diff --git a/avrdude/BUILD-FROM-SVN b/avrdude/BUILD-FROM-SVN
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a218f2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/avrdude/BUILD-FROM-SVN
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+$Id$
+
+How to build avrdude from SVN:
+
+1. svn co svn://svn.savannah.nongnu.org/avrdude/trunk
+
+2. cd trunk/avrdude
+
+3. ./bootstrap
+
+4. ./configure
+
+5. make
diff --git a/avrdude/ChangeLog b/avrdude/ChangeLog
index f77ae001..0f4d513f 100644
--- a/avrdude/ChangeLog
+++ b/avrdude/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2011-08-16  Joerg Wunsch <j.gnu@uriah.heep.sax.de>
+
+	Submitted by Philip:
+	bug #31386: A "BUILD.svn" or similar "how to get started" doc would be helpful
+	* BUILD-FROM-SVN: New file.
+
 2011-08-15  Joerg Wunsch <j.gnu@uriah.heep.sax.de>
 
 	Submitted by Nic Jones: