diff --git a/contrib/alpine/README.md b/contrib/alpine/README.md
index 9c0700d7..95cc33c8 100644
--- a/contrib/alpine/README.md
+++ b/contrib/alpine/README.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ used, or change the install prefix to `/usr`.
 
 The bundled `build.sh` script can be used to configure and build finit:
 
+    alpine:~# cd finit
     alpine:~/finit# ./contrib/alpine/build.sh
     alpine:~/finit# make install
 
@@ -26,10 +27,10 @@ yourself to point to `finit` instead of `/bin/busybox`.
 
 Before rebooting, make sure to set up a [/etc/finit.conf](finit.conf),
 and [/etc/finit.d/](finit.d) for your services.  Samples are included in
-this directory.  Notice the symlinks in `/etc/finit.d/`, you can create
-them yourself or add them at runtime using `initctl enable SERVICE`.
-You can also use a standard [/etc/rc.local](rc.local) for one-shot set
-up and initialization like keyboard language etc.
+this directory.  Notice the symlinks in `/etc/finit.d/`, which can be
+created at runtime using `initctl enable SERVICE`.  You can also use a
+standard [/etc/rc.local](rc.local) for one-shot tasks and initialization
+like keyboard language etc.
 
 [libuEv]: https://github.com/troglobit/libuev
 [libite]: https://github.com/troglobit/libite
diff --git a/contrib/alpine/build.sh b/contrib/alpine/build.sh
index 97206376..a9d61f26 100755
--- a/contrib/alpine/build.sh
+++ b/contrib/alpine/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/sh -e
 
-if [ ! -f configure -a -f autogen.sh ]; then
-   echo "Building from GIT, creating configure script ..."
+echo
+echo "*** Configuring Finit for Alpine Linux"
+
+if [ ! -e configure ]; then
+    echo "    The configure script is missing, maybe you're using a version from GIT?"
+    echo "    Attempting to run the autogen.sh script, you will need these tools:"
+    echo "    autoconf, automake, libtool, pkg-config ..."
+    echo
    ./autogen.sh
 fi
 
@@ -15,4 +21,19 @@ PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR=/usr/local/lib/pkgconfig ./configure				\
 		 --enable-inetd-discard-plugin --enable-inetd-time-plugin	\
 		 --with-heading="Alpine Linux 3.6" --with-hostname=alpine
 
+echo
+echo "*** Building ..."
+echo
 make
+
+if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo
+    echo "*** The build failed for some reason"
+    echo
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo
+echo "*** Done"
+echo
+
diff --git a/contrib/alpine/finit.conf b/contrib/alpine/finit.conf
index 741abc72..4c32d330 100644
--- a/contrib/alpine/finit.conf
+++ b/contrib/alpine/finit.conf
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
-# /etc/finit.conf: Example for Alpine Linux 3.4-3.6
-# Services and tasks required to run at bootstrap [S] must
-# be listed in this file.
-#
+# /etc/finit.conf: Example for Alpine Linux
 # See /etc/finit.d/*.conf and `initctl list` for other services
 
 ## Runlevel to start after bootstrap, runlevel 'S'