diff --git a/lib/com_err/Makefile.am b/lib/com_err/Makefile.am
index 26d2e2200..1cb0ab47b 100644
--- a/lib/com_err/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/com_err/Makefile.am
@@ -6,12 +6,14 @@ INCLUDES = -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(srcdir)
 
 lib_LIBRARIES = liberror.a
 
+SUFFIXES = .et
+
 CLEANFILES = asn1_err.c asn1_err.h hdb_err.c hdb_err.h \
 	krb5_err.c krb5_err.h
 
 liberror_a_SOURCES = krb5_err.c asn1_err.c hdb_err.c error.c 
 
-%.c: %.et
+.et.c:
 	$(SHELL) ./compile_et $<
 
 krb5_err.o: asn1_err.c
diff --git a/lib/error/Makefile.am b/lib/error/Makefile.am
index 26d2e2200..1cb0ab47b 100644
--- a/lib/error/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/error/Makefile.am
@@ -6,12 +6,14 @@ INCLUDES = -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(srcdir)
 
 lib_LIBRARIES = liberror.a
 
+SUFFIXES = .et
+
 CLEANFILES = asn1_err.c asn1_err.h hdb_err.c hdb_err.h \
 	krb5_err.c krb5_err.h
 
 liberror_a_SOURCES = krb5_err.c asn1_err.c hdb_err.c error.c 
 
-%.c: %.et
+.et.c:
 	$(SHELL) ./compile_et $<
 
 krb5_err.o: asn1_err.c