diff --git a/src/actions/codeblocks/codeblocks_cbp.lua b/src/actions/codeblocks/codeblocks_cbp.lua
index f88c7a19..a31094c3 100644
--- a/src/actions/codeblocks/codeblocks_cbp.lua
+++ b/src/actions/codeblocks/codeblocks_cbp.lua
@@ -25,12 +25,7 @@
 		_p('\t\t<Build>')
 		for _, platform in ipairs(platforms) do		
 			for cfg in premake.eachconfig(prj, platform) do
-				
-				local name = cfg.name
-				if platform ~= "Native" then
-					name = name .. "|" .. platform
-				end
-				_p('\t\t\t<Target title="%s">', premake.esc(name))
+				_p('\t\t\t<Target title="%s">', premake.esc(cfg.longname))
 				
 				_p('\t\t\t\t<Option output="%s" prefix_auto="0" extension_auto="0" />', premake.esc(cfg.buildtarget.fullpath))
 				_p('\t\t\t\t<Option object_output="%s" />', premake.esc(cfg.objectsdir))
diff --git a/src/actions/codelite/codelite_project.lua b/src/actions/codelite/codelite_project.lua
index 204e7137..1ac579ad 100644
--- a/src/actions/codelite/codelite_project.lua
+++ b/src/actions/codelite/codelite_project.lua
@@ -22,11 +22,8 @@
 		local platforms = premake.filterplatforms(prj.solution, premake.gcc.platforms, "Native")
 
 		for _, platform in ipairs(platforms) do
-			for cfg in premake.eachconfig(prj) do
-				local name = premake.esc(cfg.name)
-				if platform ~= "Native" then
-					name = name .. "|" .. platform
-				end
+			for cfg in premake.eachconfig(prj, platform) do
+				local name = premake.esc(cfg.longname)
 				local compiler = iif(cfg.language == "C", "gcc", "g++")
 				_p('    <Configuration Name="%s" CompilerType="gnu %s" DebuggerType="GNU gdb debugger" Type="%s">', name, compiler, types[cfg.kind])
 			
@@ -110,12 +107,8 @@
 		_p('  </Settings>')
 
 		for _, platform in ipairs(platforms) do
-			for _,cfgname in ipairs(prj.configurations) do
-				local name = premake.esc(cfgname)
-				if platform ~= "Native" then
-					name = name .. "|" .. platform
-				end
-				_p('  <Dependencies name="%s">', name)
+			for cfg in premake.eachconfig(prj, platform) do
+				_p('  <Dependencies name="%s">', cfg.longname)
 				for _,dep in ipairs(premake.getdependencies(prj)) do
 					_p('    <Project Name="%s"/>', dep.name)
 				end
diff --git a/src/actions/codelite/codelite_workspace.lua b/src/actions/codelite/codelite_workspace.lua
index 1fae0a69..9fd60807 100644
--- a/src/actions/codelite/codelite_workspace.lua
+++ b/src/actions/codelite/codelite_workspace.lua
@@ -21,16 +21,11 @@
 		_p('  <BuildMatrix>')
 		for _, platform in ipairs(platforms) do
 			for _, cfgname in ipairs(sln.configurations) do
-				local name = cfgname
-				if platform ~= "Native" then
-					name = name .. "|" .. platform
-				end			
+				local name = premake.getconfigname(cfgname, platform)
 				_p('    <WorkspaceConfiguration Name="%s" Selected="yes">', name)
-
 				for _,prj in ipairs(sln.projects) do
 					_p('      <Project Name="%s" ConfigName="%s"/>', prj.name, name)
 				end
-
 				_p('    </WorkspaceConfiguration>')
 			end
 		end
diff --git a/src/actions/make/make_cpp.lua b/src/actions/make/make_cpp.lua
index 153a7511..d5d22d4c 100644
--- a/src/actions/make/make_cpp.lua
+++ b/src/actions/make/make_cpp.lua
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 		-- set up the environment
 		_p('ifndef config')
-		_p('  config=%s%s', _MAKE.esc(prj.configurations[1]:lower()), cc.platforms[platforms[1]].suffix)
+		_p('  config=%s', _MAKE.esc(premake.getconfigname(prj.configurations[1], platforms[1], true)))
 		_p('endif')
 		_p('')
 		
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 		-- list the configurations
 		for _, platform in ipairs(platforms) do
 			for cfg in premake.eachconfig(prj, platform) do
-				premake.gmake_cpp_config(cfg)
+				premake.gmake_cpp_config(cfg, cc)
 			end
 		end
 
