diff --git a/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/harness-src/c/Makefile.configuration b/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/harness-src/c/Makefile.configuration
index d17251fe9..5f99ac62a 100644
--- a/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/harness-src/c/Makefile.configuration
+++ b/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/harness-src/c/Makefile.configuration
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
-CAST_TEST_BIN = /home/vagrant/WALA/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/target/classes/
+SCRIPT_NAME := $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
+C_DIR := $(dir $(SCRIPTINAME))
+CAST_TEST_DIR := $(realpath $(C_DIR)../..)/
+CAST_TEST_BIN := $(CAST_TEST_DIR)target/classes/
diff --git a/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/harness-src/c/cbuild.sh b/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/harness-src/c/cbuild.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index fce2f7136..000000000
--- a/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/harness-src/c/cbuild.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-SCRIPT_NAME=`realpath $0`
-C_DIR=`dirname $SCRIPT_NAME`
-CAST_TEST_DIR=`realpath $C_DIR/../..`
-
-pushd $CAST_TEST_DIR/harness-src/c
-
-cat > $CAST_TEST_DIR/harness-src/c/Makefile.configuration <<EOF
-CAST_TEST_BIN = $CAST_TEST_DIR/target/classes/
-EOF
-
-make
-
-make main
-
-popd
diff --git a/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/pom.xml b/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/pom.xml
index 3a3a305fb..bb1914b90 100644
--- a/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/pom.xml
+++ b/com.ibm.wala.cast.test/pom.xml
@@ -19,10 +19,12 @@
 	  <execution>
 	    <phase>compile</phase>
 	    <configuration>
-	      <executable>bash</executable>
+	      <executable>make</executable>
 	      <arguments>
-		<argument>${basedir}/harness-src/c/cbuild.sh</argument>
+		<argument>default</argument>
+		<argument>main</argument>
 	      </arguments>
+	      <workingDirectory>${basedir}/harness-src/c</workingDirectory>
 	    </configuration>
 	    <goals>
 	      <goal>exec</goal>
diff --git a/com.ibm.wala.cast/pom.xml b/com.ibm.wala.cast/pom.xml
index 696539d4b..edae15159 100644
--- a/com.ibm.wala.cast/pom.xml
+++ b/com.ibm.wala.cast/pom.xml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 			  <arguments>
 			    <argument>${basedir}/source/c/cbuild.sh</argument>
 			  </arguments>
+			  <workingDirectory>${basedir}/source/c</workingDirectory>
 			</configuration>
 			<goals>
 			  <goal>exec</goal>
diff --git a/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/.cvsignore b/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/.cvsignore
index fca313ff1..7a72a8bb8 100644
--- a/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/.cvsignore
+++ b/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/.cvsignore
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
-Makefile.configuration
 CAstWrapper.lib
 CAstWrapper.exp
diff --git a/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/Makefile.configuration b/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/Makefile.configuration
index b8c7327a1..5e15390d9 100644
--- a/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/Makefile.configuration
+++ b/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/Makefile.configuration
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
-JAVA_SDK = /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.8.0_111/
-DOMO_AST_BIN = /home/vagrant/WALA/com.ibm.wala.cast/target/classes/
-JAVAH_CLASS_PATH = :/home/vagrant/WALA/com.ibm.wala.cast/target/classes/
-TRACE =
-JNI_MD_DIR = linux
+# configuration of installed Java SDK
+JRE_DIR := $(shell java -XshowSettings:properties -version 2>&1 | sed -n 's/^ *java\.home = \(.*\)/\1/p')/
+JAVA_SDK := $(realpath $(JRE_DIR)..)/
+JNI_MD_DIR := $(notdir $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(wildcard $(JAVA_SDK)include/*/jni_md.h))))
+
+# configuration of WALA build tree
+CAST_DIR := $(realpath $(dir $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))../..)/
+DOMO_AST_BIN := $(CAST_DIR)target/classes/
+JAVAH_CLASS_PATH := :$(CAST_DIR)target/classes/
+TRACE :=
diff --git a/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/Makefile.configuration.mine b/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/Makefile.configuration.mine
deleted file mode 100644
index ca4041fe9..000000000
--- a/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/Makefile.configuration.mine
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-#
-# global configuration.  adjust for your system.
-#
-
-# The root of the java SDK to use (must end in /)
-JAVA_SDK = /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_131.jdk/Contents/Home/
-
-# Path .class files of the com.ibm.domo.ast Java code (must end in /)
-DOMO_AST_BIN = /Users/dolby/git/WALA/com.ibm.wala.cast/bin/
-
-# Extra stuff needed in the classpath of javah (must start with path separator)
-JAVAH_CLASS_PATH = 
-
-# enable debugging flags
-TRACE =
-
-# low-level JNI path
-JNI_MD_DIR = darwin
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/Makefile.configuration.sample b/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/Makefile.configuration.sample
deleted file mode 100644
index e77bf9a96..000000000
--- a/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/Makefile.configuration.sample
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-#
-# global configuration.  adjust for your system.
-#
-
-# The root of the java SDK to use (must end in /)
-JAVA_SDK = /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Home/
-
-# Path .class files of the com.ibm.domo.ast Java code (must end in /)
-DOMO_AST_BIN = <Workspace>/com.ibm.wala.cast/bin/
-
-# Extra stuff needed in the classpath of javah (must start with path separator)
-JAVAH_CLASS_PATH = :<Workspace>/com.ibm.wala.cast/bin/
-
-# enable debugging flags
-TRACE =
diff --git a/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/cbuild.sh b/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/cbuild.sh
index fd6a5f7f0..f8bef900a 100644
--- a/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/cbuild.sh
+++ b/com.ibm.wala.cast/source/c/cbuild.sh
@@ -1,37 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-SCRIPT=`realpath $0`
-C_DIR=`dirname $SCRIPT`
-CAST_DIR=`realpath $C_DIR/../..`
-
-pushd $CAST_DIR/source/c
-
-cat > /tmp/JrePath.java <<EOF
-class JrePath {
-  public static void main(String[] args) {
-    System.out.println(System.getProperty("java.home"));
-  } 
-}
-EOF
-
-pushd /tmp
-javac JrePath.java
-JRE_DIR=`java JrePath`
-JDK_DIR=`realpath $JRE_DIR/..`
-popd
-
-JNI_MD_H=`ls $JDK_DIR/include/*/jni_md.h`
-JNI_MD_PATH=`dirname $JNI_MD_H`
-JNI_MD_DIR=`basename $JNI_MD_PATH`
-
-cat > $CAST_DIR/source/c/Makefile.configuration <<EOF
-JAVA_SDK = $JDK_DIR/
-DOMO_AST_BIN = $CAST_DIR/target/classes/
-JAVAH_CLASS_PATH = :$CAST_DIR/target/classes/
-TRACE =
-JNI_MD_DIR = $JNI_MD_DIR
-EOF
-
 if (uname | grep -i "cygwin"); then
 	# This should be the default for most of cases;
 	# adjust to your environment if necessary.
@@ -43,4 +11,3 @@ else
 	make
 fi
 
-popd