diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b2f2a3e..81d627d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ ASSETS_DIR  := res/assets/ss_ee
 BUILD_DIR   := build
 ARCH        := $(shell uname -m)
 
-.PHONY: all dist build-image engine assets package apk clean
+.PHONY: all dist build-image engine assets package apk android-studio clean
 
 all: dist
 
@@ -108,6 +108,21 @@ apk:
 		./run-image.sh bash build-image/build-apk.sh; \
 	fi
 
+# Stages a scratch, patched copy of engine/ and android/gl4es-src/, plus
+# the Android SDL2/SDL2_mixer/fluidsynth-lite/openxr prebuilts, with
+# host-resolvable paths (writes android/engine.properties) so Android
+# Studio can compile and deploy android/ natively - see README's "5.2.
+# Building natively in Android Studio". `make apk` doesn't need this; it
+# stages the same things itself inside the build-image. Re-run after
+# `make clean` (which deletes android/engine.properties) or after
+# changing engine/, android/engine-patches/, android/gl4es-src/,
+# android/gl4es-patches/, or the prebuilt-library versions in
+# build-image/Dockerfile - Android Studio's own Gradle build already
+# does this automatically via its stageEngine task, so this is mainly
+# useful for first-time setup or confirming staging succeeded on its own.
+android-studio:
+	./run-image.sh bash build-image/prepare-android-project.sh --host-paths
+
 clean:
 	rm -rf "$(DIST_DIR)" "$(BUILD_DIR)" "$(ENGINE_OUT)" \
 		engine/build_ext engine/CMakeCache.txt engine/CMakeFiles \
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 08c88f6..6552a76 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ a cross-platform port of the original game.
     Android-based OpenXR headsets. Unlike every other target, this needs
     network access at build time (Gradle/AGP's own dependency
     resolution). See "5. Android / Quest build" below.
+  - `android-studio` - stages `engine/`/`android/gl4es-src/` (scratch,
+    patched copies) and the Android prebuilts with host-resolvable paths,
+    so Android Studio can compile and deploy `android/` natively instead
+    of inside the build-image. See "5.2. Building natively in Android
+    Studio" below.
   - `clean` - removes all build output (`dist/`, `build/`, compiled
     engine artifacts, and the staged Android project files).
 - `android/` - the Quest app (Java `SDLActivity` glue, Gradle project).
@@ -168,11 +173,12 @@ that happens inside a container it isn't running.
 To have Android Studio compile and deploy `android/` itself instead:
 
 ```sh
-./run-image.sh bash build-image/prepare-android-project.sh --host-paths
+make android-studio
 ```
 
-This stages everything `make apk` normally stages (scratch, patched copies
-of `engine/` and `android/gl4es-src/`; the Android
+(equivalent to `./run-image.sh bash build-image/prepare-android-project.sh
+--host-paths` directly.) This stages everything `make apk` normally stages
+(scratch, patched copies of `engine/` and `android/gl4es-src/`; the Android
 SDL2/SDL2_mixer/fluidsynth-lite/openxr prebuilts; bundled assets) - the
 same as `build-apk.sh`'s own prep step - except it writes
 `android/engine.properties` with paths that resolve on your host
@@ -184,12 +190,13 @@ Studio's own native build (a CMake subdirectory of `engine/`'s build, not
 a separate prebuilt step), so `android/gl4es-src/`/`android/gl4es-patches/`
 changes are picked up by a normal rebuild here - no need to re-run
 `./build-image.sh` first, unlike `build-image/Dockerfile` changes. Re-run
-this script whenever `engine/`, `android/engine-patches/`,
+`make android-studio` whenever `engine/`, `android/engine-patches/`,
 `android/gl4es-src/`, `android/gl4es-patches/`, or the prebuilt-library
 versions in `build-image/Dockerfile` change (the Gradle build already
 does this automatically for you via its `stageEngine` task, so this
 manual re-run is mainly useful for confirming staging succeeded on its
-own).
+own) - and always after `make clean`, which deletes
+`android/engine.properties` along with everything else.
 
 Then, in Android Studio, use File > Open and select the `android/`
 directory itself (the one containing `settings.gradle` - not the repo
@@ -226,7 +233,7 @@ the same as any other Android Studio project:
    `QuestShock`, so filtering Logcat by that tag shows everything
    questshock-specific without gl4es/OpenXR loader/system noise (drop
    the filter to see those too).
-6. Only re-run `prepare-android-project.sh` manually (see above) after
+6. Only re-run `make android-studio` manually (see above) after
    changing `engine/`, `android/engine-patches/`, `android/gl4es-src/`,
    `android/gl4es-patches/`, or the prebuilt-library versions in
    `build-image/Dockerfile` - the Gradle build's `stageEngine` task does