diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0f50b3d098..fcf1fc60b3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ paparazzi:
 #
 dox:
 	$(Q)PAPARAZZI_HOME=$(PAPARAZZI_HOME) sw/tools/doxygen_gen/gen_modules_doc.py -pv
+	$(Q)PAPARAZZI_HOME=$(PAPARAZZI_HOME) sw/tools/doxygen_gen/gen_messages_doc.py -pv
 	@echo "Generationg doxygen html documentation in doc/generated/html"
 	$(Q)( cat Doxyfile ; echo "PROJECT_NUMBER=$(./paparazzi_version)"; echo "QUIET=YES") | doxygen -
 	@echo "Done. Open doc/generated/html/index.html in your browser to view it."
diff --git a/sw/tools/doxygen_gen/gen_messages_doc.py b/sw/tools/doxygen_gen/gen_messages_doc.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..744c2f5653
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sw/tools/doxygen_gen/gen_messages_doc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+from __future__ import print_function
+
+from optparse import OptionParser
+import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
+
+import os
+import sys
+import string
+import textwrap
+
+
+def print_field(field):
+    name = field.get('name')
+    type = field.get('type')
+    desc = ''
+    if field.text is not None:
+        desc = field.text.strip()
+    unit = field.get('unit', '')
+    # if values are given, put those in the unit column
+    if not unit:
+        values = field.get('values', '')
+        unit = string.replace(values, '|', ', ')
+    return u"{name} | {type} | {unit} | {desc} |\n".format(name=name, type=type, desc=desc, unit=unit)
+
+
+def print_message(message):
+    label = "{#" + message.get('name') + "}"
+    s = "### {0} (ID {1}) ###\n\n".format(message.get('name'), message.get('id'))
+    desc = message.find('description')
+    if desc is not None:
+        s += desc.text.strip() + "\n\n"
+    fields = message.findall('./field')
+    if fields:
+        s += "Field name | Type | Unit/Values | Description |\n"
+        s += "-----------|------|-------------|-------------|\n"
+    else:
+        s += "message has no fields\n"
+    for f in fields:
+        s += print_field(f)
+    s += "\n\n"
+    return s
+
+
+def print_msg_class(msg_class):
+    cls_name = msg_class.get('name').title()
+    label = " {#" + msg_class.get('name').upper() + "_CLASS}"
+    s = "## {0} Messages ## {1}\n\n".format(cls_name, label)
+    for m in msg_class.findall("./message"):
+        s +=\
+            print_message(m)
+    return s
+
+
+def messages_page(messages):
+    page_header = """\
+    Paparazzi Messages {#paparazzi_messages}
+    ==================
+
+    These are the common messages.
+    Also see http://wiki.paparazziuav.org/wiki/Telemetry and http://wiki.paparazziuav.org/wiki/Messages_Format
+
+    [TOC]
+
+    """
+    s = textwrap.dedent(page_header)
+
+    for msg_class in messages.findall("./msg_class"):
+        s += print_msg_class(msg_class)
+        s += "\n"
+
+    return s
+
+
+def read_messages_file(file):
+    try:
+        tree = ET.parse(file)
+    except ET.ParseError:
+        print("Error. Xml file {0} is not well formed.".format(file))
+        return None
+
+    root = tree.getroot()
+    if root.tag != "protocol":
+        print("Error. Xml file {0} doesn't have 'protocol' as root node.".format(file))
+        return None
+    else:
+        return root
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    usage = "Usage: %prog [options]" + "\n" + "Run %prog --help to list the options."
+    parser = OptionParser(usage)
+    parser.add_option("-f", "--file", dest="file",
+                      help="messages file to read [default: PAPARAZZI_HOME/conf/messages.xml]", metavar="MESSAGES.XML")
+    parser.add_option("-o", "--outputdir", dest="output_dir",
+                      help="write output to DIR [default: PAPARAZZI_HOME/doc/manual/generated]", metavar="DIR")
+    parser.add_option("-p", "--parents",
+                      action="store_true", dest="create_parent_dirs",
+                      help="Create parent dirs of output dir if they don't exist.")
+    parser.add_option("-v", "--verbose",
+                      action="store_true", dest="verbose")
+    (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
+
+    # if PAPARAZZI_HOME not set, then assume the tree containing this
+    # file is a reasonable substitute
+    paparazzi_home = os.getenv(
+        "PAPARAZZI_HOME",
+        os.path.normpath(os.path.join(
+            os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)),
+            '../../../')))
+
+    if options.file:
+        messages_file = options.file
+    else:
+        messages_file = os.path.join(paparazzi_home, "conf/messages.xml")
+    if not os.path.isfile(messages_file):
+        print("Messages file " + messages_file + " not found.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    if options.output_dir:
+        output_dir = options.output_dir
+    else:
+        output_dir = os.path.join(paparazzi_home, "doc/manual/generated")
+
+    if not os.path.isdir(output_dir):
+        if options.create_parent_dirs:
+            print("Output directory " + output_dir + " doesn't exit yet. Creating it.")
+            os.makedirs(output_dir)
+        else:
+            print("Output directory " + output_dir + " not valid.")
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+    if options.verbose:
+        print("Generating messages documentation in " + output_dir)
+
+    messages = read_messages_file(messages_file)
+
+    # generate string containing markdown page
+    outstring = messages_page(messages).encode('utf-8')
+
+    #print(outstring)
+
+    outfile_name = os.path.join(output_dir, "pprz_messages.md")
+    with open(outfile_name, 'w') as outfile:
+        outfile.write(outstring)
+    if options.verbose:
+        print("Done.")