diff --git a/cmake/OpenCVDetectAndroidSDK.cmake b/cmake/OpenCVDetectAndroidSDK.cmake
index 85c103e002..60832f0e59 100644
--- a/cmake/OpenCVDetectAndroidSDK.cmake
+++ b/cmake/OpenCVDetectAndroidSDK.cmake
@@ -228,23 +228,16 @@ macro(add_android_project target path)
     project(${target})
     set(android_proj_bin_dir "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/.build")
 
-    # get project sources
-    file(GLOB_RECURSE android_proj_files RELATIVE "${path}" "${path}/res/*" "${path}/src/*")
-
+    # project sources
+    set(__src_glob "${path}/res/*" "${path}/src/*")
     if(NOT android_proj_IGNORE_MANIFEST)
-      list(APPEND android_proj_files ${ANDROID_MANIFEST_FILE})
+      list(APPEND __src_glob "${path}/${ANDROID_MANIFEST_FILE}")
     endif()
 
-    # copy sources out from the build tree
-    set(android_proj_file_deps "")
-    foreach(f ${android_proj_files})
-      add_custom_command(
-        OUTPUT "${android_proj_bin_dir}/${f}"
-        COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different "${path}/${f}" "${android_proj_bin_dir}/${f}"
-        MAIN_DEPENDENCY "${path}/${f}"
-        COMMENT "Copying ${f}")
-      list(APPEND android_proj_file_deps "${path}/${f}" "${android_proj_bin_dir}/${f}")
-    endforeach()
+    ocv_copyfiles_append_dir(SRC_COPY "${path}" "${android_proj_bin_dir}" ${__src_glob})
+    ocv_copyfiles_add_forced_target(${target}_copy_src SRC_COPY "Copy project sources: ${target}")
+
+    set(android_proj_file_deps ${target}_copy_src "${OPENCV_DEPHELPER}/${target}_copy_src")
 
     set(android_proj_lib_deps_commands "")
     set(android_proj_target_files ${ANDROID_PROJECT_FILES})
@@ -261,10 +254,11 @@ macro(add_android_project target path)
     add_custom_command(
         OUTPUT ${android_proj_target_files}
         COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E remove ${android_proj_target_files}
+                                           "${android_proj_bin_dir}/bin/${ANDROID_MANIFEST_FILE}"  # avoid warning about sub-projects
         COMMAND ${ANDROID_EXECUTABLE} --silent update project --path "${android_proj_bin_dir}" --target "${android_proj_sdk_target}" --name "${target}"
         ${android_proj_lib_deps_commands}
-        MAIN_DEPENDENCY "${android_proj_bin_dir}/${ANDROID_MANIFEST_FILE}"
-        DEPENDS "${path}/${ANDROID_MANIFEST_FILE}"
+        WORKING_DIRECTORY "${android_proj_bin_dir}"
+        DEPENDS ${android_proj_file_deps}
         COMMENT "Updating Android project at ${path}. SDK target: ${android_proj_sdk_target}"
         )
 
@@ -272,7 +266,6 @@ macro(add_android_project target path)
 
     # build native part
     file(GLOB_RECURSE android_proj_jni_files "${path}/jni/*.c" "${path}/jni/*.h" "${path}/jni/*.cpp" "${path}/jni/*.hpp")
-    ocv_list_filterout(android_proj_jni_files "\\\\.svn")
 
