diff --git a/common/autoconf/spec.gmk.in b/common/autoconf/spec.gmk.in
index 4e10e13a3c1..e2d7be936f6 100644
--- a/common/autoconf/spec.gmk.in
+++ b/common/autoconf/spec.gmk.in
@@ -788,6 +788,7 @@ SYMBOLS_IMAGE_SUBDIR:=symbols
 SYMBOLS_IMAGE_DIR=$(IMAGES_OUTPUTDIR)/$(SYMBOLS_IMAGE_SUBDIR)
 
 # Interim image
+INTERIM_JMODS_DIR := $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/interim-jmods
 INTERIM_IMAGE_DIR := $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/interim-image
 
 # Docs image
diff --git a/make/CreateJmods.gmk b/make/CreateJmods.gmk
index 4dcf1635be6..8f3748b6908 100644
--- a/make/CreateJmods.gmk
+++ b/make/CreateJmods.gmk
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ endif
 ################################################################################
 
 JMODS_DIR := $(IMAGES_OUTPUTDIR)/jmods
+JMODS_TEMPDIR := $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/jmods
 
 LIBS_DIR := $(firstword $(wildcard $(addsuffix /$(MODULE), \
     $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/modules_libs $(IMPORT_MODULES_LIBS))))
@@ -81,16 +82,19 @@ endif
 # Add dependencies on other jmod files. Only java.base needs access to other
 # jmods.
 ifeq ($(MODULE), java.base)
-  ALL_UPGRADEABLE_MODULES = $(call FindAllUpgradeableModules)
   # When creating a BUILDJDK, we don't need to add hashes to java.base
   ifneq ($(CREATING_BUILDJDK), true)
-    DEPS += $(patsubst %, $(JMODS_DIR)/%.jmod, \
-        $(filter-out java.base $(ALL_UPGRADEABLE_MODULES), $(call FindAllModules)))
+    # When creating interim versions of jmods, skip hashes
+    ifneq ($(INTERIM_JMOD), true)
+      ALL_UPGRADEABLE_MODULES := $(call FindAllUpgradeableModules)
+      DEPS += $(patsubst %, $(JMODS_DIR)/%.jmod, \
+          $(filter-out java.base $(ALL_UPGRADEABLE_MODULES), $(call FindAllModules)))
 
-    EXCLUDE_PATTERN := $(strip $(subst $(SPACE),|,$(strip $(ALL_UPGRADEABLE_MODULES))))
+      EXCLUDE_PATTERN := $(strip $(subst $(SPACE),|,$(strip $(ALL_UPGRADEABLE_MODULES))))
 
-    JMOD_FLAGS += --module-path $(JMODS_DIR) \
-        --hash-modules '^(?!$(EXCLUDE_PATTERN))'
+      JMOD_FLAGS += --module-path $(JMODS_DIR) \
+          --hash-modules '^(?!$(EXCLUDE_PATTERN))'
+    endif
   endif
 endif
 
@@ -102,13 +106,19 @@ ifeq ($(EXTERNAL_BUILDJDK), false)
   DEPS += $(call CacheFind, $(JDK_OUTPUTDIR)/modules/jdk.jlink/jdk/tools/jmod)
 endif
 
