diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 8d5ab7cea4..8c7442c758 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ px4_add_git_submodule(TARGET git_jmavsim PATH "Tools/jMAVSim")
 px4_add_git_submodule(TARGET git_matrix PATH "src/lib/matrix")
 px4_add_git_submodule(TARGET git_mavlink PATH "mavlink/include/mavlink/v1.0")
 px4_add_git_submodule(TARGET git_mavlink2 PATH "mavlink/include/mavlink/v2.0")
-px4_add_git_submodule(TARGET git_nuttx PATH "platforms/nuttx/NuttX")
+px4_add_git_submodule(TARGET git_nuttx PATH "platforms/nuttx/NuttX/nuttx")
 px4_add_git_submodule(TARGET git_uavcan PATH "src/modules/uavcan/libuavcan")
 px4_add_git_submodule(TARGET git_micro_cdr PATH "src/lib/micro-CDR")
 
diff --git a/cmake/common/px4_git.cmake b/cmake/common/px4_git.cmake
index c6edd76fc3..5ffb3e65e0 100644
--- a/cmake/common/px4_git.cmake
+++ b/cmake/common/px4_git.cmake
@@ -72,10 +72,11 @@ function(px4_add_git_submodule)
 	string(REPLACE "/" "_" NAME ${PATH})
 
 	add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}/git_init_${NAME}.stamp
-		COMMAND Tools/check_submodules.sh ${PATH}
+		COMMAND bash ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/check_submodules.sh ${PATH}
 		COMMAND cmake -E touch ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}/git_init_${NAME}.stamp
-		DEPENDS ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/.gitmodules
+		DEPENDS ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/.gitmodules ${PATH}/.git
 		WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}
+		COMMENT "git submodule ${PATH}"
 		)
 
 	add_custom_target(${TARGET} DEPENDS ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}/git_init_${NAME}.stamp)
diff --git a/cmake/templates/cmake_lists.jinja b/cmake/templates/cmake_lists.jinja
deleted file mode 100644
index f24bc0bcbd..0000000000
--- a/cmake/templates/cmake_lists.jinja
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,73 +0,0 @@
-############################################################################
-#
-#   Copyright (c) 2015 PX4 Development Team. All rights reserved.
-#
-# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
-# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
-# are met:
-#
-# 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
-#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
-# 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
-#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
-#    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
-#    distribution.
-# 3. Neither the name PX4 nor the names of its contributors may be
-#    used to endorse or promote products derived from this software
-#    without specific prior written permission.
-#
-# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
-# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
-# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
-# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
-# COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
-# INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
-# BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS
-# OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED
-# AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
-# LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
-# ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
-# POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
-#
-############################################################################
-px4_add_module(
-	MODULE {{data.module}}
-{%- if data.command != '' %}
-	MAIN {{data.command}}
-{%- endif %}
-{%- if data.priority != '' %}
-	PRIORITY {{data.priority}}
-{%- endif %}
-{%- if data.stacksize != '' %}
-	STACK {{data.stacksize}}
-{%- endif %}
-{%- if (data.extracxxflags|length > 0) or (data.extracflags|length > 0)  or (data.maxoptimization != '') %}
-	COMPILE_FLAGS
-{%- for flag in data.extracxxflags %}
-		{{flag}}
-{%- endfor %}
-{%- for flag in data.extracflags %}
-		{{flag}}
-{%- endfor %}
-		{{data.maxoptimization}}
-{%- endif %}
-{%- if data.srcs|length > 0 %}
-	SRCS
-{%- for src in data.srcs %}
-		{{src}}
-{%- endfor %}
-{%- endif %}
-	DEPENDS
-{%- if data.module != 'platforms__common' %}
-		platforms__common
-{%- else %}
-		msg_gen
-{%- endif %}
-{%- if data.includes|length > 0 %}
-	INCLUDES {%- for include in data.includes %}
-		{{include}}
-{%- endfor %}
-{%- endif %}
-	)
-# vim: set noet ft=cmake fenc=utf-8 ff=unix : 
-{#  vim: set noet list ft=jinja fenc=utf-8 ff=unix : #}
diff --git a/platforms/nuttx/NuttX/CMakeLists.txt b/platforms/nuttx/NuttX/CMakeLists.txt
index b7302334fb..e0ac3d7eab 100644
--- a/platforms/nuttx/NuttX/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/platforms/nuttx/NuttX/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -62,13 +62,12 @@ add_custom_command(OUTPUT
 					${NUTTX_DIR}/PX4_Warnings.mk
 					${NUTTX_DIR}/.config
 					${NUTTX_DIR}/Make.defs
-					${NUTTX_DIR}/configs/${BOARD}/${nuttx_config_type}/defconfig
 	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy ${NUTTX_CONFIG_DIR}/PX4_Config.mk ${NUTTX_DIR}/PX4_Config.mk
 	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy ${NUTTX_CONFIG_DIR}/PX4_Warnings.mk ${NUTTX_DIR}/PX4_Warnings.mk
 	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy ${NUTTX_CONFIG_DIR}/${BOARD}/${nuttx_config_type}/defconfig ${NUTTX_DIR}/.config
-	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E remove -f ${NUTTX_DIR}/include/nuttx/config.h
 	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy ${NUTTX_CONFIG_DIR}/${BOARD}/${nuttx_config_type}/Make.defs ${NUTTX_DIR}/Make.defs
 	COMMAND ${cp_cmd} ${cp_opts} ${NUTTX_CONFIG_DIR}/${BOARD} ${NUTTX_DIR}/configs/
+	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E remove -f ${NUTTX_DIR}/include/nuttx/config.h
 	DEPENDS
 		${NUTTX_CONFIG_DIR}/PX4_Config.mk
 		${NUTTX_CONFIG_DIR}/PX4_Warnings.mk
@@ -81,11 +80,30 @@ add_custom_command(OUTPUT
 	)
 add_custom_target(nuttx_configure DEPENDS ${NUTTX_DIR}/.config)
 