     if(android_proj_jni_files AND EXISTS ${path}/jni/Android.mk AND NOT DEFINED JNI_LIB_NAME)
       # find local module name in Android.mk file to build native lib
@@ -310,36 +303,44 @@ macro(add_android_project target path)
       list(APPEND android_proj_extra_deps "${OpenCV_BINARY_DIR}/bin/classes.jar.dephelper" opencv_java)
     endif()
     add_custom_command(
-       OUTPUT "${android_proj_bin_dir}/bin/${target}-debug.apk"
-       COMMAND ${ANT_EXECUTABLE} -q -noinput -k debug -Djava.target=1.6 -Djava.source=1.6
-       COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E touch "${android_proj_bin_dir}/bin/${target}-debug.apk" # needed because ant does not update the timestamp of updated apk
-       WORKING_DIRECTORY "${android_proj_bin_dir}"
-       MAIN_DEPENDENCY "${android_proj_bin_dir}/${ANDROID_MANIFEST_FILE}"
-       DEPENDS ${android_proj_extra_deps} ${android_proj_file_deps} ${JNI_LIB_NAME})
+        OUTPUT "${android_proj_bin_dir}/bin/${target}-debug.apk"
+        COMMAND ${ANT_EXECUTABLE} -q -noinput -k debug -Djava.target=1.6 -Djava.source=1.6
+        COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E touch "${android_proj_bin_dir}/bin/${target}-debug.apk" # needed because ant does not update the timestamp of updated apk
+        WORKING_DIRECTORY "${android_proj_bin_dir}"
+        DEPENDS ${android_proj_extra_deps} ${android_proj_file_deps} ${JNI_LIB_NAME}
+        COMMENT "Generating ${target}-debug.apk"
+    )
 
     unset(JNI_LIB_NAME)
 
     add_custom_target(${target} ALL SOURCES "${android_proj_bin_dir}/bin/${target}-debug.apk" )
+
+    set(_native_deps "")
     if(NOT android_proj_IGNORE_JAVA)
-      add_dependencies(${target} opencv_java)
+      set(_native_deps opencv_java)
     endif()
     if(android_proj_native_deps)
-      add_dependencies(${target} ${android_proj_native_deps})
+      list(APPEND _native_deps ${android_proj_native_deps})
+    endif()
+    if(_native_deps)
+      add_dependencies(${target} ${_native_deps})
     endif()
 
-    if (android_proj_COPY_LIBS OR ANDROID_EXAMPLES_WITH_LIBS)
-      message(STATUS "Android project with libs: " ${target})
-      add_custom_target(
-        ${target}_copy_libs
-        COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -DSRC_DIR=${OpenCV_BINARY_DIR}/lib -DDST_DIR=${android_proj_bin_dir}/libs -P ${OpenCV_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/copyAndroidLibs.cmake
-        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${OpenCV_BINARY_DIR}/lib
-      )
+    if((android_proj_COPY_LIBS OR ANDROID_EXAMPLES_WITH_LIBS) AND _native_deps)
+      message(STATUS "Android project with native libs: " ${target} " (" ${_native_deps} ")")
+
+      ocv_copyfiles_append_dir(NATIVE_COPY "${OpenCV_BINARY_DIR}/lib" "${android_proj_bin_dir}/libs" "${OpenCV_BINARY_DIR}/lib/*.so")
+      ocv_copyfiles_add_target(${target}_copy_libs NATIVE_COPY "Copy native libs for project: ${target}" ${_native_deps})
+
       add_dependencies(${target} ${target}_copy_libs)
+
       if (ANDROID_EXAMPLES_WITH_LIBS)
-        add_dependencies(${target}_copy_libs "${OpenCV_BINARY_DIR}/bin/classes.jar.dephelper" opencv_java)
+        add_dependencies(${target}_copy_libs opencv_java)
       endif()
     endif()
 
+    # There is some strange problem with concurrent Android .APK builds:
+    # <android-sdk>/tools/ant/build.xml:781: Problem reading <build_dir>/bin/classes.jar'
     if(__android_project_chain)
       add_dependencies(${target} ${__android_project_chain})
     endif()
@@ -348,15 +349,22 @@ macro(add_android_project target path)
     # put the final .apk to the OpenCV's bin folder
     add_custom_command(TARGET ${target} POST_BUILD COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different "${android_proj_bin_dir}/bin/${target}-debug.apk" "${OpenCV_BINARY_DIR}/bin/${target}.apk")
     if(INSTALL_ANDROID_EXAMPLES AND "${target}" MATCHES "^example-")
-      #apk
-      install(FILES "${OpenCV_BINARY_DIR}/bin/${target}.apk" DESTINATION "samples" COMPONENT samples)
       get_filename_component(sample_dir "${path}" NAME)
+      # apk
+      install(FILES "${OpenCV_BINARY_DIR}/bin/${target}.apk" DESTINATION "samples" COMPONENT samples)
+      # clear "external" project files (need to remove files generated by 'android' tool)
+      set(external_target_files ${ANDROID_PROJECT_FILES})
+      ocv_list_add_prefix(external_target_files "\$ENV{DESTDIR}\${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/samples/${sample_dir}/")
+      install(CODE "
+MESSAGE(STATUS \"Cleaning generated project files from Android sample install directory: ${sample_dir}\")
+FOREACH(f ${ANDROID_PROJECT_FILES})
+  FILE(REMOVE \"\$ENV{DESTDIR}\${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/samples/${sample_dir}/\${f}\")
+ENDFOREACH()
+" COMPONENT samples)
       #java part
-      list(REMOVE_ITEM android_proj_files ${ANDROID_MANIFEST_FILE})
-      foreach(f ${android_proj_files} ${ANDROID_MANIFEST_FILE})
-        get_filename_component(install_subdir "${f}" PATH)
-        install(FILES "${android_proj_bin_dir}/${f}" DESTINATION "samples/${sample_dir}/${install_subdir}" COMPONENT samples)
-      endforeach()
+      install(DIRECTORY "${android_proj_bin_dir}/res" DESTINATION "samples/${sample_dir}" COMPONENT samples)
+      install(DIRECTORY "${android_proj_bin_dir}/src" DESTINATION "samples/${sample_dir}" COMPONENT samples)
+      install(FILES "${android_proj_bin_dir}/${ANDROID_MANIFEST_FILE}" DESTINATION "samples/${sample_dir}" COMPONENT samples)
       #jni part + eclipse files
       file(GLOB_RECURSE jni_files RELATIVE "${path}" "${path}/jni/*" "${path}/.cproject")
       ocv_list_filterout(jni_files "\\\\.svn")
@@ -368,11 +376,15 @@ macro(add_android_project target path)
       if(android_proj_lib_deps_commands)
         set(inst_lib_opt " --library ../../sdk/java")
       endif()
-      install(CODE "EXECUTE_PROCESS(COMMAND ${ANDROID_EXECUTABLE} --silent update project --path . --target \"${android_proj_sdk_target}\" --name \"${target}\" ${inst_lib_opt}
-                                    WORKING_DIRECTORY \"\$ENV{DESTDIR}\${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/samples/${sample_dir}\"
-                                   )"  COMPONENT samples)
-      #empty 'gen'
-      install(CODE "MAKE_DIRECTORY(\"\$ENV{DESTDIR}\${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/samples/${sample_dir}/gen\")" COMPONENT samples)
+      install(CODE "
+MESSAGE(STATUS \"Fixing Android library reference for sample: ${sample_dir}\")
+EXECUTE_PROCESS(
+    COMMAND ${ANDROID_EXECUTABLE} --silent update project --path . --target \"${android_proj_sdk_target}\" --name \"${target}\" ${inst_lib_opt}
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY \"\$ENV{DESTDIR}\${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/samples/${sample_dir}\"
+)
+" COMPONENT samples)
+      # empty 'gen'
+      install(CODE "FILE(MAKE_DIRECTORY \"\$ENV{DESTDIR}\${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/samples/${sample_dir}/gen\")" COMPONENT samples)
     endif()
   endif()
 endmacro()
diff --git a/cmake/OpenCVUtils.cmake b/cmake/OpenCVUtils.cmake
index 60662536f6..dd41f822b9 100644
--- a/cmake/OpenCVUtils.cmake
+++ b/cmake/OpenCVUtils.cmake
@@ -522,6 +522,45 @@ endmacro()
 
 if(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_ARGC) # Guard CMake standalone invocations
 
