diff --git a/projects/samskivert/build.xml b/projects/samskivert/build.xml
index a8545517..eea2008c 100644
--- a/projects/samskivert/build.xml
+++ b/projects/samskivert/build.xml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
   <property name="deploy.dir"  value="dist"/>
   <property name="dist.jar"    value="${app.name}.jar"/>
   <property name="javadoc.dir" value="${deploy.dir}/docs"/>
+  <property name="savedoc.dir" value="docs"/>
 
   <!-- declare our classpath -->
   <path id="classpath">
@@ -226,6 +227,15 @@
     </javadoc>
   </target>
 
+  <!-- builds the javadocs and stuffs them in a directory where they won't
+       be blown away when we do "clean" next time -->
+  <target name="savedoc" depends="javadoc">
+    <delete dir="${savedoc.dir}/api"/>
+    <copy todir="${savedoc.dir}/api">
+      <fileset dir="${javadoc.dir}" includes="**/*"/>
+    </copy>
+  </target>
+
   <!-- a target for rebuilding everything -->
   <target name="all" depends="clean,prepare,compile,javadoc,dist"/>