diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 56c6607..236c238 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [submodule "SDL"]
-	path = SDL
+	path = vendor/SDL
 	url = https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL.git
 [submodule "SDL_image"]
-	path = SDL_image
+	path = vendor/SDL_image
 	url = https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL_image.git
diff --git a/build_sdl_and_friends.sh b/build_sdl_and_friends.sh
index 11ab780..e49f006 100755
--- a/build_sdl_and_friends.sh
+++ b/build_sdl_and_friends.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-cd SDL
+cd vendor/SDL
 cmake -S . -B build
 cmake --build build
 cd ../SDL_image
diff --git a/lakefile.lean b/lakefile.lean
index e3accb4..0b54dba 100644
--- a/lakefile.lean
+++ b/lakefile.lean
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ target sdl.o pkg : FilePath := do
   let srcJob ← sdl.c.fetch
   let oFile := pkg.buildDir / "c" / "sdl.o"
   let leanInclude := (<- getLeanIncludeDir).toString
-  let sdlInclude := "SDL/include/"
-  let sdlImageInclude := "SDL_image/include/"
+  let sdlInclude := "vendor/SDL/include/"
+  let sdlImageInclude := "vendor/SDL_image/include/"
   buildO oFile srcJob #[] #["-fPIC", s!"-I{sdlInclude}", s!"-I{sdlImageInclude}", "-D_REENTRANT", s!"-I{leanInclude}", s!"-I{sdlInclude}", s!"-I{sdlImageInclude}"] "cc"
 
 target libleansdl pkg : FilePath := do
@@ -29,4 +29,5 @@ lean_lib Engine
 @[default_target]
 lean_exe LeanDoomed where
   root := `Main
-  moreLinkArgs := #["SDL/build/libSDL3.so", "SDL_image/build/libSDL3_image.so", "-Wl,--allow-shlib-undefined", "-Wl,-rpath=SDL/build/", "-Wl,-rpath=SDL_image/build/"]
+  -- we have to add the rpath to tell the compiler where all of the libraries are
+  moreLinkArgs := #["vendor/SDL/build/libSDL3.so", "vendor/SDL_image/build/libSDL3_image.so", "-Wl,--allow-shlib-undefined", "-Wl,-rpath=vendor/SDL/build/", "-Wl,-rpath=vendor/SDL_image/build/"]
diff --git a/SDL b/vendor/SDL
similarity index 100%
rename from SDL
rename to vendor/SDL
diff --git a/SDL_image b/vendor/SDL_image
similarity index 100%
rename from SDL_image
rename to vendor/SDL_image