+# Use this option carefully, CMake's install() will install symlinks instead of real files
+# It is fine for development, but should not be used by real installations
+set(__symlink_default OFF)  # preprocessing is required for old CMake like 2.8.12
+if(DEFINED ENV{BUILD_USE_SYMLINKS})
+  set(__symlink_default $ENV{BUILD_USE_SYMLINKS})
+endif()
+OCV_OPTION(BUILD_USE_SYMLINKS "Use symlinks instead of files copying during build (and !!INSTALL!!)" (${__symlink_default}) IF (UNIX OR DEFINED __symlink_default))
+
+if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS "3.2")
+  macro(ocv_cmake_byproducts var_name)
+    set(${var_name}) # nothing
+  endmacro()
+else()
+  macro(ocv_cmake_byproducts var_name)
+    set(${var_name} BYPRODUCTS ${ARGN})
+  endmacro()
+endif()
+
+set(OPENCV_DEPHELPER "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}${CMAKE_FILES_DIRECTORY}/dephelper" CACHE INTERNAL "")
+file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${OPENCV_DEPHELPER})
+
+if(BUILD_USE_SYMLINKS)
+  set(__file0 "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_FILE}")
+  set(__file1 "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}${CMAKE_FILES_DIRECTORY}/symlink_test")
+  if(NOT IS_SYMLINK "${__file1}")
+    execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E create_symlink "${__file0}" "${__file1}"
+        RESULT_VARIABLE SYMLINK_RESULT)
+    if(NOT SYMLINK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
+      file(REMOVE "${__file1}")
+    endif()
+    if(NOT IS_SYMLINK "${__file1}")
+      set(BUILD_USE_SYMLINKS 0 CACHE INTERNAL "")
+    endif()
+  endif()
+  if(NOT BUILD_USE_SYMLINKS)
+    message(STATUS "Build symlinks are not available (disabled)")
+  endif()
+endif()
+
 set(OPENCV_BUILD_INFO_STR "" CACHE INTERNAL "")
 function(ocv_output_status msg)
   message(STATUS "${msg}")
@@ -1269,3 +1308,81 @@ set(${var_name} \"${${var_name}}\")
 ")
   endforeach()
 endmacro()
+
+macro(ocv_copyfiles_append_file list_var src dst)
+  list(LENGTH ${list_var} __id)
+  list(APPEND ${list_var} ${__id})
+  set(${list_var}_SRC_${__id} "${src}")
+  set(${list_var}_DST_${__id} "${dst}")
+endmacro()
+
+macro(ocv_copyfiles_append_dir list_var src dst)
+  set(__glob ${ARGN})
+  list(LENGTH ${list_var} __id)
+  list(APPEND ${list_var} ${__id})
+  set(${list_var}_SRC_${__id} "${src}")
+  set(${list_var}_DST_${__id} "${dst}")
+  set(${list_var}_MODE_${__id} "COPYDIR")
+  if(__glob)
+    set(${list_var}_GLOB_${__id} ${__glob})
+  endif()
+endmacro()
+
+macro(ocv_copyfiles_make_config_string content_var list_var)
+  set(var_name "${list_var}")
+  set(${content_var} "${${content_var}}
+set(${var_name} \"${${var_name}}\")
+")
+  foreach(__id ${${list_var}})
+    set(${content_var} "${${content_var}}
+set(${list_var}_SRC_${__id} \"${${list_var}_SRC_${__id}}\")
+set(${list_var}_DST_${__id} \"${${list_var}_DST_${__id}}\")
+")
+    if(DEFINED ${list_var}_MODE_${__id})
+      set(${content_var} "${${content_var}}set(${list_var}_MODE_${__id} \"${${list_var}_MODE_${__id}}\")\n")
+    endif()
+    if(DEFINED ${list_var}_GLOB_${__id})
+      set(${content_var} "${${content_var}}set(${list_var}_GLOB_${__id} \"${${list_var}_GLOB_${__id}}\")\n")
+    endif()
+  endforeach()
