diff --git a/xbps-src/helpers/cmake.sh b/xbps-src/helpers/cmake.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ac207c137b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xbps-src/helpers/cmake.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#
+# This helper is for templates using cmake.
+#
+do_configure() {
+	[ -z "$configure_script" ] && configure_script=cmake
+	${configure_script} -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr \
+		-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ${configure_args}
+}
+
+# cmake scripts use make(1) to build/install.
+. $XBPS_HELPERSDIR/gnu-makefile.sh