diff --git a/ocamlbuild/lexers.mll b/ocamlbuild/lexers.mll
index 7b191b0..56e7422 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/lexers.mll
+++ b/ocamlbuild/lexers.mll
@@ -39,7 +39,18 @@ let variable = [ 'a'-'z' 'A'-'Z' '_' '-' '0'-'9' ]*
 let pattern = ([^ '(' ')' '\\' ] | '\\' [ '(' ')' ])*
 
 rule ocamldep_output = parse
-  | ([^ ':' '\n' '\r' ]+ as k) ':' { let x = (k, space_sep_strings_nl lexbuf) in x :: ocamldep_output lexbuf }
+  | ([^ ':' '\n' '\r' ]+ as k) ':' {
+      let get_filename x =
+        let x = Filename.basename x in
+        try Filename.chop_extension x with Invalid_argument _ -> x
+      in
+      (* cpp outputs 'foo.o: foo.c bar.h': remove 'foo.c' to prevent a cycle *)
+      match space_sep_strings_nl lexbuf with
+      | h :: t when get_filename k = get_filename h ->
+          (* cpp includes the file extension while ocamldep doesn't *)
+          (k,  List.map get_filename t) :: ocamldep_output lexbuf
+      | deps -> (k, deps) :: ocamldep_output lexbuf
+    }
   | eof { [] }
   | _ { raise (Error "Expecting colon followed by space-separated module name list") }
 
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.ml b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.ml
index e4d168b..4f791b1 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.ml
+++ b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.ml
@@ -105,12 +105,12 @@ let native_shared_lib_linker tags =
 let native_lib_linker_tags tags = tags++"ocaml"++"link"++"native"++"library"
 
 
-let prepare_compile build ml =
-  let dir = Pathname.dirname ml in
+let prepare_compile ?(exts=["cmi"]) build ml_or_c =
+  let dir = Pathname.dirname ml_or_c in
   let include_dirs = Pathname.include_dirs_of dir in
-  let modules = path_dependencies_of ml in
+  let modules = path_dependencies_of ml_or_c in
   let results =
-    build (List.map (fun (_, x) -> expand_module include_dirs x ["cmi"]) modules) in
+    build (List.map (fun (_, x) -> expand_module include_dirs x exts) modules) in
   List.iter2 begin fun (mandatory, name) res ->
     match mandatory, res with
     | _, Good _ -> ()
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.mli b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.mli
index 608f033..2b99294 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.mli
+++ b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.mli
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ val ocamlopt_link_prog : Tags.t -> Pathname.t list -> Pathname.t -> Command.t
 val ocamlopt_p : Tags.t -> Pathname.t list -> Pathname.t -> Command.t
 val ocamlmklib : Tags.t -> Pathname.t list -> Pathname.t -> Command.t
 val ocamlmktop : Tags.t -> Pathname.t list -> Pathname.t -> Command.t
-val prepare_compile : Rule.builder -> Pathname.t -> unit
+val prepare_compile : ?exts:string list -> Rule.builder -> Pathname.t -> unit
 val byte_compile_ocaml_interf : string -> string -> Rule.action
 val byte_compile_ocaml_implem : ?tag:string -> string -> string -> Rule.action
 val prepare_link :
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_specific.ml b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_specific.ml
index 500cacf..d88accd 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_specific.ml
+++ b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_specific.ml
@@ -336,12 +336,33 @@ end else
     ~dep:"%.mly"
     (Ocaml_tools.ocamlyacc "%.mly");;
 
+(* NOTE: creating a precompiled-header might be better than using a virtual rule
+ * but these aren't supported everywhere (gcc <= 3.3 and some sun compilers *)
+rule "ocaml C stubs dependencies: h -> h.virtual_rule"
+  ~dep:"%.h.depends"
+  ~stamp:"%.h.virtual_rule"
+  begin fun env build ->
+    Ocaml_compiler.prepare_compile ~exts:["h.virtual_rule"] build (env "%.h");
+    Nop
+  end;;
+
+rule "ocaml C stubs dependencies: h -> h.depends"
+  ~prod:"%.h.depends"
+  ~dep:"%.h"
+  (Ocaml_tools.cppdep_command "%.h" "%.h.depends");;
+
+rule "ocaml C stubs dependencies: c -> c.depends"
+  ~prod:"%.c.depends"
+  ~dep:"%.c"
+  (Ocaml_tools.cppdep_command "%.c" "%.c.depends");;
+
 rule "ocaml C stubs: c -> o"
   ~prod:x_o
-  ~dep:"%.c"
-  begin fun env _build ->
+  ~deps:["%.c"; "%.c.depends"]
+  begin fun env build ->
     let c = env "%.c" in
     let o = env x_o in
+    Ocaml_compiler.prepare_compile ~exts:["h.virtual_rule"; "c"] build c;
     let comp = if Tags.mem "native" (tags_of_pathname c) then !Options.ocamlopt else !Options.ocamlc in
     let cc = Cmd(S[comp; T(tags_of_pathname c++"c"++"compile"); A"-c"; Px c]) in
     if Pathname.dirname o = Pathname.current_dir_name then cc
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.ml b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.ml
index f66c127..dad9afe 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.ml
+++ b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.ml
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ let ocamldep_command' tags =
   let tags' = tags++"ocaml"++"ocamldep" in
     S [!Options.ocamldep; T tags'; ocaml_ppflags (tags++"pp:dep"); A "-modules"]
 