+# verbose build settings (V=1 or VERBOSE=1)
+option(PX4_NUTTX_VERBOSE "PX4 NuttX verbose build" off)
+
+if (($ENV{V} MATCHES "1") OR ($ENV{VERBOSE} MATCHES "1"))
+	message(STATUS "NuttX verbose build enabled")
+	set(PX4_NUTTX_VERBOSE on)
+endif()
+
+if (PX4_NUTTX_VERBOSE)
+	set(nuttx_build_options)
+	set(nuttx_build_output)
+	set(nuttx_build_uses_terminal "USES_TERMINAL")
+else()
+	set(nuttx_build_options "--quiet")
+	set(nuttx_build_output ">nuttx_build.log")
+	set(nuttx_build_uses_terminal)
+endif()
+
 # context
 add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${NUTTX_DIR}/include/nuttx/version.h ${NUTTX_DIR}/include/nuttx/config.h
-	COMMAND make --no-print-directory --silent context > /dev/null
+	COMMAND make ${nuttx_build_options} --no-print-directory context ${nuttx_build_output}
 	DEPENDS nuttx_configure ${NUTTX_DIR}/.config
 	WORKING_DIRECTORY ${NUTTX_DIR}
+	${nuttx_build_uses_terminal}
 	)
 add_custom_target(nuttx_context DEPENDS ${NUTTX_DIR}/include/nuttx/version.h)
 
@@ -123,12 +141,12 @@ endif()
 # APPS
 
 # libapps.a
-add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${APPS_DIR}/libapps.a
-		${APPS_DIR}/platform/.built
+add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${APPS_DIR}/libapps.a ${APPS_DIR}/platform/.built
 	COMMAND find ${APPS_DIR} -name \*.o -o -name \*.built -delete
-	COMMAND make --silent --no-print-directory -C ../apps TOPDIR="${NUTTX_DIR}" libapps.a > /dev/null
+	COMMAND make ${nuttx_build_options} --no-print-directory -C ../apps TOPDIR="${NUTTX_DIR}" libapps.a ${nuttx_build_output}
 	DEPENDS nuttx_context ${nuttx_builtin_list}
 	WORKING_DIRECTORY ${NUTTX_DIR}
+	${nuttx_build_uses_terminal}
 	)
 add_custom_target(nuttx_apps_build DEPENDS ${APPS_DIR}/libapps.a)
 add_library(nuttx_apps STATIC IMPORTED GLOBAL)
@@ -138,9 +156,10 @@ target_link_libraries(nuttx_build INTERFACE nuttx_apps)
 