+# If creating interim versions of jmods, certain files need to be filtered out
+# to avoid false incremental rebuilds.
+ifeq ($(INTERIM_JMOD), true)
+  DEPS := $(filter-out $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/modules_libs/java.base/classlist, $(DEPS))
+endif
+
 # TODO: What about headers?
 # Create jmods in a temp dir and then move them into place to keep the
 # module path in $(IMAGES_OUTPUTDIR)/jmods valid at all times.
 $(JMODS_DIR)/$(MODULE).jmod: $(DEPS)
 	$(call LogWarn, Creating $(patsubst $(OUTPUT_ROOT)/%, %, $@))
-	$(call MakeDir, $(@D) $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/jmods)
-	$(RM) $@ $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/jmods/$(notdir $@)
+	$(call MakeDir, $(JMODS_DIR) $(JMODS_TEMPDIR))
+	$(RM) $@ $(JMODS_TEMPDIR)/$(notdir $@)
 	$(JMOD) create \
             --module-version $(VERSION_SHORT) \
             --os-name $(REQUIRED_OS_NAME) \
@@ -116,10 +126,10 @@ $(JMODS_DIR)/$(MODULE).jmod: $(DEPS)
             --os-version $(REQUIRED_OS_VERSION) \
             --module-path $(JMODS_DIR) \
 	    --exclude '**{_the.*,*.diz,*.debuginfo,*.dSYM/**,*.dSYM,*.pdb,*.map}' \
-	    $(JMOD_FLAGS) $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/jmods/$(notdir $@)
-	$(MV) $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/jmods/$(notdir $@) $@
+	    $(JMOD_FLAGS) $(JMODS_TEMPDIR)/$(notdir $@)
+	$(MV) $(JMODS_TEMPDIR)/$(notdir $@) $@
 
-TARGETS += $(IMAGES_OUTPUTDIR)/jmods/$(MODULE).jmod
+TARGETS += $(JMODS_DIR)/$(MODULE).jmod
 
 ################################################################################
 
diff --git a/make/GenerateLinkOptData.gmk b/make/GenerateLinkOptData.gmk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..43e388ddab4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/make/GenerateLinkOptData.gmk
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2016, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+# DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+#
+# This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+# under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
+# published by the Free Software Foundation.  Oracle designates this
+# particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
+# by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.
+#
+# This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+# version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
+# accompanied this code).
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
+# 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+# Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+#
+# Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
+# or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
+# questions.
+#
+
+################################################################################
+# Generate classlist
+################################################################################
+
+default: all
+
+include $(SPEC)
+include MakeBase.gmk
+include JarArchive.gmk
+
+################################################################################
+# Create a jar with our generator class. Using a jar is intentional since it
+# will load more classes
+
+$(eval $(call SetupJarArchive, CLASSLIST_JAR, \
+    SRCS := $(BUILDTOOLS_OUTPUTDIR)/jdk_tools_classes, \
+    INCLUDES := build/tools/classlist, \
+    JAR := $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/classlist.jar, \
+))
+
+TARGETS += $(CLASSLIST_JAR)
+
+################################################################################
+
+LINK_OPT_DIR := $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/link_opt
+CLASSLIST_FILE := $(LINK_OPT_DIR)/classlist
+JLI_TRACE_FILE := $(LINK_OPT_DIR)/jli_trace.out
+
+# If an external buildjdk has been supplied, we don't build a separate interim
+# image, so just use the external build jdk instead.
+ifeq ($(EXTERNAL_BUILDJDK), true)
+  INTERIM_IMAGE_DIR := $(BUILD_JDK)
+endif
+
+$(CLASSLIST_FILE): $(INTERIM_IMAGE_DIR)/bin/java$(EXE_SUFFIX) $(CLASSLIST_JAR)
+	$(call MakeDir, $(LINK_OPT_DIR))
+	$(call LogInfo, Generating $(patsubst $(OUTPUT_ROOT)/%, %, $@))
+	$(call LogInfo, Generating $(patsubst $(OUTPUT_ROOT)/%, %, $(JLI_TRACE_FILE)))
+	$(FIXPATH) $(INTERIM_IMAGE_DIR)/bin/java -XX:DumpLoadedClassList=$@ \
+	    -Djava.lang.invoke.MethodHandle.TRACE_RESOLVE=true \
+	    -cp $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/classlist.jar \
+	    build.tools.classlist.HelloClasslist \
+	    $(LOG_DEBUG) 2>&1 > $(JLI_TRACE_FILE)
+
+# The jli trace is created by the same recipe as classlist. By declaring these
+# dependencies, make will correctly rebuild both jli trace and classlist
+# incrementally using the single recpie above.
+$(CLASSLIST_FILE): $(JLI_TRACE_FILE)
+$(JLI_TRACE_FILE): $(INTERIM_IMAGE_DIR)/bin/java$(EXE_SUFFIX) $(CLASSLIST_JAR)
+
+TARGETS += $(CLASSLIST_FILE) $(JLI_TRACE_FILE)
+
+# Copy the classlist file into java.base libs
+$(eval $(call SetupCopyFiles, COPY_CLASSLIST, \
+    FILES := $(CLASSLIST_FILE), \
+    DEST := $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/modules_libs/java.base, \
+))
+
+TARGETS += $(COPY_CLASSLIST)
+
+################################################################################
+
+all: $(TARGETS)
diff --git a/make/Images.gmk b/make/Images.gmk
index ffe664be8ad..a5edaa7f672 100644
--- a/make/Images.gmk
+++ b/make/Images.gmk
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ JIMAGE_TARGET_FILE := bin/java$(EXE_SUFFIX)
 JLINK_ORDER_RESOURCES := **module-info.class
 JLINK_JLI_CLASSES :=
 ifeq ($(ENABLE_GENERATE_CLASSLIST), true)
-  JLINK_ORDER_RESOURCES += @$(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/classlist/classlist
-  JLINK_JLI_CLASSES := --generate-jli-classes=@$(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/classlist/jli_trace.out
+  JLINK_ORDER_RESOURCES += @$(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/link_opt/classlist
+  JLINK_JLI_CLASSES := --generate-jli-classes=@$(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/link_opt/jli_trace.out
 endif
 JLINK_ORDER_RESOURCES += \
     /java.base/java/** \
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ $(JDK_IMAGE_DIR)/$(JIMAGE_TARGET_FILE): $(JMODS) \
 	$(ECHO) Creating jdk jimage
 	$(RM) -r $(JDK_IMAGE_DIR)
 	$(JLINK_TOOL) --add-modules $(JDK_MODULES_LIST) \
- 	    $(JLINK_JDK_EXTRA_OPTS) \
+	    $(JLINK_JDK_EXTRA_OPTS) \
 	    --output $(JDK_IMAGE_DIR)
 	$(TOUCH) $@
 
