diff --git a/tools/build-python.sh b/tools/build-python.sh
index f444377..458fca9 100755
--- a/tools/build-python.sh
+++ b/tools/build-python.sh
@@ -26,15 +26,15 @@ try patch -p1 < $KIVYIOSROOT/src/python_files/Python-$PYTHON_VERSION-static-_sql
 try cp $KIVYIOSROOT/src/python_files/ModulesSetup Modules/Setup.local
 try cp $KIVYIOSROOT/src/python_files/_scproxy.py Lib/_scproxy.py
 
+# echo "Building for native machine ============================================"
 
-echo "Building for native machine ============================================"
-
-try ./configure CC="$CCACHE clang -Qunused-arguments -fcolor-diagnostics" LDFLAGS="-lsqlite3"
-try make python.exe Parser/pgen
-try mv python.exe hostpython
-try mv Parser/pgen Parser/hostpgen
-try make distclean
-
+if [ -e hostpython ]; then
+    try ./configure CC="$CCACHE clang -Qunused-arguments -fcolor-diagnostics" LDFLAGS="-lsqlite3"
+    try make python.exe Parser/pgen
+    try mv python.exe hostpython
+    try mv Parser/pgen Parser/hostpgen
+    try make distclean
+fi
 
 echo "Building for iOS ======================================================="
 
@@ -54,19 +54,55 @@ ln -s "$IOSSDKROOT/usr/lib/libgcc_s.1.dylib" extralibs/libgcc_s.10.4.dylib || ec
 try cp $KIVYIOSROOT/src/python_files/ModulesSetup Modules/Setup.local
 try cp $KIVYIOSROOT/src/python_files/_scproxy.py Lib/_scproxy.py
 
-try ./configure CC="$ARM_CC" LD="$ARM_LD" \
-	CFLAGS="$ARM_CFLAGS" \
-	LDFLAGS="$ARM_LDFLAGS -Lextralibs/ -lsqlite3" \
-	--disable-toolbox-glue \
-	--host=armv7-apple-darwin \
-	--prefix=/python \
-    --without-doc-strings
+if [ ! -e $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7-armv7.a ]; then
+    try ./configure CC="$ARM_CC" LD="$ARM_LD" \
+        CFLAGS="$ARM_CFLAGS" \
+        LDFLAGS="$ARM_LDFLAGS -Lextralibs/ -lsqlite3" \
+        --disable-toolbox-glue \
+        --host=armv7-apple-darwin \
+        --prefix=/python \
+        --without-doc-strings
 
-try make HOSTPYTHON=./hostpython HOSTPGEN=./Parser/hostpgen \
-     CROSS_COMPILE_TARGET=yes
+    try make HOSTPYTHON=./hostpython HOSTPGEN=./Parser/hostpgen \
+         CROSS_COMPILE_TARGET=yes
 
-try make install HOSTPYTHON=./hostpython CROSS_COMPILE_TARGET=yes prefix="$BUILDROOT/python"
+    try make install HOSTPYTHON=./hostpython CROSS_COMPILE_TARGET=yes prefix="$BUILDROOT/python"
 
-try mv -f $BUILDROOT/python/lib/libpython2.7.a $BUILDROOT/lib/
+    try mv -f $BUILDROOT/python/lib/libpython2.7.a \
+        $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7-armv7.a
+
+    deduplicate $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7-armv7.a
+fi
+
+# build for i386 (simulator)
+
+if [ ! -e $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7-i386.a ]; then
+    export CPPFLAGS="-I$SIMULATOR_SDKROOT/usr/include/"
+
+    echo "*************************"
+    echo CPPFLAGS=$CPPFLAGS
+    echo "*************************"
+
+    try ./configure CC="$i386_CC" LD="$i386_LD" \
+        CFLAGS="$i386_CFLAGS" \
+        LDFLAGS="$i386_LDFLAGS -Lextralibs/ -lsqlite3" \
+        --disable-toolbox-glue \
+        --prefix=/python \
+        --without-doc-strings
+
+    try make -j4 install prefix="$BUILDROOT/python"
+
+    try mv -f $BUILDROOT/python/lib/libpython2.7.a \
+        $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7-i386.a
+
+    deduplicate $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7-i386.a
+fi
+
+# combine the libs into a Universal lib
+
+if [ -e $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7-i386.a ] && [ -e $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7-armv7.a ]; then
+    try lipo -create -output $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7.a \
+        $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7-i386.a \
+        $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7-armv7.a
+fi
 
