diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 32fff5753..5098bb194 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,10 +8,8 @@
 /aclocal.m4
 /autom4te.cache/
 
-# Made by make.  bin/ also gets DMTCP's programs and the lower half, but the
-# mana_* launchers are sources.
-/bin/*
-!/bin/mana_*
+# Made by make.
+/bin/
 /lib/
 /manpages/mana.1.gz
 *.[oa]
diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index c69cb87ca..00780747b 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -14,13 +14,10 @@ INSTALL_SCRIPT = @INSTALL_SCRIPT@
 
 prefix=@prefix@
 exec_prefix=@exec_prefix@
-datarootdir=@datarootdir@
 bindir=@bindir@
 libdir=@libdir@
-pkglibdir = @libdir@/@PACKAGE@
-docdir=@docdir@
-includedir=@includedir@
-mandir=@mandir@
+# DMTCP installs its plugins here too.
+pkglibdir = $(libdir)/dmtcp
 top_builddir = @top_builddir@
 top_srcdir = @top_srcdir@
 srcdir = @srcdir@
@@ -37,8 +34,16 @@ default: display-build-env add-git-hooks mana_prereqs
 
 all: default
 
-mana: mana_prereqs dmtcp
-	cd mpi-proxy-split && $(MAKE) install
+MANA_SCRIPTS = mana_coordinator mana_launch mana_restart mana_status
+
+mana: mana_prereqs dmtcp $(MANA_SCRIPTS:%=bin/%)
+	cd mpi-proxy-split && $(MAKE) stage
+
+# bin/ holds the scripts next to DMTCP's programs and the lower half, which
+# the scripts run.
+$(MANA_SCRIPTS:%=bin/%): bin/%: scripts/%
+	@mkdir -p bin
+	cp -f $< $@
 
 # The end-to-end tests, the example and the benchmarks.
 tests:
@@ -61,23 +66,26 @@ dmtcp: dmtcp/configure
 	cp -rf ${DMTCP_ROOT}/bin .
 	cp -rf ${DMTCP_ROOT}/lib .
 
-create-dirs:
-	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)
-	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(libdir)
-	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(pkglibdir)
-	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(includedir)
-	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)
-	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man1
+# MANA's scripts find the lower half, DMTCP's programs and MANA's libraries
+# from their own directory: in it and in ../lib/dmtcp.  So MANA works when
+# bindir and libdir are configure's defaults, PREFIX/bin and PREFIX/lib.
+MANA_LIBS = libmana.so libmpistub.so libmpistub_audit.so
 
-install: all create-dirs
+install: all
 	cd ${DMTCP_ROOT} && $(MAKE) DESTDIR=$(DESTDIR) $(INSTALL_FLAGS)
-	cd mpi-proxy-split && $(MAKE) DESTDIR=$(DESTDIR) $(INSTALL_FLAGS)
+	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(bindir) $(DESTDIR)$(pkglibdir)
+	$(INSTALL_SCRIPT) $(MANA_SCRIPTS:%=scripts/%) $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)
+	$(INSTALL_PROGRAM) bin/lower-half $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)
+	$(INSTALL_PROGRAM) $(MANA_LIBS:%=lib/dmtcp/%) $(DESTDIR)$(pkglibdir)
 	cd manpages && $(MAKE) DESTDIR=$(DESTDIR) $(INSTALL_FLAGS)
 
+# In the reverse order of 'install'.  Quote each path: a space in it must
+# not split it into other files' names.
 uninstall:
-	cd ${DMTCP_ROOT} && $(MAKE) DESTDIR=$(DESTDIR) $(UNINSTALL_FLAGS)
-	cd mpi-proxy-split && $(MAKE) DESTDIR=$(DESTDIR) $(UNINSTALL_FLAGS)
 	cd manpages && $(MAKE) DESTDIR=$(DESTDIR) $(UNINSTALL_FLAGS)
+	for f in $(MANA_SCRIPTS) lower-half; do rm -f "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/$$f"; done
+	for f in $(MANA_LIBS); do rm -f "$(DESTDIR)$(pkglibdir)/$$f"; done
+	cd ${DMTCP_ROOT} && $(MAKE) DESTDIR=$(DESTDIR) $(UNINSTALL_FLAGS)
 
 distclean: clean
 	- cd ${DMTCP_ROOT} && $(MAKE) distclean
@@ -88,8 +96,7 @@ distclean: clean
 	  mpi-proxy-split/mpi-wrappers/Makefile mpi-proxy-split/test/Makefile \
 	  mpi-proxy-split/examples/Makefile
 	rm -rf autom4te.cache
-	rm -rf $(top_builddir)/lib
-	- cd $(top_builddir)/bin && find . \! -name '*mana*' -delete
+	rm -rf $(top_builddir)/lib $(top_builddir)/bin
 
 tidy:
 	rm -rf ckpt_rank*
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 75dbed545..6e0890c18 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -25,6 +25,16 @@ uses (the `dmtcp` submodule).  A later `git pull` can change that commit
 without changing `dmtcp/`; `make` then warns, and `git submodule update`
 checks out the new commit.
 
