diff --git a/cf/Makefile.am.common b/cf/Makefile.am.common
index f15327c9e..7143e4365 100644
--- a/cf/Makefile.am.common
+++ b/cf/Makefile.am.common
@@ -82,6 +82,38 @@ install-build-headers:: $(include_HEADERS) $(build_HEADERZ)
 
 all-local: install-build-headers
 
+check-local::
+	@if test '$(CHECK_LOCAL)'; then \
+	  foo='$(CHECK_LOCAL)'; else \
+	  foo='$(PROGRAMS)'; fi; \
+	  if test "$$foo"; then \
+	  failed=0; all=0; \
+	  for i in $$foo; do \
+	    all=`expr $$all + 1`; \
+	    if ./$$i --version > /dev/null 2>&1; then \
+	      echo "PASS: $$i"; \
+	    else \
+	      echo "FAIL: $$i"; \
+	      failed=`expr $$failed + 1`; \
+	    fi; \
+	  done; \
+	  if test "$$failed" -eq 0; then \
+	    banner="All $$all tests passed"; \
+	  else \
+	    banner="$$failed of $$all tests failed"; \
+	  fi; \
+	  dashes=`echo "$$banner" | sed s/./=/g`; \
+	  echo "$$dashes"; \
+	  echo "$$banner"; \
+	  echo "$$dashes"; \
+	  test "$$failed" -eq 0; \
+	fi
+
+SUFFIXES += .x
+
+.x.c:
+	@cmp -s $< $@ 2> /dev/null || cp $< $@
+
 SUFFIXES += .1 .3 .5 .8 .cat1 .cat3 .cat5 .cat8
 
 NROFF_MAN = groff -mandoc -Tascii