diff --git a/docs/upload.mak b/docs/upload.mak
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ed01e5e951
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/upload.mak
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# this snippet is to be included by both our docbook manuals
+# and gtk-doc API references
+
+# it adds an upload target to each of these dir's Makefiles
+
+# each Makefile.am should define the following variables:
+# - DOC: the base name of the documentation
+#        (faq, manual, pwg, gstreamer, gstreamer-libs)
+# - FORMATS: the formats in which DOC is output
+#            (html ps pdf)
+
+# if you want to use it, make sure your ..sh/config file contains the
+# correct User entry for the Host entry for the DOC_SERVER
+
+# these variables define the location of the online docs
+DOC_SERVER=freedesktop.org
+DOC_BASE=/srv/gstreamer.freedesktop.org/www/data/doc
+DOC_URL=$(DOC_SERVER):$(DOC_BASE)
+
+
+upload: $(FORMATS)
+	@if test "x$(GST_VERSION_NANO)" = x0; then \
+            export DOCVERSION=$(VERSION); \
+        else export DOCVERSION=head; \
+        fi; \
+        export DIR=$(DOC_BASE)/gstreamer/$$DOCVERSION/$(DOC); \
+	ssh $(DOC_SERVER) mkdir -p $$DIR; \
+	if echo $(FORMATS) | grep html > /dev/null; then export SRC="$$SRC html"; fi; \
+	if echo $(FORMATS) | grep ps > /dev/null; then export SRC="$$SRC $(DOC).ps"; fi; \
+	if echo $(FORMATS) | grep pdf > /dev/null; then export SRC="$$SRC $(DOC).pdf"; fi; \
+	echo Uploading $$SRC to $(DOC_SERVER):$$DIR; \
+	rsync -rv -e ssh --delete $$SRC $(DOC_SERVER):$$DIR; \
+	ssh $(DOC_SERVER) chmod -R g+w $$DIR; \
+	echo Done
diff --git a/docs/version.entities.in b/docs/version.entities.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..79a68981d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/version.entities.in
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+<!ENTITY GST_MAJORMINOR "@GST_MAJORMINOR@">
+<!ENTITY GST_VERSION "@VERSION@">