diff --git a/src/dev-run.sh b/src/dev-run.sh
index 2c50dc58e..8589f62d4 100755
--- a/src/dev-run.sh
+++ b/src/dev-run.sh
@@ -1,22 +1,38 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-
-for cmd in cmake ninja entr; do
-    command -v $cmd >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 "This script needs $cmd be installed"; exit 1; }
-done
+# Suggested setup to use the script:
+#  (on the root of the project)
+#  $ NOCONFIGURE=1 ./autogen.sh --with-freetype --with-glib --with-gobject --with-cairo
+#  $ mkdir build && cd build && ../configure && make -j5 && cd ..
+#  $ src/dev-run.sh [FONT-FILE] [TEXT]
+#
+# Or, using cmake:
+#  $ cmake -DHB_CHECK=ON -Bbuild -H. -GNinja && ninja -Cbuild
+#  $ src/dev-run.sh [FONT-FILE] [TEXT]
+#
 
 [ $# = 0 ] && echo Usage: "src/dev-run.sh [FONT-FILE] [TEXT]" && exit
+command -v entr >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 "This script needs `entr` be installed"; exit 1; }
 
-cmake -DHB_CHECK=ON -DHB_DISABLE_TEST_PROGS=ON -Bbuild -H. -GNinja
-ninja -Cbuild
-
+[ -f 'build/build.ninja' ] && CMAKENINJA=TRUE
 # or "fswatch -0 . -e build/ -e .git"
-find src/ | entr printf '\0' | while read -d "" event; do
-    clear
-    ninja -Cbuild
-    build/hb-shape $@
-    build/hb-view $@
+find src/ | entr printf '\0' | while read -d ""; do
+	clear
+	if [[ $CMAKENINJA ]]; then
+		ninja -Cbuild hb-shape hb-view
+		build/hb-shape $@
+		build/hb-view $@
+	else
+		make -Cbuild/src -j5 -s lib
+		build/util/hb-shape $@
+		build/util/hb-view $@
+	fi
 done
 
-cmake -DHB_CHECK=ON -DHB_DISABLE_TEST_PROGS=OFF -Bbuild -H. -GNinja
-ninja -Cbuild
-CTEST_OUTPUT_ON_FAILURE=1 CTEST_PARALLEL_LEVEL=8 ninja -Cbuild test
+read -n 1 -p "Run the tests (y/n)? " answer
+if [[ "$answer" = "y" ]]; then
+	if [[ $CMAKENINJA ]]; then
+		CTEST_OUTPUT_ON_FAILURE=1 CTEST_PARALLEL_LEVEL=5 ninja -Cbuild test
+	else
+		make -j5 check && .ci/fail.sh
+	fi
+fi