+(* TODO: msvc-compatible version with something like 'cl /Zs /showIncludes' *)
+let cppdep_command' tags = 
+  let tags' = tags++"ocaml"++"cpp" in
+    S [!Options.cppdep; T tags'; A "-P"; A "-MM"; A "-MG"]
+
 let menhir_ocamldep_command' tags ~menhir_spec out =
   let menhir = if !Options.ocamlyacc = N then V"MENHIR" else !Options.ocamlyacc in
   Cmd(S[menhir; T tags; A"--raw-depend";
@@ -79,6 +84,11 @@ let ocamldep_command arg out env _build =
   let tags = tags_of_pathname arg in
   Cmd(S[ocamldep_command' tags; P arg; Sh ">"; Px out])
 
+let cppdep_command arg out env _build =
+  let arg = env arg and out = env out in
+  let tags = tags_of_pathname arg in
+  Cmd(S[cppdep_command' tags; P arg; Sh ">"; Px out])
+
 let ocamlyacc mly env _build =
   let mly = env mly in
   let ocamlyacc = if !Options.ocamlyacc = N then V"OCAMLYACC" else !Options.ocamlyacc in
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.mli b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.mli
index 542573d..079e092 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.mli
+++ b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.mli
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ val ocamldoc_l_dir : Tags.t -> string list -> string -> string -> Command.t
 val ocamldoc_l_file : Tags.t -> string list -> string -> string -> Command.t
 
 val ocamldep_command : string -> string -> Rule.action
+val cppdep_command : string -> string -> Rule.action
 val menhir_ocamldep_command : string -> string -> Rule.action
 val menhir_modular_ocamldep_command : string -> string -> Rule.action
 val menhir_modular : string -> string -> string -> Rule.action
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/options.ml b/ocamlbuild/options.ml
index 0256d43..a7d828f 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/options.ml
+++ b/ocamlbuild/options.ml
@@ -62,11 +62,12 @@ let mk_virtual_solvers =
 
 let () =
   mk_virtual_solvers
-    ["ocamlc"; "ocamlopt"; "ocamldep"; "ocamldoc";
+    ["ocamlc"; "ocamlopt"; "ocamldep"; "cpp"; "ocamldoc";
     "ocamlyacc"; "menhir"; "ocamllex"; "ocamlmklib"; "ocamlmktop"; "ocamlfind"]
 let ocamlc = ref (V"OCAMLC")
 let ocamlopt = ref (V"OCAMLOPT")
 let ocamldep = ref (V"OCAMLDEP")
+let cppdep = ref (V"CPP")
 let ocamldoc = ref (V"OCAMLDOC")
 let ocamlyacc = ref N
 let ocamllex = ref (V"OCAMLLEX")
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/signatures.mli b/ocamlbuild/signatures.mli
index cb343bd..bcf8436 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/signatures.mli
+++ b/ocamlbuild/signatures.mli
@@ -359,6 +359,7 @@ module type OPTIONS = sig
   val ocamlc : command_spec ref
   val ocamlopt : command_spec ref
   val ocamldep : command_spec ref
+  val cppdep : command_spec ref
   val ocamldoc : command_spec ref
   val ocamlyacc : command_spec ref
   val ocamllex : command_spec ref

diff --git a/ocamlbuild/lexers.mll b/ocamlbuild/lexers.mll
index 7b191b0..c77b63a 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/lexers.mll
+++ b/ocamlbuild/lexers.mll
@@ -39,14 +39,26 @@ let variable = [ 'a'-'z' 'A'-'Z' '_' '-' '0'-'9' ]*
 let pattern = ([^ '(' ')' '\\' ] | '\\' [ '(' ')' ])*
 
