diff --git a/samples/bpf/Makefile b/samples/bpf/Makefile
index 45859c99f573..dd63521832d8 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/Makefile
+++ b/samples/bpf/Makefile
@@ -85,6 +85,14 @@ HOSTLOADLIBES_test_overhead += -lelf -lrt
 #  make samples/bpf/ LLC=~/git/llvm/build/bin/llc
 LLC ?= llc
 
+# Trick to allow make to be run from this directory
+all:
+	$(MAKE) -C ../../ $$PWD/
+
+clean:
+	$(MAKE) -C ../../ M=$$PWD clean
+	@rm -f *~
+
 # Verify LLVM compiler is available and bpf target is supported
 .PHONY: verify_cmd_llc verify_target_bpf
 
diff --git a/samples/bpf/README.rst b/samples/bpf/README.rst
index 6f133f3f0075..e36687d900c8 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/README.rst
+++ b/samples/bpf/README.rst
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ top level directory::
 
 Do notice the "/" slash after the directory name.
 
+It is also possible to call make from this directory.  This will just
+hide the the invocation of make as above with the appended "/".
+
 Manually compiling LLVM with 'bpf' support
 ------------------------------------------