+endmacro()
+
+macro(ocv_copyfiles_make_config_file filename_var list_var)
+  ocv_copyfiles_make_config_string(${list_var}_CONFIG ${list_var})
+  set(${filename_var} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/copyfiles-${list_var}.cmake")
+  file(WRITE "${${filename_var}}" "${${list_var}_CONFIG}")
+endmacro()
+
+macro(ocv_copyfiles_add_forced_target target list_var comment_str)
+  ocv_copyfiles_make_config_file(CONFIG_FILE ${list_var})
+  ocv_cmake_byproducts(__byproducts BYPRODUCTS "${OPENCV_DEPHELPER}/${target}")
+  add_custom_target(${target}
+      ${__byproducts}  # required for add_custom_target() by ninja
+      COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
+        "-DCONFIG_FILE:PATH=${CONFIG_FILE}"
+        "-DCOPYLIST_VAR:STRING=${list_var}"
+        "-DDEPHELPER=${OPENCV_DEPHELPER}/${target}"
+        -P "${OpenCV_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/copy_files.cmake"
+      WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}
+      COMMENT "${comment_str}"
+      DEPENDS "${OpenCV_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/copy_files.cmake"
+              # ninja warn about file(WRITE): "${SRC_COPY_CONFIG_FILE}"
+  )
+endmacro()
+
+macro(ocv_copyfiles_add_target target list_var comment_str)
+  set(deps ${ARGN})
+  ocv_copyfiles_make_config_file(CONFIG_FILE ${list_var})
+  add_custom_command(OUTPUT "${OPENCV_DEPHELPER}/${target}"
+      COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
+        "-DCONFIG_FILE:PATH=${CONFIG_FILE}"
+        "-DCOPYLIST_VAR:STRING=${list_var}"
+        "-DDEPHELPER=${OPENCV_DEPHELPER}/${target}"
+        -P "${OpenCV_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/copy_files.cmake"
+      WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}
+      COMMENT "${comment_str}"
+      DEPENDS "${OpenCV_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/copy_files.cmake" ${deps}
+              # ninja warn about file(WRITE): "${SRC_COPY_CONFIG_FILE}"
+  )
+  add_custom_target(${target} DEPENDS "${OPENCV_DEPHELPER}/${target}")
+endmacro()
diff --git a/cmake/copyAndroidLibs.cmake b/cmake/copyAndroidLibs.cmake
deleted file mode 100644
index 4e9e17f4c1..0000000000
--- a/cmake/copyAndroidLibs.cmake
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# helper file for Android samples build
-
-file(GLOB_RECURSE LIBS RELATIVE ${SRC_DIR} "*.so")
-
-foreach(l ${LIBS})
-  message(STATUS "  Copying: ${l} ...")
-  execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different ${SRC_DIR}/${l} ${DST_DIR}/${l})
-endforeach()
diff --git a/cmake/copy_files.cmake b/cmake/copy_files.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2613eee99b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/copy_files.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+include("${CONFIG_FILE}")
+set(prefix "COPYFILES: ")
+
+set(use_symlink 0)
+if(IS_SYMLINK "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}${CMAKE_FILES_DIRECTORY}/symlink_test")
+  set(use_symlink 1)
+endif()
+
+set(update_dephelper 0)
+if(DEFINED DEPHELPER AND NOT EXISTS "${DEPHELPER}")
+  set(update_dephelper 1)
+endif()
+
+set(__state "")
+
+macro(copy_file_ src dst prefix)
+  string(REPLACE "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/" "" dst_name "${dst}")