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ $(JRE_IMAGE_DIR)/$(JIMAGE_TARGET_FILE): $(JMODS) \
 	$(RM) -r $(JRE_IMAGE_DIR)
 	$(JLINK_TOOL) --add-modules $(JRE_MODULES_LIST) \
 	    $(JLINK_JRE_EXTRA_OPTS) \
- 	    --output $(JRE_IMAGE_DIR)
+	    --output $(JRE_IMAGE_DIR)
 	$(TOUCH) $@
 
 JRE_COMPACT1_IMAGE_DIR := $(JRE_IMAGE_DIR)-compact1
@@ -359,25 +359,6 @@ $(JDK_IMAGE_DIR)/src.zip: $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/src.zip
 
 JDK_TARGETS += $(JDK_IMAGE_DIR)/src.zip
 
-################################################################################
-# classlist
-
-ifeq ($(ENABLE_GENERATE_CLASSLIST), true)
-  $(eval $(call SetupCopyFiles, JDK_COPY_CLASSLIST, \
-      FILES := $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/classlist/classlist, \
-      DEST := $(JDK_IMAGE_DIR)/lib, \
-  ))
-
-  JDK_TARGETS += $(JDK_COPY_CLASSLIST)
-
-  $(eval $(call SetupCopyFiles, JRE_COPY_CLASSLIST, \
-      FILES := $(SUPPORT_OUTPUTDIR)/classlist/classlist, \
-      DEST := $(JRE_IMAGE_DIR)/lib, \
-  ))
-
-  JRE_TARGETS += $(JRE_COPY_CLASSLIST)
-endif
-
 ################################################################################
 # /demo dir
 # Avoid doing the expensive find unless called with "jdk" as target.
diff --git a/make/InterimImage.gmk b/make/InterimImage.gmk
index ba9f5622275..d22a7096be7 100644
--- a/make/InterimImage.gmk
+++ b/make/InterimImage.gmk
@@ -36,15 +36,15 @@ JIMAGE_TARGET_FILE := bin/java$(EXE_SUFFIX)
 
