diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 23a809d50..7e8d8d4b5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
-.PHONY: run check-style test clean
+.PHONY: run run-ios run-android check-style test clean
 
 .npminstall: package.json
+	@if ! [ $(shell command -v npm) ]; then \
+		echo "npm is not installed"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+
 	@echo Getting dependencies using npm
 
 	npm install
@@ -8,13 +13,38 @@
 	touch $@
 
 config/config.secret.json:
-	@echo Generating default config/config.secret.json
-	@echo '{}' > config/config.secret.json
+	@if ! [ $(shell test -f config/config.secret.json) ]; then \
+		echo "Generating default config/config.secret.json"; \
+		echo '{}' > "config/config.secret.json"; \
+	fi
 
-run: .npminstall config/config.secret.json
-	@echo Running Mobile iOS Apps for development
+run: run-ios
 
-	react-native run-ios
+run-ios: .npminstall config/config.secret.json
+	@if ! [ $(shell command -v xcodebuild) ]; then \
+		echo "xcode is not installed"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@echo Running iOS app in development
+
+	npm run run-ios
+
+run-android: .npminstall config/config.secret.json
+	@if ! [ $(ANDROID_HOME) ]; then \
+		echo "ANDROID_HOME is not set"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@if ! [ $(shell command -v adb) ]; then \
+		echo "adb is not installed"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@if ! [ $(shell adb get-state) == "device" ]; then \
+		echo "no android device or emulator is running"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@echo Running Android app in development
+
+	npm run run-android
 
 test: .npminstall config/config.secret.json
 	npm test
@@ -27,5 +57,6 @@ check-style: .npminstall
 clean:
 	@echo Cleaning app
 
+	npm cache clean
 	rm -rf node_modules
-	rm -f .npminstall
\ No newline at end of file
+	rm -f .npminstall
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7ace27641..634abdb67 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
   },
   "scripts": {
     "check": "node_modules/.bin/eslint --ext \".js\" --ignore-pattern node_modules --quiet .",
+    "run-ios": "node node_modules/react-native/local-cli/cli.js run-ios",
+    "run-android": "node node_modules/react-native/local-cli/cli.js run-android",
     "start": "node node_modules/react-native/local-cli/cli.js start",
     "test": "mocha --compilers js:babel-register --require babel-polyfill",
     "postinstall": "remotedev-debugger --hostname localhost --port 5678 --injectserver"