+  set(local_update 0)
+  if(NOT EXISTS "${dst}")
+    set(local_update 1)
+  endif()
+  if(use_symlink)
+    if(local_update OR NOT IS_SYMLINK "${dst}")
+      message("${prefix}Symlink: '${dst_name}' ...")
+    endif()
+    get_filename_component(target_path "${dst}" PATH)
+    file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${target_path}")
+    execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E create_symlink ${src} ${dst}
+        RESULT_VARIABLE SYMLINK_RESULT)
+    if(NOT SYMLINK_RESULT EQUAL 0)
+      #message("Symlink failed, fallback to 'copy'")
+      set(use_symlink 0)
+    endif()
+  endif()
+  if(NOT use_symlink)
+    if("${src}" IS_NEWER_THAN "${dst}" OR IS_SYMLINK "${dst}")
+      file(REMOVE "${dst}") # configure_file(COPYONLY) doesn't update timestamp sometimes
+      set(local_update 1)
+    endif()
+    if(local_update)
+      message("${prefix}Copying: '${dst_name}' ...")
+      configure_file(${src} ${dst} COPYONLY)
+    else()
+      #message("${prefix}Up-to-date: '${dst_name}'")
+    endif()
+  endif()
+  if(local_update)
+    set(update_dephelper 1)
+  endif()
+  file(TIMESTAMP "${dst}" dst_t UTC)
+  set(__state "${__state}${dst_t} ${dst}\n")
+endmacro()
+
+if(NOT DEFINED COPYLIST_VAR)
+  set(COPYLIST_VAR "COPYLIST")
+endif()
+list(LENGTH ${COPYLIST_VAR} __length)
+message("${prefix}... ${__length} entries (${COPYLIST_VAR})")
+foreach(id ${${COPYLIST_VAR}})
+  set(src "${${COPYLIST_VAR}_SRC_${id}}")
+  set(dst "${${COPYLIST_VAR}_DST_${id}}")
+  if(NOT EXISTS ${src})
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Source file/dir is missing: ${src} (${CONFIG_FILE})")
+  endif()
+  set(_mode "COPYFILE")
+  if(DEFINED ${COPYLIST_VAR}_MODE_${id})
+    set(_mode "${${COPYLIST_VAR}_MODE_${id}}")
+  endif()
+  if(_mode STREQUAL "COPYFILE")
+    #message("... COPY ${src} => ${dst}")
+    copy_file_("${src}" "${dst}" "${prefix}    ")
+  elseif(_mode STREQUAL "COPYDIR")
+    get_filename_component(src_name "${src}" NAME)
+    get_filename_component(src_path "${src}" PATH)
+    get_filename_component(src_name2 "${src_path}" NAME)
+
+    set(src_glob "${src}/*")
+    if(DEFINED ${COPYLIST_VAR}_GLOB_${id})
+      set(src_glob "${${COPYLIST_VAR}_GLOB_${id}}")
+    endif()
+    file(GLOB_RECURSE _files RELATIVE "${src}" ${src_glob})
+    list(LENGTH _files __length)
+    message("${prefix}    ... directory '.../${src_name2}/${src_name}' with ${__length} files")
+    foreach(f ${_files})
+      if(NOT EXISTS "${src}/${f}")
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "COPY ERROR: Source file is missing: ${src}/${f}")
+      endif()
+      copy_file_("${src}/${f}" "${dst}/${f}" "${prefix}        ")
+    endforeach()
+  endif()
+endforeach()
+
+set(STATE_FILE "${CONFIG_FILE}.state")
+if(EXISTS "${STATE_FILE}")
+  file(READ "${STATE_FILE}" __prev_state)
+else()
+  set(__prev_state "")
+endif()
+if(NOT "${__state}" STREQUAL "${__prev_state}")
+  file(WRITE "${STATE_FILE}" "${__state}")
+  message("${prefix}Updated!")
+  set(update_dephelper 1)
+endif()
+
+if(NOT update_dephelper)
+  message("${prefix}All files are up-to-date.")
+elseif(DEFINED DEPHELPER)
+  file(WRITE "${DEPHELPER}" "")
+endif()