diff --git a/man/Makefile.am b/man/Makefile.am
index f7b4dac671dec..ed59328ef39b5 100644
--- a/man/Makefile.am
+++ b/man/Makefile.am
@@ -12,17 +12,18 @@ if ENABLE_SERVER
 include Makefile-server.am
 endif
 
-check-local:
-	${SPHINX_BUILD} -b man -d doctrees -c . $(top_srcdir)/doc/man $(top_builddir)/man
-
 # prevent `make` from running in parallel, sphinx runs better in batch mode.
 .PHONY: sphinx-build.stamp
 
 $(dist_man_MANS): sphinx-build.stamp
 
+# in a tree populated from dist tarball, the $(top_srcdir)/doc is not included
 sphinx-build.stamp:
-	${SPHINX_BUILD} -Q -b man -d doctrees -c . $(top_srcdir)/doc/man $(top_builddir)/man
+	if [ -d $(top_srcdir)/doc/man ] ; then \
+		${SPHINX_BUILD} -b man -d doctrees -c . $(top_srcdir)/doc/man $(top_builddir)/man; \
+	fi
 
 clean-local:
-	@rm -f *.8
 	@rm -rf doctrees
+
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = $(dist_man_MANS)