 rule ocamldep_output = parse
-  | ([^ ':' '\n' '\r' ]+ as k) ':' { let x = (k, space_sep_strings_nl lexbuf) in x :: ocamldep_output lexbuf }
+  | ([^ ':' '\n' '\r' ]+ as k) ':' {
+      let get_filename x =
+        let x = Filename.basename x in
+        try Filename.chop_extension x with Invalid_argument _ -> x
+      in
+      (* cpp outputs 'foo.o: foo.c bar.h': remove 'foo.c' to prevent a cycle *)
+      match space_sep_strings_nl lexbuf with
+      | h :: t when get_filename k = get_filename h ->
+          (* cpp includes the file extension while ocamldep doesn't *)
+          (k,  List.map get_filename t) :: ocamldep_output lexbuf
+      | deps -> (k, deps) :: ocamldep_output lexbuf
+    }
   | eof { [] }
   | _ { raise (Error "Expecting colon followed by space-separated module name list") }
 
 and space_sep_strings_nl = parse
+  | space* '\\' space* newline { space_sep_strings_nl lexbuf }
   | space* (not_blank+ as word) { word :: space_sep_strings_nl lexbuf }
   | space* newline { [] }
-  | _ { raise (Error "Expecting space-separated strings terminated with newline") }
+  | _ { raise (Error "Expecting space-separated strings terminated with unescaped newline") }
 
 and space_sep_strings = parse
   | space* (not_blank+ as word) { word :: space_sep_strings lexbuf }
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.ml b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.ml
index e4d168b..4f791b1 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.ml
+++ b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.ml
@@ -105,12 +105,12 @@ let native_shared_lib_linker tags =
 let native_lib_linker_tags tags = tags++"ocaml"++"link"++"native"++"library"
 
 
-let prepare_compile build ml =
-  let dir = Pathname.dirname ml in
+let prepare_compile ?(exts=["cmi"]) build ml_or_c =
+  let dir = Pathname.dirname ml_or_c in
   let include_dirs = Pathname.include_dirs_of dir in
-  let modules = path_dependencies_of ml in
+  let modules = path_dependencies_of ml_or_c in
   let results =
-    build (List.map (fun (_, x) -> expand_module include_dirs x ["cmi"]) modules) in
+    build (List.map (fun (_, x) -> expand_module include_dirs x exts) modules) in
   List.iter2 begin fun (mandatory, name) res ->
     match mandatory, res with
     | _, Good _ -> ()
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.mli b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.mli
index 608f033..2b99294 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.mli
+++ b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_compiler.mli
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ val ocamlopt_link_prog : Tags.t -> Pathname.t list -> Pathname.t -> Command.t
 val ocamlopt_p : Tags.t -> Pathname.t list -> Pathname.t -> Command.t
 val ocamlmklib : Tags.t -> Pathname.t list -> Pathname.t -> Command.t
 val ocamlmktop : Tags.t -> Pathname.t list -> Pathname.t -> Command.t
-val prepare_compile : Rule.builder -> Pathname.t -> unit
+val prepare_compile : ?exts:string list -> Rule.builder -> Pathname.t -> unit
 val byte_compile_ocaml_interf : string -> string -> Rule.action
 val byte_compile_ocaml_implem : ?tag:string -> string -> string -> Rule.action
 val prepare_link :
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_specific.ml b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_specific.ml
index 500cacf..d88accd 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_specific.ml
+++ b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_specific.ml
@@ -336,12 +336,33 @@ end else
     ~dep:"%.mly"
     (Ocaml_tools.ocamlyacc "%.mly");;
 
