diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 384c2c687fd..104b497ba0b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,15 @@ if(NOT (CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS "3.1"))
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0054 OLD)
 endif()
 
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# A 'plugins' phony target to simplify building build-tree binaries.
+# Plugins are responsible for adding themselves to this target, where
+# appropriate.
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(plugins)
+
+
 include( XRootDUtils )
 CheckBuildDirectory()
 
diff --git a/src/XrdCrypto.cmake b/src/XrdCrypto.cmake
index c859538553c..777929555d8 100644
--- a/src/XrdCrypto.cmake
+++ b/src/XrdCrypto.cmake
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ include( XRootDCommon )
 # Modules
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 set( LIB_XRD_CRYPTOSSL     XrdCryptossl-${PLUGIN_VERSION} )
+add_dependencies(plugins ${LIB_XRD_CRYPTOSSL})
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Shared library version
diff --git a/src/XrdSec.cmake b/src/XrdSec.cmake
index af8069790bb..bc9ee8d4ed9 100644
--- a/src/XrdSec.cmake
+++ b/src/XrdSec.cmake
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ set( LIB_XRD_SEC_PWD    XrdSecpwd-${PLUGIN_VERSION} )
 set( LIB_XRD_SEC_SSS    XrdSecsss-${PLUGIN_VERSION} )
 set( LIB_XRD_SEC_UNIX   XrdSecunix-${PLUGIN_VERSION} )
 
+add_dependencies(plugins ${LIB_XRD_SEC}
+  ${LIB_XRD_SEC_PROT}
+  ${LIB_XRD_SEC_PWD}
+  ${LIB_XRD_SEC_SSS}
+  ${LIB_XRD_SEC_UNIX})
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # The XrdSec module
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/XrdSecgsi.cmake b/src/XrdSecgsi.cmake
index 80038082899..1170398a703 100644
--- a/src/XrdSecgsi.cmake
+++ b/src/XrdSecgsi.cmake
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ set( LIB_XRD_SEC_GSI          XrdSecgsi-${PLUGIN_VERSION} )
 set( LIB_XRD_SEC_GSI_GMAPDN   XrdSecgsiGMAPDN-${PLUGIN_VERSION} )
 set( LIB_XRD_SEC_GSI_AUTHZVO  XrdSecgsiAUTHZVO-${PLUGIN_VERSION} )
 
+add_dependencies(plugins ${LIB_XRD_SEC_GSI}
+  ${LIB_XRD_SEC_GSI_GMAPDN}
+  ${LIB_XRD_SEC_GSI_AUTHZVO})
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # The XrdSecgsi library
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------