transform_name)" <<< fontship)
 licensedir = $(datarootdir)/licenses/$(_fontship)
 datadir = $(datarootdir)/$(_fontship)
 
-bin_SCRIPTS = $(_fontship)
-python_PYTHON = $(_fontship).py
 dist_doc_DATA = README.md CHANGELOG.md
 dist_man_MANS = $(_fontship).1
 dist_license_DATA = LICENSE
-dist_data_DATA = rules/fontship.mk rules/rules.mk rules/functions.mk rules/glyphs.mk rules/sfd.mk rules/ufo.mk
+nobase_dist_data_DATA = rules/fontship.mk rules/rules.mk rules/functions.mk rules/glyphs.mk rules/sfd.mk rules/ufo.mk
 EXTRA_DIST = .version Dockerfile
 
+bin_PROGRAMS = fontship
+
+_fontship_libs = src/lib.rs src/cli.rs src/config.rs src/i18n.rs
+_fontship_modules = src/make/mod.rs src/setup/mod.rs src/status/mod.rs
+_fontship_assets = assets/en-US/cli.ftl
+fontship_SOURCES = Cargo.toml build.rs src/main.rs $(_fontship_libs) $(_fontship_modules) $(_fontship_assets)
+EXTRA_fontship_SOURCES = Cargo.lock
+
 BUILT_SOURCES = .version
 
-CLEANFILES = $(BUILT_SOURCES) $(bin_SCRIPTS)
+CLEANFILES = $(BUILT_SOURCES) $(bin_PROGRAMS)
 
 .version: $(shell test -e .git && awk '{print ".git/" $$2}' .git/HEAD)
 	mv $@{,-prev} 2>/dev/null || touch $@-prev
 	( test -e .git && ./build-aux/git-version-gen .tarball-version || echo $(VERSION) ) > $@
 	cmp -s $@{,-prev} || autoreconf configure.ac --force -W none
 
+if DEBUG_RELEASE
+CARGO_RELEASE_ARGS=--locked --all-features
+else
+CARGO_RELEASE_ARGS=--release --locked --all-features
+endif
+
+# Leave some tips for cargo to use so CLI knows where it is
+export CONFIGURE_PREFIX = $(prefix)/
+export CONFIGURE_DATADIR = $(datadir)/
+export CONFIGURE_BINDIR = $(bindir)/
+
+CARGO_VERBOSE = $(cargo_verbose_$(V))
+cargo_verbose_ = $(cargo_verbose_$(AM_DEFAULT_VERBOSITY))
+cargo_verbose_0 =
+cargo_verbose_1 = --verbose
+
+CARGO_TARGET = target/release/fontship
+
+fontship$(EXEEXT): $(CARGO_TARGET)
+	cp -bf $< $@
+
+$(CARGO_TARGET): $(fontship_SOURCES) clean-embedded-assets
+	cargo build $(CARGO_VERBOSE) $(CARGO_RELEASE_ARGS)
+
+.PHONY: clean-embedded-assets
+clean-embedded-assets:
+	[[ -d .git  ]] || exit 0
+	git clean -dxf assets
+
 dist: fontship-$(VERSION).md
 
 dist-hook:
@@ -30,7 +65,7 @@ dist-hook:
 check: selfcheck
 
 .PHONY: selfcheck
-selfcheck: $(bin_SCRIPTS) | $(BUILT_SOURCES)
+selfcheck: $(_fontship) | $(BUILT_SOURCES)
 	./$< --version | grep -Ff $(firstword $|)
 
 RELTYPE ?=
diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
index 1620b54..493bffd 100755
--- a/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -20,4 +20,6 @@ else
     ./build-aux/git-version-gen .tarball-version > .version
 fi
 
-autoreconf --install -W none
+autoreconf --symlink --install --warnings=none
+aclocal --force -W none
+automake --force-missing --add-missing -W none
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index fa5f8f0..b6e8f63 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -4,6 +4,33 @@ AC_INIT([fontship],
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign tar-pax dist-xz dist-zip no-dist-gzip color-tests])
 AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])
 
+# Check that we have rust stuff
+AC_CHECK_PROG(CARGO, [cargo], [yes], [no])
+AS_IF(test x$CARGO = xno,
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([cargo is required.  Please install the Rust toolchain])
+)
+AC_CHECK_PROG(RUSTC, [rustc], [yes], [no])
+AS_IF(test x$RUSTC = xno,
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([rustc is required.  Please install the Rust toolchain])
+)
+
+# Add --enable-debug flag to change Rust build mode
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug,
+              AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug],
+                             [Build Rust code with debugging information [default=no]]),
+              [debug_release=$enableval],
+              [debug_release=no])
+
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether to build Rust code with debugging information)
+if test "x$debug_release" = "xyes" ; then
+    AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+    RUST_TARGET_SUBDIR=debug
+else
+    AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+    RUST_TARGET_SUBDIR=release
+fi
+AM_CONDITIONAL([DEBUG_RELEASE], [test "x$debug_release" = "xyes"])
+
 AC_CHECK_PROG(GFTOOLS, gftools, yes)
 test "x$GFTOOLS" == "xyes" || AC_MSG_ERROR([gftools is required])
 
@@ -41,6 +68,5 @@ fi
 AC_SUBST([MAN_DATE])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile fontship.1])
-AC_CONFIG_FILES([fontship], [chmod +x fontship])
 
 AC_OUTPUT