+(* NOTE: creating a precompiled-header might be better than using a virtual rule
+ * but these aren't supported everywhere (gcc <= 3.3 and some sun compilers *)
+rule "ocaml C stubs dependencies: h -> h.virtual_rule"
+  ~dep:"%.h.depends"
+  ~stamp:"%.h.virtual_rule"
+  begin fun env build ->
+    Ocaml_compiler.prepare_compile ~exts:["h.virtual_rule"] build (env "%.h");
+    Nop
+  end;;
+
+rule "ocaml C stubs dependencies: h -> h.depends"
+  ~prod:"%.h.depends"
+  ~dep:"%.h"
+  (Ocaml_tools.cppdep_command "%.h" "%.h.depends");;
+
+rule "ocaml C stubs dependencies: c -> c.depends"
+  ~prod:"%.c.depends"
+  ~dep:"%.c"
+  (Ocaml_tools.cppdep_command "%.c" "%.c.depends");;
+
 rule "ocaml C stubs: c -> o"
   ~prod:x_o
-  ~dep:"%.c"
-  begin fun env _build ->
+  ~deps:["%.c"; "%.c.depends"]
+  begin fun env build ->
     let c = env "%.c" in
     let o = env x_o in
+    Ocaml_compiler.prepare_compile ~exts:["h.virtual_rule"; "c"] build c;
     let comp = if Tags.mem "native" (tags_of_pathname c) then !Options.ocamlopt else !Options.ocamlc in
     let cc = Cmd(S[comp; T(tags_of_pathname c++"c"++"compile"); A"-c"; Px c]) in
     if Pathname.dirname o = Pathname.current_dir_name then cc
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.ml b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.ml
index f66c127..024861f 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.ml
+++ b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.ml
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ let ocamldep_command' tags =
   let tags' = tags++"ocaml"++"ocamldep" in
     S [!Options.ocamldep; T tags'; ocaml_ppflags (tags++"pp:dep"); A "-modules"]
 
+(* TODO: msvc-compatible version with something like 'cl /Zs /showIncludes' *)
+let cppdep_command' tags =
+  let tags' = tags++"ocaml"++"cpp" in
+    S [!Options.cppdep; T tags'; A "-P"; A "-MM"; A "-MG"]
+
 let menhir_ocamldep_command' tags ~menhir_spec out =
   let menhir = if !Options.ocamlyacc = N then V"MENHIR" else !Options.ocamlyacc in
   Cmd(S[menhir; T tags; A"--raw-depend";
@@ -79,6 +84,11 @@ let ocamldep_command arg out env _build =
   let tags = tags_of_pathname arg in
   Cmd(S[ocamldep_command' tags; P arg; Sh ">"; Px out])
 
+let cppdep_command arg out env _build =
+  let arg = env arg and out = env out in
+  let tags = tags_of_pathname arg in
+  Cmd(S[cppdep_command' tags; P arg; Sh ">"; Px out])
+
 let ocamlyacc mly env _build =
   let mly = env mly in
   let ocamlyacc = if !Options.ocamlyacc = N then V"OCAMLYACC" else !Options.ocamlyacc in
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.mli b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.mli
index 542573d..079e092 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.mli
+++ b/ocamlbuild/ocaml_tools.mli
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ val ocamldoc_l_dir : Tags.t -> string list -> string -> string -> Command.t
 val ocamldoc_l_file : Tags.t -> string list -> string -> string -> Command.t
 
 val ocamldep_command : string -> string -> Rule.action
+val cppdep_command : string -> string -> Rule.action
 val menhir_ocamldep_command : string -> string -> Rule.action
 val menhir_modular_ocamldep_command : string -> string -> Rule.action
 val menhir_modular : string -> string -> string -> Rule.action
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/options.ml b/ocamlbuild/options.ml
index 0256d43..a7d828f 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/options.ml
+++ b/ocamlbuild/options.ml
@@ -62,11 +62,12 @@ let mk_virtual_solvers =
 
 let () =
   mk_virtual_solvers
-    ["ocamlc"; "ocamlopt"; "ocamldep"; "ocamldoc";
+    ["ocamlc"; "ocamlopt"; "ocamldep"; "cpp"; "ocamldoc";
     "ocamlyacc"; "menhir"; "ocamllex"; "ocamlmklib"; "ocamlmktop"; "ocamlfind"]
 let ocamlc = ref (V"OCAMLC")
 let ocamlopt = ref (V"OCAMLOPT")
 let ocamldep = ref (V"OCAMLDEP")
+let cppdep = ref (V"CPP")
 let ocamldoc = ref (V"OCAMLDOC")
 let ocamlyacc = ref N
 let ocamllex = ref (V"OCAMLLEX")
diff --git a/ocamlbuild/signatures.mli b/ocamlbuild/signatures.mli
index cb343bd..bcf8436 100644
--- a/ocamlbuild/signatures.mli
+++ b/ocamlbuild/signatures.mli
@@ -359,6 +359,7 @@ module type OPTIONS = sig
   val ocamlc : command_spec ref
   val ocamlopt : command_spec ref
   val ocamldep : command_spec ref
+  val cppdep : command_spec ref
   val ocamldoc : command_spec ref
   val ocamlyacc : command_spec ref
   val ocamllex : command_spec ref