diff --git a/build.py b/build.py
index 72d7851c..4c5555b5 100755
--- a/build.py
+++ b/build.py
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ Usage: ./build.py [command(s)] [options]
       install_py    Install wxPython only
 
       sdist         Build a tarball containing all source files
+      sdist_demo    Build a tarball containing just the demo and samples folders 
       bdist         Create a binary tarball release of wxPython Phoenix
       bdist_docs    Build a tarball containing the documentation
       bdist_egg     Build a Python egg.  Requires magic.
@@ -1670,12 +1671,11 @@ def cmd_sdist(options, args):
     if not os.path.exists('dist'):
         os.mkdir('dist')
 
-    if isGit:
-        # pull out an archive copy of the repo files
-        msg('Exporting Phoenix...')
-        runcmd('git archive HEAD | tar -x -C %s' % PDEST, echoCmd=False)
-        msg('Exporting wxWidgets...')
-        runcmd('(cd %s; git archive HEAD) | tar -x -C %s' % (WSRC, WDEST), echoCmd=False)
+    # pull out an archive copy of the repo files
+    msg('Exporting Phoenix...')
+    runcmd('git archive HEAD | tar -x -C %s' % PDEST, echoCmd=False)
+    msg('Exporting wxWidgets...')
+    runcmd('(cd %s; git archive HEAD) | tar -x -C %s' % (WSRC, WDEST), echoCmd=False)
 
     # copy Phoenix's generated code into the archive tree
     msg('Copying generated files...')
@@ -1723,6 +1723,58 @@ def cmd_sdist(options, args):
 
 
 
+def cmd_sdist_demo(options, args):
+    # Build a tarball containing the demo and samples
+    cmdTimer = CommandTimer('sdist_demo')
+    assert os.getcwd() == phoenixDir()
+
+    cfg = Config()
+
+    isGit = os.path.exists('.git')
+    if not isGit:
+        msg("Sorry, I don't know what to do in this source tree, no git workspace found.")
+        return
+
+    # make a tree for building up the archive files
+    PDEST = 'build/sdist_demo'
+    if not os.path.exists(PDEST):
+        os.makedirs(PDEST)
+
+    # and a place to put the final tarball
+    if not os.path.exists('dist'):
+        os.mkdir('dist')
+
+    # pull out an archive copy of the repo files
+    msg('Exporting Phoenix/demo...')
+    runcmd('git archive HEAD demo | tar -x -C %s' % PDEST, echoCmd=False)
+    msg('Exporting Phoenix/demo/samples...')
+    runcmd('git archive HEAD samples | tar -x -C %s' % PDEST, echoCmd=False)
+
+    # Add in the README file
+    copyFile('packaging/README-sdist_demo.txt', posixjoin(PDEST, 'README.txt'))
+
+    # build the tarball
+    msg('Archiving Phoenix demo and samples...')
+    rootname = "%s-demo-%s" % (baseName, cfg.VERSION)
+    tarfilename = "dist/%s.tar.gz" % rootname
+    if os.path.exists(tarfilename):
+        os.remove(tarfilename)
+    tarball = tarfile.open(name=tarfilename, mode="w:gz")
+    pwd = pushDir(PDEST)
+    for name in glob.glob('*'):
+        tarball.add(name, os.path.join(rootname, name))
+    tarball.close()
+    msg('Cleaning up...')
+    del pwd
+    shutil.rmtree(PDEST)
+
+    if options.upload:
+        uploadPackage(tarfilename, options)
+
+    msg("demo and samples tarball built at %s" % tarfilename)
+
+
+
 def cmd_bdist(options, args):
     # Build a tarball and/or installer that includes all the files needed at
     # runtime for the current platform and the current version of Python.
diff --git a/buildbot/master.cfg b/buildbot/master.cfg
index 76c3de5a..4e662f71 100644
--- a/buildbot/master.cfg
+++ b/buildbot/master.cfg
@@ -239,7 +239,8 @@ def makeFactory(port, buildType='buildOnly', pyVer='2.7'):
                         mode=mode, method=method))
 
     if buildType == 'sdist':
-        cmd = 'python -u build.py %s setrev dox touch etg sip build sdist --upload' % pyVer
+        cmd = 'python -u build.py %s setrev dox touch etg sip build '\
+              'sdist sdist_demo --upload' % pyVer
 
     elif buildType == 'docs':
         cmd = 'python -u build.py %s setrev dox touch etg sip build wxlib ' \
diff --git a/packaging/README-sdist_demo.txt b/packaging/README-sdist_demo.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cabde4e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/README-sdist_demo.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+wxPython Demo and Samples
+=========================
+
+This archive contains a copy of the wxPython Phoenix demo, and also a
+collection of small sample applications.
+
+Once you have installed wxPython Phoenix you can run the demo by launching it
+from a command line like this::
+
+    cd demo
+    python demo.py
+
+Each of the folders in the samples folder contains one or more standalone
+applications demonstrating how to use certain features of wxPython.  Examine
+the source code in each sample to see how to run them.
+