diff --git a/packaging/win32/README b/packaging/win32/README
index 49e517ba93..3c9e98c191 100644
--- a/packaging/win32/README
+++ b/packaging/win32/README
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 These scripts try to download and install a Windows/mingw32 build
-environment for GnuCash.
+environment for GnuCash on Windows. 
+
+For cross-compiling the windows executable on Linux, see the lower
+section of this file.
 
 Before you start with the automated build, you have to complete these
 steps manually. The directory variables are set in custom.sh.
@@ -28,3 +31,23 @@ Start/Enter any MSYS shell. Let the automated build begin by:
 Good luck!
 
 More information is collected on http://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Windows
+
+--------------------------
+
+Cross-compiling a Windows/mingw32 executable of GnuCash on a Linux
+host system.
+
+These steps need to be performed:
+
+* Edit the file create_cross_mingw.sh and set the PREFIX= variable to
+  the preferred prefix of the mingw32 gcc/binutils on your Linux. 
+
+* Then run the script create_cross_mingw.sh - it will download,
+  compile, and install a mingw32 toolchain.
+
+* Run "dos2unix custom.sh install.sh" and in custom.sh, make a
+  search&replace of '\\' into '/'.
+
+* Edit custom.sh to set your preferred directory paths.
+
+(... to be continued ...)
diff --git a/packaging/win32/install.sh b/packaging/win32/install.sh
index e74d672390..be5d7a7798 100644
--- a/packaging/win32/install.sh
+++ b/packaging/win32/install.sh
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ function add_to_env() {
 
 function prepare() {
     mkdir -p $TMP_DIR
+    mkdir -p $DOWNLOAD_DIR
     for _ENV in $ENV_VARS; do
 	eval "${_ENV}_BASE"'=$'"${_ENV}"
 	eval "${_ENV}_ADDS="
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ function wget_unpacked() {
 function inst_wget() {
     setup Wget
     _WGET_UDIR=`unix_path $WGET_DIR`
-    if quiet $_WGET_UDIR/wget --version
+    if quiet $_WGET_UDIR/wget --version || quiet wget --version
     then
         echo "already installed.  skipping."
     else
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ function inst_mingw() {
 function inst_unzip() {
     setup Unzip
     _UNZIP_UDIR=`unix_path $UNZIP_DIR`
-    if quiet $_UNZIP_UDIR/bin/unzip --help
+    if quiet $_UNZIP_UDIR/bin/unzip --help || quiet unzip --help
     then
         echo "unzip already installed.  skipping."
     else