diff --git a/.qmake.cache.in b/.qmake.cache.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..008a232
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.qmake.cache.in
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+TOP_SRC_DIR=$$PWD
+TOP_BUILD_DIR=$$OUT_PWD
diff --git a/.qmake.conf b/.qmake.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b5aab0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.qmake.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+TOP_SRC_DIR=$$PWD
+TOP_BUILD_DIR=$$shadowed($$PWD)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common.pri b/common.pri
index 739441b..1a6792e 100644
--- a/common.pri
+++ b/common.pri
@@ -24,7 +24,12 @@ CONFIG(release, debug|release){
     BUILD_TYPE = debug
 }
 
-BUILD_DIR = $$PWD/build/$${QT_VERSION}
+isEmpty(TOP_BUILD_DIR) {
+BUILD_DIR = $${OUT_PWD}/build/$${QT_VERSION}
+}else{
+BUILD_DIR = $${TOP_BUILD_DIR}/build/$${QT_VERSION}
+}
+
 DEST_INCLUDE_DIR = $$PWD/include
 unix{
     ARCH_DIR       = $${OUT_PWD}/unix
diff --git a/initvars.pro b/initvars.pro
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3dc9a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/initvars.pro
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+TEMPLATE=subdirs
+SUBDIRS= # don't build anything, we're just generating the .qmake.cache file
+QMAKE_SUBSTITUTES += .qmake.cache.in
diff --git a/limereport.pro b/limereport.pro
index 84179ac..2fc1bb0 100644
--- a/limereport.pro
+++ b/limereport.pro
@@ -10,12 +10,19 @@ contains(CONFIG, zint){
 }
 
 export($$CONFIG)
+
+CONFIG  += ordered
 SUBDIRS += \
-        limereport
-
-CONFIG   += ordered
-
-SUBDIRS += demo_r1 demo_r2 designer
-
-
+        initvars.pro \
+        limereport \
+        demo_r1 \
+        demo_r2 \
+        designer
 
+# QMake top level srcdir and builddir
+# https://wiki.qt.io/QMake-top-level-srcdir-and-builddir
+#Qt4 .qmake.cache.in
+#Qt5 .qmake.conf
+OTHER_FILES += \
+    .qmake.conf \
+    .qmake.cache.in