diff --git a/ld/Makefile.in b/ld/Makefile.in
index 54ed70a16e..2c0aa7060e 100644
--- a/ld/Makefile.in
+++ b/ld/Makefile.in
@@ -153,6 +153,9 @@ stage3:	force
 	- mv -f $(STAGESTUFF) stage3
 	- (cd stage3 ; ln -s $(LD_PROG) ld)
 
+comparison: force
+	for i in $(STAGESTUFF) ; do cmp $$i $(against)/$$i ; done
+
 de-stage1: force
 	- (cd stage1 ; mv -f * ..)
 	- rm ld
diff --git a/readline/Makefile.in b/readline/Makefile.in
index bef61826ce..52d2e478ff 100644
--- a/readline/Makefile.in
+++ b/readline/Makefile.in
@@ -124,6 +124,11 @@ stage3: force
 	-mkdir stage3
 	-mv $(STAGESTUFF) stage3
 
+against=stage2
+
+comparison: force
+	for i in $(STAGESTUFF) ; do cmp $$i $(against)/$$i ; done
+
 de-stage1: force
 	- (cd stage1 ; mv -f * ..)
 	- rmdir stage1