diff --git a/weld/headers.mk b/weld/headers.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e8032d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/weld/headers.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# Copyright 2015 Andrew Gottemoller.
+#
+# This software is a copyrighted work licensed under the terms of the
+# Weld license.  Please consult the file "WELD_LICENSE" for
+# details.
+
+# This makefile defines the set of rules for a header list
+
+
+# This makefile is included for each component definition so clear out
+# any variables used by this makefile
+def_header_path        :=
+def_header_output_path :=
+header_file            :=
+header_name            :=
+def_header_file        :=
+header_alias           :=
+dest_path              :=
+header_goal_list       :=
+
+
+# Figure out the include path for this component definition
+def_header_path        := $(def_path)/$(def_include_subdir)
+def_header_output_path := $(header_output_path)/$(name)
+
+define header_file_rule
+
+    $$(call debug_info,header specified: $(1))
+
+    header_file     := $(1)
+    header_name     := $$(notdir $$(header_file))
+    def_header_file := $$(def_header_path)/$$(header_file)
+    header_alias    := $$(name)/$$(header_name)
+
+    header_goal_list := $$(header_alias) $$(header_goal_list)
+
+    directory_list := $$(dest_path) $$(directory_list)
+
+    # Define an alias for the header file so the user can do
+    # "make name/header.h" on the command line
+    vpath $$(header_alias) $$(header_output_path)
+
+    # Set the target specific variables and dependencies for this header
+    $$(header_alias) : header_path     := $$(header_path)
+    $$(header_alias) : def_header_file := $$(def_header_file)
+    $$(header_alias) : header_alias    := $$(header_alias)
+    $$(header_alias) : $$(def_deps)
+    $$(header_alias) : $$(def_header_file)
+
+endef
+
+
+# Expand the header file rule for each header specified
+$(foreach file,$(header_list),$(eval $(call header_file_rule,$(file))))
+
+# Add the output header directory to the list of directories we need to build
+directory_list := $(def_header_output_path) $(directory_list)
+
+
+# Add the list of header goals as a dependency of the component definition's
+# headers target
+$(name)_def_headers : $(header_goal_list)
+
+# Define the actual recipe for a header
+$(header_goal_list) : | $(def_header_output_path)
+	$(call print_progress,$(header_alias))
+	$(call soft_copy,$(def_header_file),$(header_output_path)/$(header_alias))
+
+.PHONY : clean_$(name)_def_headers
+clean_$(name)_def_headers : header_output_path := $(header_output_path)
+clean_$(name)_def_headers : header_goal_list   := $(header_goal_list)
+clean_$(name)_def_headers :
+	$(call print_progress,$@)
+	$(call remove_files,$(addprefix $(header_output_path)/,$(header_goal_list)))