diff --git a/build_shared_library.py b/build_shared_library.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..82420f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build_shared_library.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#! /usr/bin/python
+# Copyright 2015 OpenMarket Ltd
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import subprocess
+import glob
+import os
+
+if not os.path.exists("build"):
+    os.mkdir("build")
+
+source_files = glob.glob("src/*.cpp")
+
+compile_args = "g++ -O3 -Iinclude -Ilib --std=c++11 --shared -fPIC".split()
+compile_args += source_files
+
+library = "build/libaxolotl.so"
+
+def run(args):
+    print " ".join(args)
+    subprocess.check_call(args)
+
+run(compile_args + ["-o", library])