 # libboard.a
 add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${NUTTX_DIR}/arch/arm/src/board/libboard.a
-	COMMAND make --silent --no-print-directory -C board TOPDIR="${NUTTX_DIR}" libboard.a EXTRADEFINES=-D__KERNEL__ > /dev/null
+	COMMAND make ${nuttx_build_options} -j2 --no-print-directory -C board TOPDIR="${NUTTX_DIR}" libboard.a EXTRADEFINES=-D__KERNEL__ ${nuttx_build_output}
 	DEPENDS nuttx_context
 	WORKING_DIRECTORY ${NUTTX_DIR}/arch/arm/src
+	${nuttx_build_uses_terminal}
 	)
 add_custom_target(nuttx_board_build DEPENDS ${NUTTX_DIR}/arch/arm/src/board/libboard.a)
 add_library(nuttx_board STATIC IMPORTED GLOBAL)
@@ -155,10 +174,11 @@ function(add_nuttx_dir nuttx_lib nuttx_lib_dir kernel extra)
 		${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/nuttx/${nuttx_lib_dir}/*)
 
 	add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${NUTTX_DIR}/${nuttx_lib_dir}/lib${nuttx_lib}.a
-		COMMAND find ${nuttx_lib_dir} -type f -name *.o -o -name .built -delete
-		COMMAND make -C ${nuttx_lib_dir} -j2 --silent --no-print-directory lib${nuttx_lib}.a TOPDIR="${NUTTX_DIR}" KERNEL=${kernel} EXTRADEFINES=${extra} > /dev/null
+		COMMAND find ${nuttx_lib_dir} -type f -name *.o -delete
+		COMMAND make -C ${nuttx_lib_dir} ${nuttx_build_options} -j2 --no-print-directory lib${nuttx_lib}.a TOPDIR=${NUTTX_DIR} KERNEL=${kernel} EXTRADEFINES=${extra} ${nuttx_build_output}
 		DEPENDS ${nuttx_lib_files} nuttx_context
 		WORKING_DIRECTORY ${NUTTX_DIR}
+		${nuttx_build_uses_terminal}
 		)
 	add_custom_target(nuttx_${nuttx_lib}_build DEPENDS ${NUTTX_DIR}/${nuttx_lib_dir}/lib${nuttx_lib}.a)
 	add_library(nuttx_${nuttx_lib} STATIC IMPORTED GLOBAL)
@@ -168,19 +188,16 @@ function(add_nuttx_dir nuttx_lib nuttx_lib_dir kernel extra)
 endfunction()
 
 # add_nuttx_dir(NAME DIRECTORY KERNEL EXTRA)
-
 add_nuttx_dir(arch arch/arm/src y -D__KERNEL__)
 add_nuttx_dir(binfmt binfmt y -D__KERNEL__)
 add_nuttx_dir(configs configs y -D__KERNEL__)
 add_nuttx_dir(drivers drivers y -D__KERNEL__)
 add_nuttx_dir(fs fs y -D__KERNEL__)
 add_nuttx_dir(sched sched y -D__KERNEL__)
-
 add_nuttx_dir(c libc n "")
 add_nuttx_dir(cxx libxx n "")
 add_nuttx_dir(mm mm n "")
 
-
 # oldconfig helper
 add_custom_target(oldconfig
 	COMMAND make --no-print-directory --silent -C ${NUTTX_DIR} CONFIG_ARCH_BOARD=${BOARD} oldconfig
diff --git a/src/firmware/nuttx/CMakeLists.txt b/src/firmware/nuttx/CMakeLists.txt
index b60acc561b..f485daa006 100644
--- a/src/firmware/nuttx/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/firmware/nuttx/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ include(common/px4_upload)
 # add executable
 set(fw_name ${CONFIG}.elf)
 add_executable(${fw_name} ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/nuttx-configs/${BOARD}/src/empty.c)
+add_dependencies(${fw_name} git_nuttx)
 
 get_property(module_libraries GLOBAL PROPERTY PX4_LIBRARIES)
 
diff --git a/src/modules/systemlib/param/CMakeLists.txt b/src/modules/systemlib/param/CMakeLists.txt
index 95bdbda996..e05e979c3c 100644
--- a/src/modules/systemlib/param/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/modules/systemlib/param/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${parameters_xml}
 		--overrides ${PARAM_DEFAULT_OVERRIDES}
 	DEPENDS ${param_src_files} ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/Tools/px_process_params.py
 	WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PX4_BINARY_DIR}
+	COMMENT "Generating parameters.xml"
 )
 add_custom_target(parameters_xml DEPENDS ${parameters_xml})