diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 81b279761..8fc718297 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ if (NOT LANGUAGES)
 		add_subdirectory(exp)
 	endif ()
 	if(NOT ("${TARGET_PLATFORM}" STREQUAL "w64"))
-        	add_subdirectory(neth)
+		add_subdirectory(neth)
 	endif ()
 	if(QTQML)
 		add_definitions(-DETH_QTQML)
diff --git a/build.py b/build.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..099a8721d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+# cpp-ethereum build script
+# to be used from CI server, or to build locally
+# uses python instead of bash script for better cross-platform support
+
+# TODO Initial version. Needs much more improvements
+
+import argparse
+import os
+import subprocess
+
+def build_dependencies():
+   if os.path.exists("extdep"):
+       os.chdir("extdep")
+       if not os.path.exists("build"):
+            os.makedirs("build") 
+       os.chdir("build")
+       subprocess.check_call(["cmake", ".."])
+       subprocess.check_call("make")
+
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+parser.add_argument("cmd", help="what to build")
+
+args = parser.parse_args()
+if args.cmd == "dep":
+    build_dependencies()
+    
diff --git a/cmake/EthDependencies.cmake b/cmake/EthDependencies.cmake
index db8b6a29e..260d04751 100644
--- a/cmake/EthDependencies.cmake
+++ b/cmake/EthDependencies.cmake
@@ -22,10 +22,11 @@ message(" - Jsoncpp header: ${JSONCPP_INCLUDE_DIRS}")
 message(" - Jsoncpp lib   : ${JSONCPP_LIBRARIES}")
 
 # TODO the JsonRpcCpp package does not yet check for correct version number
-find_package (JsonRpcCpp 0.3.2 REQUIRED)
+# json-rpc-cpp support is currently not mandatory
+find_package (JsonRpcCpp 0.3.2)
 if (${JSON_RPC_CPP_FOUND})
-    message (" - json-rpc-cpp header: ${JSON_RPC_CPP_INCLUDE_DIRS}")
-    message (" - json-rpc-cpp lib   : ${JSON_RPC_CPP_LIBRARIES}")
+	message (" - json-rpc-cpp header: ${JSON_RPC_CPP_INCLUDE_DIRS}")
+	message (" - json-rpc-cpp lib   : ${JSON_RPC_CPP_LIBRARIES}")
 	add_definitions(-DETH_JSONRPC)
 endif()