diff --git a/doc/Makefile.am b/doc/Makefile.am
index 913d9f26..1b938ac8 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/Makefile.am
@@ -93,4 +93,10 @@ maintainer-clean-local:
 	-rm -rf "$(srcdir)/html.out" "$(srcdir)/man.out"
 
 distclean-local:
-	-rm -fr html.out html.tmp man.out man.tmp api.work
+	-rm -fr html.tmp man.tmp api.work
+	if test -L html.out; then \
+		-rm -rf html.out; \
+	fi
+	if test -L man.out; then \
+		-rm -rf man.out; \
+	fi
diff --git a/doc/nonpersistent/Makefile.am b/doc/nonpersistent/Makefile.am
index e4e0185e..b8ec4af2 100644
--- a/doc/nonpersistent/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/nonpersistent/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = \
-	$(srcdir)/Makefile.in $(srcdir)/ChangeLog
-DISTCLEANFILES = \
-	ChangeLog ChangeLog.tmp 
+	$(srcdir)/Makefile.in
 
 wikidir=$(htmldir)/wiki
 
@@ -44,7 +42,15 @@ ChangeLog:
 endif
 
 distclean-local:
-	-rm -rf wiki.out wiki.tmp
+	-rm -rf wiki.tmp
+	if test -L wiki.out; then \
+		rm -fr wiki.out; \
+	fi
+	-rm -fr ChangeLog.tmp
+	if test -L ChangeLog; then \
+		rm -fr ChangeLog; \
+	fi
 
 maintainer-clean-local:
 	-rm -rf "$(srcdir)/wiki.out"
+	-rm -rf "$(srcdir)/ChangeLog"