diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 452a4c6c50..f3116a8cce 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@
    referenced. (not really common)
 
 
+* eliminate type conversion contexts; these are almost entirely unused and
+  more complicated than just wrapping a native mapping in a utility function
+* direct non-primitive array arguments (String[], Pointer[], NativeMapped[])
 
 * auto-generate direct mappings/bindings on a per-method basis (perform a
   method register on first call to an interface-mapped function) with
@@ -64,12 +67,10 @@
   and forth multiple times).  This also makes it easer to perform conversions
   (no native changes required).  
 
-* direct/raw non-primitive array arguments (String[], Pointer[], NativeMapped[])
 * ppc64 direct/raw failures (multiple)
 * direct calls on ppc to varargs (callbacks) with FP args fail; avoid them for
   now 
 * Callback.PostCallWrite.write() cf PostCallRead
-* eliminate type conversion contexts; these are almost entirely unused
 
 * universal GCC build w/cross-compile (needs cross compilers...)
 * return Pointer.SIZE/LONG_SIZE/WCHAR_SIZE in bits (for consistency with 1.5)
diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 0e611c85bc..f29dc5f12d 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
        (cross-compile currently only configured/tested on w32ce-arm and
        android-arm/-x86) 
 
-       Use ANT_OPTS=-Dskip-native to skip building native parts.
+       Use ANT_OPTS=-Dskip-native=false to build native parts, or directly
+         invoke the native or test targets
        Use ANT_OPTS=-Dheadless to run tests headless
        Use ANT_OPTS=-Drelease to stage a final, non-snapshot version
     -->
@@ -78,9 +79,6 @@
   <property name="impl.title" value="com.sun.jna"/>
   <property name="impl.vendor" value="${spec.vendor}"/>
   <property name="impl.version" value="${jna.version} (b${jna.build})"/>
-  <condition property="jni.valid" value="true">
-    <isset property="skip-native"/>
-  </condition>
 
   <!-- Set up restrictions for w32ce, based on JavaME/CDC -->
   <condition property="compatibility" value="1.4">
@@ -138,6 +136,13 @@
 
   <target name="-dynamic-properties">
 
+    <condition property="-native" value="true">
+      <not><isset property="build-native"/></not>
+    </condition>
+    <condition property="jni.valid" value="true">
+      <isset property="-native"/>
+    </condition>
+
     <replaceregexp match="(&lt;version&gt;).*(&lt;/version&gt;)"
                    replace="\1${jna.version}\2"
                    file="${pom}"/>
@@ -501,7 +506,7 @@ osname=macosx;processor=x86;processor=x86-64;processor=ppc
     </subant>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="javah" depends="compile" unless="skip-native">
+  <target name="javah" depends="compile" unless="-native">
     <javah classpath="${classes}" destdir="${build.native}" force="yes">
       <class name="com.sun.jna.Function"/>
       <class name="com.sun.jna.Native"/>
@@ -612,7 +617,7 @@ osname=macosx;processor=x86;processor=x86-64;processor=ppc
                    file="${rsrc}" byline="true"/>
   </target>
 
-  <target name="native" depends="-setup,javah,-native-api-check,rsrc" unless="skip-native"
+  <target name="native" depends="-enable-native,-setup,javah,-native-api-check,rsrc" unless="-native"
           description="Build native libraries.  Use 'ant -DCC=xxx' to build using a compiler other than gcc">
     <property name="comment" value="# auto-generated by ant"/>
     <replaceregexp match="^JNA_JNI_VERSION=.*"
@@ -832,9 +837,13 @@ osname=macosx;processor=x86;processor=x86-64;processor=ppc
     <chmod file="${shared}/*.dll" perm="+x"/>
   </target>
 
+  <target name="-enable-native" unless="-native">
+    <property name="build-native" value="true"/>
+  </target>
+
   <!-- When running tests from an IDE, be sure to set jna.library.path -->
   <!-- to where the test library (testlib) is found.                   -->
-  <target name="test" depends="jar,compile-tests" unless="cross-compile"
+  <target name="test" depends="-enable-native,jar,compile-tests" unless="cross-compile"
           description="Run all unit tests">
     <property name="test.fork" value="yes"/>
     <property name="reports.junit" location="${reports}/junit"/>