diff --git a/scripts/make-sfx.sh b/scripts/make-sfx.sh
index 9ec9601a..592b9096 100755
--- a/scripts/make-sfx.sh
+++ b/scripts/make-sfx.sh
@@ -17,12 +17,29 @@ help() { exec cat <<'EOF'
 # `re` does a repack of an sfx which you already executed once
 #   (grabs files from the sfx-created tempdir), overrides `clean`
 #
-# `gz` creates a gzip-compressed python sfx instead of bzip2
-#
 # `lang` limits which languages/translations to include,
 #   for example `lang eng` or `lang eng|nor`
 #
 # _____________________________________________________________________
+# compression tweaks:
+#
+# `gz` creates a gzip-compressed python sfx instead of bzip2
+#   (improves compat with minimal and/or ancient pythons)
+#
+# `gzz 50` uses zopfli to create a gzip-compressed python sfx
+#   (better compression than regular gz without affecting compat)
+#
+# `xz` creates an xz-compressed python sfx instead of bzip2
+#   (tiny bit smaller, but needs modern python to run)
+#
+# `nopk` disables js/css compression; builds faster, and
+#   the sfx becomes smaller, but reduces runtime performance
+#
+# `udep` unpacks compressed js/css (use with `nopk` and `xz`);
+#   even smaller sfx, much worse RAM/network waste at runtime
+#   (only useful for jokes such as putting the sfx on a floppy)
+#
+# _____________________________________________________________________
 # core features:
 #
 # `no-ftp` saves ~30k by removing the ftp server, disabling --ftp
@@ -106,11 +123,14 @@ pybin=$(command -v python3 || command -v python) || {
 
 langs=
 use_gz=
+use_xz=
 zopf=2000
+udep=
 while [ ! -z "$1" ]; do
 	case $1 in
 		clean)  clean=1  ; ;;
 		re)     repack=1 ; ;;
+		xz)     use_xz=1 ; ;;
 		gz)     use_gz=1 ; ;;
 		gzz)    shift;use_gzz=$1;use_gz=1; ;;
 		no-ftp) no_ftp=1 ; ;;
@@ -124,6 +144,8 @@ while [ ! -z "$1" ]; do
 		dl-wd)  dl_wd=1  ; ;;
 		ign-wd) ign_wd=1 ; ;;
 		fast)   zopf=    ; ;;
+		nopk)   zopf=no  ; ;;
+		udep)   udep=1   ; ;;
 		lang)   shift;langs="$1"; ;;
 		*)      help     ; ;;
 	esac
@@ -529,6 +551,7 @@ done
 
 gzres() {
 	local pk=
+	[ "$zopf" = no ] && return
 	[ $zopf ] && command -v zopfli && pk="zopfli --i$zopf"
 	[ $zopf ] && command -v pigz && pk="pigz -11 -I $zopf"
 	[ -z "$pk" ] && pk='gzip'
@@ -553,55 +576,34 @@ gzres() {
 	wait
 	echo
 }
+gzres
 
-
-zdir="$tmpdir/cpp-mksfx"
-[ -e "$zdir/$stamp" ] || rm -rf "$zdir"
-mkdir -p "$zdir"
-echo a > "$zdir/$stamp"
-nf=$(ls -1 "$zdir"/arc.* 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
-[ $nf -ge 2 ] && [ ! $repack ] && use_zdir=1 || use_zdir=
-
-[ $use_zdir ] || {
-	echo "$nf alts += 1"
-	gzres
-	[ $repack ] ||
-		tar -cf "$zdir/arc.$(date +%s)" copyparty/web/*.gz
-}
-[ $use_zdir ] && {
-	arcs=("$zdir"/arc.*)
-	n=$(( $RANDOM % ${#arcs[@]} ))
-	arc="${arcs[n]}"
-	echo "using $arc"
-	tar -xf "$arc"
-	for f in copyparty/web/*.gz; do
-		rm "${f%.*}"
-	done
-}
-
+[ $udep ] &&
+    find -iname '*.gz' | while IFS= read -r x; do gzip -d "$x"; done
 
 echo gen tarlist
 for d in copyparty partftpy magic j2 py2 py37 ftp; do find $d -type f || true; done |  # strip_hints
 sed -r 's/(.*)\.(.*)/\2 \1/' | LC_ALL=C sort |
 sed -r 's/([^ ]*) (.*)/\2.\1/' | grep -vE '/list1?$' > list1
-(grep -vE '\.gz$' list1; grep -E '\.gz$' list1) >list
+(grep -vE '\.gz$' list1; grep -E '\.gz$' list1) >list || true
 
 echo creating tar
 tar -cf tar "${targs[@]}" --numeric-owner -T list
 
-pc="bzip2 -"; pe=bz2
+pc="bzip2 -"; pe=bz2; pl=$(echo {2..9})
 [ $use_gz ] && pc="gzip -" && pe=gz
-[ $use_gzz ] && pc="pigz -11 -I$use_gzz" && pe=gz
+[ $use_gzz ] && pc="pigz -11 -I$use_gzz" && pe=gz && pl=0
+[ $use_xz ] && pc="xz -zeT0 -" && pe=xz
 
 echo compressing tar
-for n in {2..9}; do cp tar t.$n; nice -n20 $pc$n t.$n & done; wait
+for n in $pl; do cp tar t.$n; nice -n20 $pc$n t.$n & done; wait
 minf=$(for f in t.*.$pe; do
 	s1=$(wc -c <$f)
 	s2=$(tr -d '\r\n\0' <$f | wc -c)
 	echo "$(( s2+(s1-s2)*3 )) $f"
 done | sort -n | awk '{print$2;exit}')
 mv -v $minf tar.bz2
-rm t.* || true
+rm t.* 2>/dev/null || true
 exts=()
 
 
@@ -613,13 +615,17 @@ suf=
 	sed -r 's/"r:bz2"/"r:gz"/' <$py >$py.t
 	py=$py.t
 }
+[ $use_xz ] && {
+	sed -r 's/"r:bz2"/"r:xz"/' <$py >$py.t
+	py=$py.t
+}
 
 "$pybin" $py --sfx-make tar.bz2 $ver $ts
 mv sfx.out $sfx_out$suf.py
 
 exts+=($suf.py)
-[ $use_gz ] &&
-	rm $py
+[ $use_gz ] && rm $py
+[ $use_xz ] && rm $py
 
 
 chmod 755 $sfx_out*