diff --git a/lang/ninja/src/build.sld b/lang/ninja/src/build.sld
index 44ec977..2d216f5 100644
--- a/lang/ninja/src/build.sld
+++ b/lang/ninja/src/build.sld
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
       (lambda (part)
         (cond
           ((string=? part "") (when (null? part-stack) (set! part-stack '(""))))
-          ((string=? part "..") (unless (or (null? part-stack) (string=? (car part-stack) "")) (set! part-stack (cdr part-stack))))
+          ((string=? part "..") (if (or (null? part-stack) (string=? (car part-stack) "") (string=? (car part-stack) "..")) (set! part-stack (cons ".." part-stack)) (set! part-stack (cdr part-stack))))
           ((string=? part "."))
           (else (set! part-stack (cons part part-stack)))))
       parts)
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
         ((eq? input-file 'base) #f)
 
         ; Phony rule; pass through the inputs literally.
-        ((and (pair? input-file) (eq? (car input-file) 'phony)) (for-each append-file (cdr input-file)))
+        ((and (pair? input-file) (eq? (car input-file) 'phony)) (for-each append-file (cddr input-file)))
 
         ; This file is produced by another build edge. Add it to our input vfs.
         (input-file
@@ -144,6 +144,27 @@
        '("out"))))
     outpath)
 
+  (define (phony-edge edges current-edge)
+    (define copies (list))
+    (define (process-input path)
+     (define input-file (mapping-ref edges path (lambda () (mapping-ref/default edges (normalize-path path) #f))))
+     (if (and (pair? input-file) (eq? (car input-file) 'phony))
+       (for-each process-input (cddr input-file))
+       (set! copies (cons #~,(string-append "mkdir -p \"$out/$(dirname " path ")\"; cp -rf " #$(force input-file) " $out/" path) copies))))
+    (for-each process-input (build-edge-inputs current-edge))
+
+    (define command
+      #~,(string-join #$copies "\n"))
+
+    (cdar
+     (store-path-for-ca-drv*
+      "zilch-ninja-phony-edge"
+      "x86_64-linux"
+      (list "/bin/sh" "-c" command)
+      #~(("PATH" . ,(string-append #$coreutils "/bin")))
+      '("out"))))
+
+
   ;; process a ninja file and corresponding vfs, and return two values:
   ;; - `edge-ref`, a lambda that lets one fetch any build edge;
   ;; - `defaults`, a list containing the default build edges.
@@ -169,15 +190,21 @@
     (for-each
      (lambda (edge)
       (define processed (delay (derivation-for-edge conf vfs-store-path relative-to edges edge)))
+      (define all-outputs (append (build-edge-outputs edge) (build-edge-implicit-outputs edge)))
       (if (build-edge-resolved edge)
         (for-each (lambda (v) (set! edges (mapping-set! edges v (delay #~,(string-append #$(force processed) "/" v)))))
-          (append (build-edge-outputs edge) (build-edge-implicit-outputs edge)))
+          all-outputs)
 
         ; This edge is phony; mark the edge as having its outputs.
-        (for-each (lambda (v) (set! edges (mapping-set! edges v (cons 'phony (build-edge-inputs edge)))))
-          (append (build-edge-outputs edge) (build-edge-implicit-outputs edge)))))
+        (for-each (lambda (v) (set! edges (mapping-set! edges v (cons 'phony (cons edge (build-edge-inputs edge))))))
+          all-outputs)))
      (build-file-build-edges file))
 
-    (define edge-ref (lambda (path) (force (mapping-ref/default edges path #f))))
+    (define edge-ref
+     (lambda (path)
+       (define edge (force (mapping-ref/default edges path #f)))
+       (if (and (pair? edge) (eq? (car edge) 'phony))
+         (phony-edge edges (cadr edge))
+         edge)))
     (define defaults (build-file-default-targets file))
     (values edge-ref defaults))))