 INTERIM_MODULES_LIST := $(call CommaList, $(INTERIM_IMAGE_MODULES))
 
-JMODS := $(patsubst %, $(IMAGES_OUTPUTDIR)/jmods/%.jmod, $(INTERIM_IMAGE_MODULES))
+JMODS := $(patsubst %, $(INTERIM_JMODS_DIR)/%.jmod, $(INTERIM_IMAGE_MODULES))
 
 JLINK_TOOL := $(JLINK) \
-    --module-path $(IMAGES_OUTPUTDIR)/jmods \
+    --module-path $(INTERIM_JMODS_DIR) \
     --endian $(OPENJDK_BUILD_CPU_ENDIAN)
 
 $(INTERIM_IMAGE_DIR)/$(JIMAGE_TARGET_FILE): $(JMODS) \
     $(call DependOnVariable, INTERIM_MODULES_LIST)
-	$(ECHO) Creating interim jimage
+	$(call LogWarn, Creating interim jimage)
 	$(RM) -r $(INTERIM_IMAGE_DIR)
 	$(JLINK_TOOL) \
 	    --output $(INTERIM_IMAGE_DIR) \
diff --git a/make/Main.gmk b/make/Main.gmk
index 6e0a4b1fbea..60c705d011d 100644
--- a/make/Main.gmk
+++ b/make/Main.gmk
@@ -376,15 +376,29 @@ ALL_TARGETS += create-buildjdk-copy create-buildjdk-interim-image
 # The interim-image is a small jlinked image that is used to generate artifacts
 # at build time for use when linking the real images.
 
+INTERIM_JMOD_TARGETS := $(addsuffix -interim-jmod, $(INTERIM_IMAGE_MODULES))
+
+define DeclareInterimJmodRecipe
+  $1-interim-jmod:
+	+($(CD) $(SRC_ROOT)/make && $(MAKE) $(MAKE_ARGS) -f CreateJmods.gmk \
+	    MODULE=$1 \
+	    JMODS_DIR=$(INTERIM_JMODS_DIR) \
+	    JMODS_TEMPDIR=$(INTERIM_JMODS_DIR)/temp \
+	    INTERIM_JMOD=true \
+	)
+endef
+
+$(foreach m, $(INTERIM_IMAGE_MODULES), $(eval $(call DeclareInterimJmodRecipe,$m)))
+
 interim-image:
 	+($(CD) $(SRC_ROOT)/make && $(MAKE) $(MAKE_ARGS) -f InterimImage.gmk)
 
 ifeq ($(ENABLE_GENERATE_CLASSLIST), true)
-  generate-classlist:
-	+($(CD) $(JDK_TOPDIR)/make && $(MAKE) $(MAKE_ARGS) -f GenerateClasslist.gmk)
+  generate-link-opt-data:
+	+($(CD) $(SRC_ROOT)/make && $(MAKE) $(MAKE_ARGS) -f GenerateLinkOptData.gmk)
 endif
 
-ALL_TARGETS += interim-image generate-classlist
+ALL_TARGETS += $(INTERIM_JMOD_TARGETS) interim-image generate-link-opt-data
 
