diff --git a/contrib/asdf/asdf-ecl.lisp b/contrib/asdf/asdf-ecl.lisp
index 63fe91b15..fd3cdb88e 100755
--- a/contrib/asdf/asdf-ecl.lisp
+++ b/contrib/asdf/asdf-ecl.lisp
@@ -213,9 +213,10 @@
 (defclass load-fasl-op (operation) ())
 
 (defmethod component-depends-on ((o load-fasl-op) (c system))
-  (subst 'load-fasl-op 'load-op
-	 (subst 'fasl-op 'compile-op
-		(component-depends-on (make-instance 'load-op) c))))
+  (unless (every #'(lambda (c) (typep c 'ecl-binary-file)) (module-components c))
+    (subst 'load-fasl-op 'load-op
+           (subst 'fasl-op 'compile-op
+                  (component-depends-on (make-instance 'load-op) c)))))
 
 (defmethod input-files ((o load-fasl-op) (c system))
   (and (module-components c)
@@ -244,6 +245,21 @@
         (asdf:operate *require-asdf-operator* name)
         t))))
 
+(defclass ecl-binary-file (component) ())
+(defmethod component-pathname ((c ecl-binary-file))
+  (merge-pathnames (compile-file-pathname (string (component-name c)))
+                   "sys:"))
+(defmethod output-files (o (c ecl-binary-file))
+  nil)
+(defmethod input-files (o (c ecl-binary-file))
+  nil)
+(defmethod perform ((o load-op) (c ecl-binary-file))
+  (load (component-pathname c)))
+(defmethod perform ((o load-fasl-op) (c ecl-binary-file))
+  (load (component-pathname c)))
+(defmethod perform (o (c ecl-binary-file))
+  nil)
+
 (defun register-pre-built-system (name)
   (register-system name (make-instance 'system :name name)))
 
diff --git a/contrib/asdf/asdf.lisp b/contrib/asdf/asdf.lisp
index cb3b9fce5..a700562b9 100644
--- a/contrib/asdf/asdf.lisp
+++ b/contrib/asdf/asdf.lisp
@@ -1340,7 +1340,7 @@ output to *VERBOSE-OUT*.  Returns the shell's exit code."
              (system (asdf:find-system name nil)))
         (when system
           (asdf:operate 'asdf:load-op name)
-          t))))
+          (provide name)))))
 
   (defun contrib-sysdef-search (system)
     (let ((home (sb-ext:posix-getenv "SBCL_HOME")))
diff --git a/src/Makefile.in b/src/Makefile.in
index 95a4199f1..02001efac 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.in
+++ b/src/Makefile.in
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ install-base:
 	    $(LN_S) @SONAME3@ @SONAME1@ && \
 	    $(LN_S) @SONAME3@ @SONAME@ ) \
 	fi
+	-for i in *.asd; do $(INSTALL_DATA) $${i} $(DESTDIR)$(ecldir); done
 	for i in c/dpp$(EXE) ecl_min$(EXE) `cat MODULES`; do \
 	  case $$i in \
 	    *.fas) $(INSTALL_PROGRAM) $$i $(DESTDIR)$(ecldir);; \
diff --git a/src/bare.lsp.in b/src/bare.lsp.in
index da7062558..1032ca1cb 100644
--- a/src/bare.lsp.in
+++ b/src/bare.lsp.in
@@ -111,6 +111,12 @@
                                :readably t :pretty nil)))))))
     output))
 
+(defun build-fake-asdf (name)
+  (with-open-file (*standard-output* (make-pathname :name name :type "asd")
+                   :direction :output :if-exists :supersede :if-does-not-exist :create)
+    (print `(defsystem ,name
+               :components ((:ecl-binary-file ,(string name)))))))
+
 (defun build-module (name sources &key additional-files
                      (builtin nil) (dir "build:")
                      ((:prefix si::*init-function-prefix*) "EXT"))
@@ -118,6 +124,8 @@
   (let* ((name (string-downcase name)))
     (when additional-files
       (setf *module-files* (append additional-files *module-files*)))
+    (unless (equalp name "asdf")
+      (build-fake-asdf name))
     (if builtin
 	(let* ((objects (compile-if-old dir sources :system-p t :c-file t
 					:data-file t :h-file t)))