diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/fabfile.py b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/fabfile.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b70639f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/fabfile.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+""" fabfile to prepare the notebook """
+
+from fabric.api import local,lcd
+from fabric.utils import abort
+import os
+
+static_dir = 'static'
+components_dir = os.path.join(static_dir,'components')
+
+def test_component(name):
+    if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(components_dir,name)):
+        abort('cannot continue without component {}.'.format(name))
+
+
+def css():
+    """generate the css from less files"""
+    test_component('bootstrap')
+    test_component('less.js')
+    with lcd(static_dir):
+        local('lessc -x less/style.less css/style.min.css')
+
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/Makefile b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/Makefile
deleted file mode 100644
index ace9598..0000000
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/Makefile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-
-.PHONY: css
-
-default: css
-
-css: less/style.less
-	lessc -x less/style.less css/style.min.css