diff --git a/srcpkgs/boost/boost-build.template b/srcpkgs/boost/boost-build.template
index 339d692ebb2..f38b13a235e 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/boost/boost-build.template
+++ b/srcpkgs/boost/boost-build.template
@@ -1,15 +1,9 @@
 # Template file for 'boost-build'.
 #
-conf_files="/etc/site-config.jam"
 noarch=yes
+conf_files="/etc/site-config.jam"
 depends="boost-jam>=$version boost-devel>=$version"
-short_desc="${short_desc} (Boost.Build framework)"
-long_desc="
- Boost is a set of free, peer-reviewed, C++ libraries. The emphasis is on
- portable libraries which work well with the ISO C++ Standard Library.
-
- This package provides the Boost.Build module, which includes bjam. This
- is the tool used to build Boost itself, and is based on Perforce Jam."
+short_desc="${short_desc} - Boost.Build framework"
 
 do_install() {
 	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}/usr/share
diff --git a/srcpkgs/boost/boost-devel.template b/srcpkgs/boost/boost-devel.template
index 429547cfaa8..12f566f1461 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/boost/boost-devel.template
+++ b/srcpkgs/boost/boost-devel.template
@@ -1,16 +1,9 @@
 # Template file for 'boost-devel'.
 #
-depends="libstdc++-devel zlib-devel bzip2-devel python-devel boost"
-short_desc="${sourcepkg} development files"
-long_desc="${long_desc}
+depends="libstdc++-devel boost-${version}_${revision}"
+short_desc="${short_desc} - development files"
 
- This package contains files for development, headers, static libs, etc."
-
-noverifyrdeps=yes
-
-
-do_install()
-{
+do_install() {
 	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}/usr/lib
 	mv ${SRCPKGDESTDIR}/usr/include ${DESTDIR}/usr
 	mv ${SRCPKGDESTDIR}/usr/lib/lib*.a ${DESTDIR}/usr/lib
diff --git a/srcpkgs/boost/boost-jam.template b/srcpkgs/boost/boost-jam.template
index 23bcf836a8d..0c6adf9b448 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/boost/boost-jam.template
+++ b/srcpkgs/boost/boost-jam.template
@@ -1,12 +1,6 @@
 # Template file for 'boost-jam'.
 #
-short_desc="${short_desc} (Boost.Jam utility)"
-long_desc="
- Boost is a set of free, peer-reviewed, C++ libraries. The emphasis is on
- portable libraries which work well with the ISO C++ Standard Library.
-
- This package provides the Boost.Jam module, a make-like utility. This
- is the tool used to build Boost itself, and is based on Perforce Jam."
+short_desc="${short_desc} - Boost.Jam utility"
 
 do_install() {
 	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}/usr/bin
diff --git a/srcpkgs/boost/boost-python.template b/srcpkgs/boost/boost-python.template
index 0b3c67f41f0..db96834008d 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/boost/boost-python.template
+++ b/srcpkgs/boost/boost-python.template
@@ -1,13 +1,7 @@
 # Template file for 'boost-python'.
 #
-depends="boost>=$version python"
+depends="boost>=${version} python"
 short_desc="${short_desc} - python bindings"
-long_desc="
- Boost is a set of free, peer-reviewed, C++ libraries. The emphasis is on
- portable libraries which work well with the ISO C++ Standard Library.
-
- This package adds static and shared binary libraries providing support for
- the Boost Python library."
 
 do_install() {
 	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}/usr/lib
diff --git a/srcpkgs/boost/template b/srcpkgs/boost/template
index 0cdbb475226..a29a72f12aa 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/boost/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/boost/template
@@ -13,27 +13,46 @@ license="Boost Software License 1.0"
 distfiles="${SOURCEFORGE_SITE}/$pkgname/${pkgname}_${_boostver}.tar.bz2"
 checksum=c9ace2b8c81fa6703d1d17c7e478de3bc51101c5adbdeb3f6cb72cf3045a8529
 long_desc="
- boost is a library for applications dealing with netlink sockets.
- The library provides an interface for raw netlink messaging and various
- netlink family specific interfaces."
+ The Boost web site provides free peer-reviewed portable C++ source libraries.
+ The emphasis is on libraries which work well with the C++ Standard Library.
+ The libraries are intended to be widely useful, and are in regular use by
+ thousands of programmers across a broad spectrum of applications."
+
+disable_debug=yes
+
+if [ -n "$XBPS_CROSS_BUILD" ]; then
+	# XXX boost-jam and boost-python subpkgs.
+	unset makedepends
+	subpackages="boost-build boost-devel"
+	crossmakedepends="zlib-devel icu-devel>=49.1"
+fi
 
 do_build() {
+	if [ -n "$XBPS_CROSS_BUILD" ]; then
+		echo "using gcc : arm : ${XBPS_CROSS_TRIPLET}-g++ ;" > \
+			tools/build/v2/user-config.jam
+	fi
 	./bootstrap.sh -prefix=${DESTDIR}/usr
-	./bjam cflags=-fno-strict-aliasing ${makejobs}
+	./bjam toolset=gcc-arm cflags="-fno-strict-aliasing $CFLAGS" ${makejobs}
 }
 
 do_install() {
 	# Install bjam
-	_bindir="bin.linuxx86"
-	[ "${XBPS_MACHINE}" = "x86_64" ] && _bindir="bin.linuxx86_64"
-	vinstall bjam 755 usr/bin
+	if [ "$XBPS_MACHINE" = "i686" ]; then
+		_bindir="bin.linuxx86"
+	elif [ "$XBPS_MACHINE" = "x86_64" ]; then
+		_bindir="bin.linuxx86_64"
+	elif [ "$XBPS_MACHINE" = "armv6l" ]; then
+		_bindir="bin.linuxarm"
+	fi
+	[ -z "$XBPS_CROSS_BUILD" ] && vinstall bjam 755 usr/bin
 
 	# Install headers/libs
 	./bjam --prefix=${DESTDIR}/usr install
 
 	# Install Boost.Build stuff.
-	install -d ${DESTDIR}/usr/share/boost-build
-	cd $wrksrc/tools/build/v2 && cp -a . ${DESTDIR}/usr/share/boost-build
+	vmkdir usr/share/boost-build
+	cd ${wrksrc}/tools/build/v2 && cp -a . ${DESTDIR}/usr/share/boost-build
 	find ${DESTDIR}/usr/share/boost-build \
 		-type f -name \*.orig -exec rm -f {} \;
 	( echo '# System wide configuration file for Boost.Build.' ; \