@@ -151,11 +151,9 @@
 -- Write a block of configuration settings.
 --
 
-	function premake.gmake_cpp_config(cfg)
-		local cc = premake[_OPTIONS.cc]
-		local platform = cc.platforms[cfg.platform or "Native"].suffix
+	function premake.gmake_cpp_config(cfg, cc)
 
-		_p('ifeq ($(config),%s%s)', _MAKE.esc(cfg.name:lower()), platform)
+		_p('ifeq ($(config),%s)', _MAKE.esc(cfg.shortname))
 		_p('  TARGETDIR  = %s', _MAKE.esc(cfg.buildtarget.directory))
 		_p('  TARGET     = $(TARGETDIR)/%s', _MAKE.esc(cfg.buildtarget.name))
 		_p('  OBJDIR     = %s', _MAKE.esc(cfg.objectsdir))
diff --git a/src/actions/make/make_solution.lua b/src/actions/make/make_solution.lua
index 25f12fff..82574b26 100644
--- a/src/actions/make/make_solution.lua
+++ b/src/actions/make/make_solution.lua
@@ -14,18 +14,18 @@
 		-- write a header showing the build options
 		local cfgpairs = { }
 		for _, platform in ipairs(platforms) do
-			for _, cfg in ipairs(sln.configurations) do
-				table.insert(cfgpairs, cfg .. cc.platforms[platform].suffix)
+			for _, cfgname in ipairs(sln.configurations) do
+				table.insert(cfgpairs, premake.getconfigname(cfgname, platform, true))
 			end
 		end
 		_p('# %s solution makefile autogenerated by Premake', premake.actions[_ACTION].shortname)
 		_p('# Usage: make [ config=config_name ]')
-		_p('# Where {config_name} is one of: %s.', table.implode(cfgpairs, '"', '"', ', '):lower())
+		_p('# Where {config_name} is one of: %s.', table.implode(cfgpairs, '"', '"', ', '))
 		_p('')
 		
 		-- set a default configuration
 		_p('ifndef config')
-		_p('  config=%s%s', _MAKE.esc(sln.configurations[1]:lower()), cc.platforms[platforms[1]].suffix)
+		_p('  config=%s', _MAKE.esc(premake.getconfigname(sln.configurations[1], platforms[1], true)))
 		_p('endif')
 		_p('export config')
 		_p('')
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 			-- these dependencies change, the project needs to be rebuilt
 			for _, platform in ipairs(platforms) do
 				for cfg in premake.eachconfig(prj, platform) do
-					_p('ifeq ($(config),%s%s)', _MAKE.esc(cfg.name:lower()), cc.platforms[platform].suffix)
+					_p('ifeq ($(config),%s)', _MAKE.esc(cfg.shortname))
 					_p('  DEPENDENCIES := %s', table.concat(_MAKE.esc(table.extract(premake.getdependencies(cfg), "name")), " "))
 					_p('endif')
 				end
diff --git a/src/base/api.lua b/src/base/api.lua
index 14d71a11..844066b3 100644
--- a/src/base/api.lua
+++ b/src/base/api.lua
@@ -206,6 +206,15 @@
 				"Universal32",
 				"Universal64",
 				"Xbox360"
+			},
+			shortnames = {
+				Native      = "",
+				x32         = "32",
+				x64         = "64",
+				Universal   = "univ",
+				Universal32 = "univ32",
+				Universal64 = "univ64",
+				Xbox360     = "360",
 			}
 		},
 		
diff --git a/src/base/configs.lua b/src/base/configs.lua
index 477cde02..9a7a29f4 100644
--- a/src/base/configs.lua
+++ b/src/base/configs.lua
@@ -197,10 +197,12 @@
 		terms.platform = pltname:lower()
 		terms.config   = (cfgname or ""):lower()
 
-		local cfg    = buildconfig(prj, terms)
-		cfg.name     = cfgname
-		cfg.platform = pltname
-		cfg.project  = prj
+		local cfg     = buildconfig(prj, terms)
+		cfg.name      = cfgname
+		cfg.platform  = pltname
+		cfg.shortname = premake.getconfigname(cfgname, pltname, true)
+		cfg.longname  = premake.getconfigname(cfgname, pltname)
+		cfg.project   = prj
 		
