diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
index d36bd8adabe..360eb418f9e 100755
--- a/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/bin/sh
+#!/bin/bash
 # Copyright 2013-present Barefoot Networks, Inc.
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
@@ -13,12 +13,93 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-
 set -e  # exit on error
 
-mkdir -p extensions # place where additional back-ends are expected
-mkdir -p build      # recommended folder for build
-cd build
-# Configure for a debug build
-cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=DEBUG $*
-echo "### Configured for building in 'build' folder"
+mydir=`dirname $0`
+mydir=`realpath $mydir`
+cd $mydir
+
+BuildType=Debug
+BuildDir=""
+EXTRA=""
+FORCE=false
+
+while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
+    case ${1,,} in
+    --build-dir)
+        BuildDir="$2"
+        shift
+        ;;
+    --build-type)
+        BuildType="$2"
+        shift
+        ;;
+    --distcc)
+        export CC="distcc gcc"
+        export CXX="distcc g++"
+        ;;
+    --disable-unified)
+        EXTRA="$EXTRA -DENABLE_UNIFIED_COMPILATION=OFF"
+        ;;
+    --force)
+        FORCE=true
+        ;;
+    debug|release|relwithdebinfo)
+        BuildType="$1"
+        ;;
+    build*)
+        if [ -n "$BuildDir" ]; then
+            echo >&2 "mulitple build directories not supported"
+            exit 2
+        elif [ -e "$1" ]; then
+            if $FORCE; then
+                rm -f "$1"/CMakeCache.txt
+            else
+                echo >&2 "$1 already exists, use --force to replace"
+                exit 2
+            fi
+        fi
+        BuildDir="$1"
+        ;;
+    -D*)
+        EXTRA="$EXTRA $1"
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo >&2 "Invalid argument $1"
+        exit 2
+        ;;
+    esac
+    shift
+done
+
+if [ -z "$BuildDir" ]; then
+    BuildDir=build    # default (recommended) folder for build
+    if [ -e "$BuildDir" ]; then
+        if $FORCE; then
+            rm -f "$BuildDir"/CMakeCache.txt
+        else
+            echo >&2 "$BuildDir already exists, use --force to replace"
+            exit 2
+        fi
+    fi
+fi
+
+mkdir -p p4c/extensions
+mkdir -p "$BuildDir"
+cd "$BuildDir"
+cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$BuildType $EXTRA
+echo "### Configured for building in '$BuildDir' folder"
+
+make_relative_link ()
+{
+    local target="${1:?make_relative_link: Argument 1 should be the target.}"
+    local link_name="${2:?make_relative_link: Argument 2 should be the link name.}"
+    local link_name_dir="$(dirname "${link_name}")"
+    mkdir -p "${link_name_dir}/"
+    ln -sf "$(realpath --relative-to "${link_name_dir}/" "${target}")" "${link_name}"
+}
+
+make_relative_link "${mydir}/.gdbinit" "backends/bmv2/p4c-bm2-psa-gdb.gdb"
+make_relative_link "${mydir}/.gdbinit" "backends/bmv2/p4c-bm2-ss-gdb.gdb"
+make_relative_link "${mydir}/.gdbinit" "backends/dpdk/p4c-dpdk-gdb.gdb"
+make_relative_link "${mydir}/.gdbinit" "backends/dpdk/p4test-gdb.gdb"