diff --git a/.topdeps b/.topdeps
index d00bde8066..094069df59 100644
--- a/.topdeps
+++ b/.topdeps
@@ -1,9 +1 @@
-gcc-c90
-gcc-cast
-gcc-debug
-gcc-init-pragmas
-gcc-invalid-prototype
-gcc-missing-case
-gcc-no-parenthesis
-gcc-uninit
-gcc-unused
+gcc-branch
diff --git a/.topmsg b/.topmsg
index a7cd8922ce..e9722e1075 100644
--- a/.topmsg
+++ b/.topmsg
@@ -1,6 +1,19 @@
 From: Brian Behlendorf <behlendorf1@llnl.gov>
-Subject: [PATCH] gcc-branch
+Subject: [PATCH] zfs branch
 
-Merged result of all gcc changes
+Merged result of all changes which are relevant to both Solaris
+and Linux builds of the ZFS code.  These are changes where there
+is a reasonable chance they will be accepted upstream.
+
+Additionally, since this is effectively the root of the linux
+ZFS tree the core linux build system is added here.  This
+includes autogen.sh, configure.ac, m4 macros, some scripts/*,
+and makefiles for all the core ZFS components.  Linux-only
+features which require tweaks to the build system should appear
+on the relevant topic branches.  All autotools products which
+result from autogen.sh are commited to the linux-configure-branch.
+
+This branch also contains the META, ChangeLog, AUTHORS,
+README, and GIT files.
 
 Signed-off-by: Brian Behlendorf <behlendorf1@llnl.gov>