 		-- set the project location, if not already set
 		cfg.location = cfg.location or cfg.basedir
diff --git a/src/base/project.lua b/src/base/project.lua
index 5f38d806..162c8ec2 100644
--- a/src/base/project.lua
+++ b/src/base/project.lua
@@ -187,6 +187,28 @@
 
 
 
+--
+-- Build a name from a build configuration/platform pair. The short name
+-- is good for makefiles or anywhere a user will have to type it in. The
+-- long name is more readable.
+--
+
+	function premake.getconfigname(cfgname, platform, useshortname)
+		if cfgname then
+			local name = cfgname
+			if platform and platform ~= "Native" then
+				if useshortname then
+					name = name .. premake.fields.platforms.shortnames[platform]
+				else
+					name = name .. "|" .. platform
+				end
+			end
+			return iif(useshortname, name:lower(), name)
+		end
+	end
+	
+	
+	
 --
 -- Returns a list of sibling projects on which the specified 
 -- configuration depends. This is used to specify project
diff --git a/src/tools/gcc.lua b/src/tools/gcc.lua
index 6e3387a5..136ef81c 100644
--- a/src/tools/gcc.lua
+++ b/src/tools/gcc.lua
@@ -32,39 +32,33 @@
 	
 	
 --
--- Support platforms, mapped to build configuration suffix
+-- Map platforms to flags
 --
 
 	premake.gcc.platforms = 
 	{
 		Native = { 
-			suffix   = "",
 			cppflags = "-MMD", 
 		},
 		x32 = { 
-			suffix   = "32",
 			cppflags = "-MMD", 
 			flags    = "-m32",
 			ldflags  = "-L/usr/lib32", 
 		},
 		x64 = { 
-			suffix   = "64",
 			cppflags = "-MMD",
 			flags    = "-m64",
 			ldflags  = "-L/usr/lib64",
 		},
 		Universal = { 
-			suffix   = "univ",
 			cppflags = "",
 			flags    = "-arch i386 -arch x86_64 -arch ppc -arch ppc64",
 		},
 		Universal32 = { 
-			suffix   = "univ32",
 			cppflags = "",
 			flags    = "-arch i386 -arch ppc",
 		},
 		Universal64 = { 
-			suffix   = "univ64",
 			cppflags = "",
 			flags    = "-arch x86_64 -arch ppc64",
 		},
diff --git a/src/tools/ow.lua b/src/tools/ow.lua
index 4f1e8f5b..aa749271 100644
--- a/src/tools/ow.lua
+++ b/src/tools/ow.lua
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@
 
 	premake.ow.platforms = 
 	{
-		Native = { suffix="", cflags="" },
+		Native = { 
+			flags = "" 
+		},
 	}
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_configs.lua b/tests/test_configs.lua
index ac4666b3..0ce52c6a 100644
--- a/tests/test_configs.lua
+++ b/tests/test_configs.lua
@@ -63,4 +63,14 @@
 		test.isequal("Native", r)
 	end
 
+	
+	function T.configs.BuildsShortName()
+		local r = premake.getconfig(prj, "Debug", "x32").shortname
+		test.isequal("debug32", r)
+	end
+	
+	function T.configs.BuildsLongName()
+		local r = premake.getconfig(prj, "Debug", "x32").longname
+		test.isequal("Debug|x32", r)
+	end
 
diff --git a/tests/test_gmake_cpp.lua b/tests/test_gmake_cpp.lua
index 91a4fbfc..b56084da 100644
--- a/tests/test_gmake_cpp.lua
+++ b/tests/test_gmake_cpp.lua
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 		kind "ConsoleApp"
 		
 		_ACTION = "gmake"
-		_OPTIONS.cc = "gcc"
 		_OPTIONS.os = "linux"
 	end
 
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@
 	function T.gmake_cpp.BasicCfgBlock()
 		prepare()
 		local cfg = premake.getconfig(prj, "Debug")
-		premake.gmake_cpp_config(cfg)
+		premake.gmake_cpp_config(cfg, premake.gcc)
 		test.capture [[
 ifeq ($(config),debug)
   TARGETDIR  = .
@@ -65,7 +64,7 @@ endif
 	function T.gmake_cpp.PlatformSpecificBlock()
 		prepare()
 		local cfg = premake.getconfig(prj, "Debug", "x64")
-		premake.gmake_cpp_config(cfg)
+		premake.gmake_cpp_config(cfg, premake.gcc)
 		test.capture [[
 ifeq ($(config),debug64)
   TARGETDIR  = .