diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14e90ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+export COMPOSE_FILE=./docker-compose.yml
+export COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME=publichealth
+
+default: build
+
+build-cached:
+	docker-compose build
+
+build:
+	docker-compose build --no-cache
+
+run:
+	docker-compose stop web	# for restart cases, when already running
+	docker-compose up
+
+run-detached:
+	docker-compose up -d
+
+django-restart-detached:
+	docker-compose stop web
+	docker-compose up -d web
+
+stop:
+	docker-compose stop
+
+migrate:
+	docker-compose exec web ./manage.py migrate
+
+migrations:
+	docker-compose exec web ./manage.py makemigrations
+
+apply-migrations: migrations migrate
+
+setup:
+	docker-compose exec web ./manage.py migrate
+	docker-compose exec web ./manage.py createsuperuser
+	docker-compose exec web ./manage.py compress
+	docker-compose exec web ./manage.py collectstatic
+
+release:
+	docker-compose stop web
+	docker-compose kill web
+	docker-compose build web
+	docker-compose up -d web
+
+django-exec-bash:
+		# execute bash in the currently running container
+	docker-compose exec web bash
+
+django-run-bash:
+	# run new django container, with bash, and remove it after usage
+	docker-compose run --rm --no-deps web bash
+
+django-shell:
+	docker-compose exec web ./manage.py shell
+
+logs:
+	docker-compose logs -f --tail=500
+
+pg-run-detached:
+		# start pg service
+	docker-compose up -d pg_database
+
+pg-exec:
+	docker-compose exec pg_database bash
+
+pg-dump:
+	docker-compose exec pg_database bash -c 'pg_dump -U "$$POSTGRES_USER" -d "$$POSTGRES_DB" -f ./dumps/latest.sql'
+
+pg-restore:
+	docker-compose exec pg_database bash -c 'psql -U "$$POSTGRES_USER" -d "$$POSTGRES_DB" -f ./dumps/latest.sql'
+
+pg-surefire-drop-restore-db:
+		# drop existing database, recreate it, and then restore its content from backup.
+	-docker-compose exec pg_database bash -c 'dropdb -h localhost -U "$$POSTGRES_USER" "$$POSTGRES_DB"'
+	docker-compose exec pg_database bash -c 'createdb -h localhost -U "$$POSTGRES_USER" "$$POSTGRES_DB"'
+	make pg-restore
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 630ac8e..58a99a5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -60,14 +60,8 @@ Now access the admin panel with the user account you created earlier: http://loc
 
 ## Production notes
 
-We suggest using Docker or [Dokku](http://dokku.viewdocs.io/) for automated deployment.
+We suggest using Docker or [Dokku](http://dokku.viewdocs.io/) for automated deployment. There is a Makefile to help set up and manage the instance.
 
-```
-docker-compose run web python manage.py migrate
-... createsuperuser
-... compress
-... collectstatic
-
-docker-compose build web
-docker-compose up -d
-```
+- Initial setup: `make setup`
+- Startup: `make run-detached`
+- Release: `make release`