 ################################################################################
 # Build tests
@@ -607,13 +621,15 @@ else
   # When creating a BUILDJDK, the java compilation has already been done by the
   # normal build and copied in.
   ifneq ($(CREATING_BUILDJDK), true)
-    $(foreach m, $(JAVA_MODULES), $(eval $m-jmod: $m-java))
+    $(foreach m, $(JAVA_MODULES), $(eval $m_JMOD_DEPS += $m-java))
   endif
-  $(foreach m, $(GENDATA_MODULES), $(eval $m-jmod: $m-gendata))
-  $(foreach m, $(RMIC_MODULES), $(eval $m-jmod: $m-rmic))
-  $(foreach m, $(LIBS_MODULES), $(eval $m-jmod: $m-libs))
-  $(foreach m, $(LAUNCHER_MODULES), $(eval $m-jmod: $m-launchers))
-  $(foreach m, $(COPY_MODULES), $(eval $m-jmod: $m-copy))
+  $(foreach m, $(GENDATA_MODULES), $(eval $m_JMOD_DEPS += $m-gendata))
+  $(foreach m, $(RMIC_MODULES), $(eval $m_JMOD_DEPS += $m-rmic))
+  $(foreach m, $(LIBS_MODULES), $(eval $m_JMOD_DEPS += $m-libs))
+  $(foreach m, $(LAUNCHER_MODULES), $(eval $m_JMOD_DEPS += $m-launchers))
+  $(foreach m, $(COPY_MODULES), $(eval $m_JMOD_DEPS += $m-copy))
+  $(foreach m, $(ALL_MODULES), $(eval $m-jmod: $($(m)_JMOD_DEPS)))
+  $(foreach m, $(INTERIM_IMAGE_MODULES), $(eval $m-interim-jmod: $($(m)_JMOD_DEPS)))
 
   # Jmods cannot be created until we have the jmod tool ready to run. During
   # a normal build we run it from the exploded image, but when cross compiling
@@ -636,12 +652,13 @@ else
       buildtools-modules: create-buildjdk
     else
       # While actually creating the buildjdk, the default deps applies.
-      $(JMOD_TARGETS): $(DEFAULT_JMOD_DEPS)
+      $(JMOD_TARGETS) $(INTERIM_JMOD_TARGETS): $(DEFAULT_JMOD_DEPS)
     endif
   else
     # The normal non cross compilation case uses the default deps.
     # To avoid races with the optimize target, that also needs to happen first.
-    $(JMOD_TARGETS): $(DEFAULT_JMOD_DEPS) exploded-image-optimize
+    $(JMOD_TARGETS) $(INTERIM_JMOD_TARGETS): $(DEFAULT_JMOD_DEPS) \
+        exploded-image-optimize
   endif
 
   zip-security: java.base-java java.security.jgss-java java.security.jgss-libs \
@@ -654,16 +671,17 @@ else
   ifeq ($(ENABLE_GENERATE_CLASSLIST), true)
     ifeq ($(CREATE_BUILDJDK), true)
       # If creating a buildjdk, the interim image needs to be based on that.
-      generate-classlist: create-buildjdk
+      generate-link-opt-data: create-buildjdk
     else ifeq ($(EXTERNAL_BUILDJDK), false)
       # If an external buildjdk has been provided, we skip generating an
       # interim-image and just use the external buildjdk for generating
       # classlist.
-      generate-classlist: interim-image
+      generate-link-opt-data: interim-image
     endif
-    generate-classlist: buildtools-jdk
+    generate-link-opt-data: buildtools-jdk
 
-    jdk-image jre-image: generate-classlist
+    # The generated classlist needs to go into java.base-jmod.
+    java.base-jmod jdk-image jre-image: generate-link-opt-data
   endif
 
   jdk-image: jmods zip-source source-tips demos samples jrtfs-jar
@@ -695,7 +713,7 @@ else
 
   create-buildjdk-interim-image: create-buildjdk-copy
 
-  interim-image: $(addsuffix -jmod, $(INTERIM_IMAGE_MODULES))
+  interim-image: $(INTERIM_JMOD_TARGETS)
 
   test-make: clean-test-make