diff --git a/lib/awpmd/Makefile.openmpi b/lib/awpmd/Makefile.openmpi
index af74d36fac..202707690a 100644
--- a/lib/awpmd/Makefile.openmpi
+++ b/lib/awpmd/Makefile.openmpi
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 SHELL = /bin/sh
 
+# which file will be copied to Makefile.lammps
+
+EXTRAMAKE = Makefile.lammps.installed
+
 # ------ FILES ------
 
 SRC = \
@@ -46,6 +50,7 @@ SYSLIB =
 
 lib: 	$(OBJ)
 	$(ARCHIVE) $(ARFLAGS) $(LIB) $(OBJ)
+        @cp $(EXTRAMAKE) Makefile.lammps
 
 # ------ COMPILE RULES ------
 
diff --git a/lib/awpmd/README b/lib/awpmd/README
index 0f813d623c..3c02480419 100644
--- a/lib/awpmd/README
+++ b/lib/awpmd/README
@@ -19,11 +19,15 @@ links against when using the USER-AWPMD package.
 This library must be built with a C++ compiler, before LAMMPS is
 built, so LAMMPS can link against it.
 
-Build the library using one of the provided Makefiles or create your
-own, specific to your compiler and system.  For example:
+Build the library using one of the provided Makefile.* files or create
+your own, specific to your compiler and system.  For example:
 
 make -f Makefile.g++
 
+Note that this library makes MPI calls, so you must build it with the
+same MPI library that is used to build LAMMPS, i.e. as specified by
+settings in the lammps/src/MAKE/Makefile.machine file you are using.
+
 When you are done building this library, two files should
 exist in this directory:
 
@@ -34,8 +38,8 @@ Makefile.lammps is created by the make command, by copying one of the
 Makefile.lammps.* files.  See the EXTRAMAKE setting at the top of the
 Makefile.* files.
 
-It is IMPORTANT that you examine the final Makefile.lammps to insure
-it is correct for your system, else the LAMMPS build will likely fail.
+IMPORTANT: You must examine the final Makefile.lammps to insure it is
+correct for your system, else the LAMMPS build will likely fail.
 
 Makefile.lammps has settings for 3 variables:
 
@@ -48,15 +52,11 @@ You have several choices for these settings:
 If the 2 libraries are already installed on your system, the settings
 in Makefile.lammps.installed should work.
 
-If they are not, you can install them yourself, and make
-the appropriate settings.
+If they are not, you can install them yourself, and speficy the
+appropriate settings accordingly.
 
-If you want to use the version provided with LAMMPS in lib/linalg,
-then the settings in Makefile.lammps.linalg should work.  Note that in
-this case you also need to build the linear-algebra in lib/linalg; see
-the lib/linalg/README for more details.
-
-You can leave these settings blank and specify them in your
-src/MAKE/Makefile.machine file instead.  In this case you should edit
-the Makefile.* to use Makefile.lammps.empty when it creates
-Makefile.lammps.
+If you want to use the minimalist version of these libraries provided
+with LAMMPS in lib/linalg, then the settings in Makefile.lammps.linalg
+should work.  Note that in this case you also need to build the
+linear-algebra in lib/linalg; see the lib/linalg/README for more
+details.