-deduplicate $BUILDROOT/lib/libpython2.7.a
diff --git a/tools/environment.sh b/tools/environment.sh
index 97561e4..3b8e894 100755
--- a/tools/environment.sh
+++ b/tools/environment.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,21 @@ if [ ! -d $DEVROOT ]; then
 	exit 1
 fi
 
+# iOS SDK Environmnent for the simulator
+export SIMULATOR_SDKVER=`xcodebuild -showsdks | fgrep "iphonesimulator" | tail -n 1 | awk '{print $2}'`
+export SIMULATOR_DEVROOT=`xcode-select -print-path`/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer
+export SIMULATOR_SDKROOT=$SIMULATOR_DEVROOT/SDKs/iPhoneSimulator$SDKVER.sdk
+
+if [ ! -d $SIMULATOR_DEVROOT ]; then
+	echo "Unable to found the Xcode iPhoneSimulator.platform"
+	echo
+	echo "The path is automatically set from 'xcode-select -print-path'"
+	echo " + /Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer"
+	echo
+	echo "Ensure 'xcode-select -print-path' is set."
+	exit 1
+fi
+
 # version of packages
 export PYTHON_VERSION=2.7.1
 export SDLTTF_VERSION=2.0.10
@@ -32,7 +47,7 @@ export XSLT_VERSION=1.1.26
 export LXML_VERSION=2.3.1
 
 # where the build will be located
-export KIVYIOSROOT="$( cd -P "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )/../" && pwd )"
+export KIVYIOSROOT=$PWD
 export BUILDROOT="$KIVYIOSROOT/build"
 export TMPROOT="$KIVYIOSROOT/tmp"
 export DESTROOT="$KIVYIOSROOT/tmp/root"
@@ -45,7 +60,7 @@ export PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$BUILDROOT/pkgconfig:$PKG_CONFIG_PATH"
 # some tools
 export CCACHE=$(which ccache)
 
-# flags for arm compilation
+# flags for arm (device) compilation
 export ARM_CC="$CCACHE $DEVROOT/usr/bin/arm-apple-darwin10-llvm-gcc-4.2"
 export ARM_AR="$DEVROOT/usr/bin/ar"
 export ARM_LD="$DEVROOT/usr/bin/ld"
@@ -60,6 +75,17 @@ export ARM_LDFLAGS="$ARM_LDFLAGS -miphoneos-version-min=$SDKVER"
 export ARM_CFLAGS="$ARM_CFLAGS -O3"
 #export ARM_CFLAGS="$ARM_CFLAGS -O0 -g"
 
+# flags for i386 (simulator) compilation
+export i386_CC="$CCACHE $SIMULATOR_DEVROOT/usr/bin/i686-apple-darwin11-llvm-gcc-4.2"
+export i386_AR="$SIMULATOR_DEVROOT/usr/bin/ar"
+export i386_LD="$SIMULATOR_DEVROOT/usr/bin/ld"
+export i386_CFLAGS="-isysroot $SIMULATOR_SDKROOT"
+export i386_LDFLAGS="-isysroot $SIMULATOR_SDKROOT"
+
+# uncomment this line if you want debugging stuff
+export i386_CFLAGS="$i386_CFLAGS -O3"
+#export i386_CFLAGS="$i386_CFLAGS -O0 -g"
+
 # create build directory if not found
 try mkdir -p $BUILDROOT
 try mkdir -p $BUILDROOT/include