+`make` puts MANA in the source tree's `bin` and `lib/dmtcp`.  To install it,
+with DMTCP, into another directory, give that directory to `./configure`:
+
+    ./configure --prefix=$HOME/mana-install
+    make -j8
+    make install        # 'make uninstall' removes it
+
+MANA's scripts find its other files from their own directory, so keep the
+default `--bindir` and `--libdir` (`PREFIX/bin` and `PREFIX/lib`).
+
 On Debian and Ubuntu, also install the package libc6-dbg: MANA needs the
 symbols of the dynamic loader, which these distributions strip.
 
diff --git a/manpages/Makefile.in b/manpages/Makefile.in
index d5d220279..e01660b77 100644
--- a/manpages/Makefile.in
+++ b/manpages/Makefile.in
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
+prefix=@prefix@
+exec_prefix=@exec_prefix@
+datarootdir=@datarootdir@
 mandir=@mandir@
 PANDOC=@PANDOC@
+INSTALL = @INSTALL@
 INSTALL_DATA = @INSTALL_DATA@
 
 MANPAGES = mana.1.gz
@@ -20,8 +24,9 @@ install: ${MANPAGES}
 	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man1
 	${INSTALL_DATA} ${MANPAGES} $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man1
 
+# Quote each path: a space in it must not split it into other files' names.
 uninstall:
-	cd $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man1 && rm -f ${MANPAGES}
+	for f in $(MANPAGES); do rm -f "$(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man1/$$f"; done
 
 clean:
 	rm -f *.1.gz
diff --git a/mpi-proxy-split/Makefile.in b/mpi-proxy-split/Makefile.in
index 06c8646af..05703b1da 100644
--- a/mpi-proxy-split/Makefile.in
+++ b/mpi-proxy-split/Makefile.in
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ MPICXX = @MPICXX@ -std=c++20
 override CFLAGS += -fno-stack-protector
 override CXXFLAGS += -fno-stack-protector
 
-# Targets to install:
+# Targets to stage:
 #   libmana.so (using mpi-wrappers/libmpiwrappers.a), libmpistub.so,
 #   libmpistub_audit.so
 
-# Subdirectories needed to install
+# Subdirectories needed to stage
 LOWER_HALF_SRCDIR=lower-half
 WRAPPERS_SRCDIR=mpi-wrappers
 
@@ -45,10 +45,12 @@ override CXXFLAGS += -fPIC -I${DMTCP_INCLUDE} -I${JALIB_INCLUDE} \
 # code is in libmpi_cxx.so.
 override CXXFLAGS += -DOMPI_SKIP_MPICXX -DMPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
 
-# 'make' does what 'make install' does.
-default: install
+# 'make' builds libmana.so, the stubs and the lower half, and stages them:
+# it copies them into ../lib/dmtcp and ../bin, where MANA's scripts find
+# them.
+default: stage
 
-# ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR}/libmpiwrappers.a made in install/default before libmana.so
+# ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR}/libmpiwrappers.a made in stage/default before libmana.so
 # libmana.so needs libmpistub.so (in the same directory once installed): with
 # Open MPI, it refers to the MPI library's objects (see
 # generate-mpi-stub-objects.py), and a program that loads the MPI library
@@ -85,19 +87,19 @@ ${MANA_ROOT}/lib/dmtcp/libmana.so: libmana.so
 	cp -f $< $@
 ${MANA_ROOT}/lib/dmtcp/libmpistub.so: ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR}/mpi_stub_wrappers.txt \
                                       ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR}/mpi_stub_data.c
-	$(MAKE) -C ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR} install
+	$(MAKE) -C ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR} stage
 ${MANA_ROOT}/lib/dmtcp/libmpistub_audit.so: ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR}/mpi_stub_audit.c
-	$(MAKE) -C ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR} install
+	$(MAKE) -C ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR} stage
 
 # ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR}/libmpiwrappers.a ia a prerequisite for libmana.so,
 #   which is a prerequisite for ${MANA_ROOT}/lib/dmtcp/libmana.so
-# Always do 'make default' or 'make install' -- not 'make libmana.so'
-install:
+# Always do 'make' or 'make stage' -- not 'make libmana.so'
+stage:
 	$(MAKE) -C ${WRAPPERS_SRCDIR} libmpiwrappers.a libmpistub.so
 	$(MAKE) ${MANA_ROOT}/lib/dmtcp/libmana.so
 	$(MAKE) ${MANA_ROOT}/lib/dmtcp/libmpistub.so
 	$(MAKE) ${MANA_ROOT}/lib/dmtcp/libmpistub_audit.so
-	$(MAKE) -C ${LOWER_HALF_SRCDIR} install
+	$(MAKE) -C ${LOWER_HALF_SRCDIR} stage
 
 tidy:
 	rm -f *~ .*.swp dmtcp_restart_script*.sh ckpt_*.dmtcp
@@ -115,7 +117,7 @@ distclean: clean
 
 FORCE:
 
-.PHONY: default clean distclean tidy check tests install
+.PHONY: default clean distclean tidy check tests stage
 
 # Regenerate this Makefile when Makefile.in or config.status is newer.
 Makefile: Makefile.in @top_builddir@/config.status
diff --git a/mpi-proxy-split/lower-half/Makefile.in b/mpi-proxy-split/lower-half/Makefile.in
index 8f27094ed..acbb94f5c 100644
--- a/mpi-proxy-split/lower-half/Makefile.in
+++ b/mpi-proxy-split/lower-half/Makefile.in
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ switch-context.o: switch-context.cpp
 lower-half: get-symbol-offset.o build-id-debug.o copy-stack.o patch-trampoline.o lh-func-ptr.o mem-wrapper.o switch-context.o lower-half.o mmap-fixed-noreplace.o ${DMTCP_DEPS}
 	${MPICXX} ${TEXTSEG_ADDR_FLAG} ${CXXFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -lpthread -ldl -latomic
 
-install: lower-half
+stage: lower-half
 	cp -f $^ ${MANA_ROOT}/bin/
 
 tidy:
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ clean: tidy
 
 distclean: clean
 
-.PHONY: default clean distclean install
+.PHONY: default clean distclean stage
 
 # Regenerate this Makefile when Makefile.in or config.status is newer.
 Makefile: Makefile.in @top_builddir@/config.status
diff --git a/mpi-proxy-split/mpi-wrappers/Makefile.in b/mpi-proxy-split/mpi-wrappers/Makefile.in
index b97cf05f6..4725dadf3 100644
--- a/mpi-proxy-split/mpi-wrappers/Makefile.in
+++ b/mpi-proxy-split/mpi-wrappers/Makefile.in
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ tidy:
 	rm -rf ckpt_rank_*
 	rm -f dmtcp_coordinator_db-*.json
 
-install: libmpistub.so libmpistub_audit.so
+stage: libmpistub.so libmpistub_audit.so
 	cp -f libmpistub.so libmpistub_audit.so ${MANA_ROOT}/lib/dmtcp/
 
 clean: tidy
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ clean: tidy
 
 distclean: clean
 
-.PHONY: default clean distclean tidy install
+.PHONY: default clean distclean tidy stage
 
 # Regenerate this Makefile when Makefile.in or config.status is newer.
 Makefile: Makefile.in @top_builddir@/config.status
diff --git a/mpi-proxy-split/test/test-mana-restart.py b/mpi-proxy-split/test/test-mana-restart.py
index b9e92b436..98f2b9252 100644
--- a/mpi-proxy-split/test/test-mana-restart.py
+++ b/mpi-proxy-split/test/test-mana-restart.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
 WRAPPER = Path(os.environ.get(
-  "MANA_RESTART_WRAPPER", ROOT / "bin" / "mana_restart"))
+  "MANA_RESTART_WRAPPER", ROOT / "scripts" / "mana_restart"))
 
 
 class ManaRestartTest(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/bin/mana_coordinator b/scripts/mana_coordinator
similarity index 100%
rename from bin/mana_coordinator
rename to scripts/mana_coordinator
diff --git a/bin/mana_launch b/scripts/mana_launch
similarity index 100%
rename from bin/mana_launch
rename to scripts/mana_launch
diff --git a/bin/mana_restart b/scripts/mana_restart
similarity index 100%
rename from bin/mana_restart
rename to scripts/mana_restart
diff --git a/bin/mana_status b/scripts/mana_status
similarity index 100%
rename from bin/mana_status
rename to scripts/mana_status