diff --git a/generator/Makefile.am b/generator/Makefile.am
index ba0b772fb..3797876f4 100644
--- a/generator/Makefile.am
+++ b/generator/Makefile.am
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ objects = \
 
 EXTRA_DIST = $(sources) files-generated.txt
 
-OCAMLCFLAGS = -warn-error CDEFLMPSUVYZX -I $(srcdir) -I $(builddir) -package unix,str
+OCAMLCFLAGS = -warn-error CDEFLMPSUVYZX -I $(srcdir) -I . -package unix,str
 
 noinst_PROGRAM = generator
 
@@ -100,11 +100,11 @@ generator: $(objects)
 
 # Dependencies.
 %.cmi: %.mli
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -c $< -o $(builddir)/$@
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 %.cmi: %.ml
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -c $< -o $(builddir)/$@
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 %.cmo: %.ml
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -c $< -o $(builddir)/$@
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 depend: .depend
 
diff --git a/inspector/Makefile.am b/inspector/Makefile.am
index 29c92ef66..bd533aabb 100644
--- a/inspector/Makefile.am
+++ b/inspector/Makefile.am
@@ -116,21 +116,21 @@ check-valgrind-local-guests:
 example-debian.xml:
 	rm -f $@ $@-t
 	$(top_builddir)/run --test \
-	    $(builddir)/virt-inspector ../tests/guests/debian.img > $@-t
+	    ./virt-inspector ../tests/guests/debian.img > $@-t
 	mv $@-t $@
 example-fedora.xml:
 	rm -f $@ $@-t
 	$(top_builddir)/run --test \
-	    $(builddir)/virt-inspector ../tests/guests/fedora.img > $@-t
+	    ./virt-inspector ../tests/guests/fedora.img > $@-t
 	mv $@-t $@
 example-ubuntu.xml:
 	rm -f $@ $@-t
 	$(top_builddir)/run --test \
-	    $(builddir)/virt-inspector ../tests/guests/ubuntu.img > $@-t
+	    ./virt-inspector ../tests/guests/ubuntu.img > $@-t
 	mv $@-t $@
 example-windows.xml:
 	rm -f $@ $@-t
 	$(top_builddir)/run --test \
-	    $(builddir)/virt-inspector ../tests/guests/windows.img | \
+	    ./virt-inspector ../tests/guests/windows.img | \
 	    fgrep -v '<uuid>' > $@-t
 	mv $@-t $@
diff --git a/java/Makefile.am b/java/Makefile.am
index c03eb06f6..aba192b16 100644
--- a/java/Makefile.am
+++ b/java/Makefile.am
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
 
 CLEANFILES = \
 	doc-stamp \
-	$(builddir)/com/redhat/et/libguestfs/*.class \
+	com/redhat/et/libguestfs/*.class \
 	com_redhat_et_libguestfs_GuestFS.h \
 	*.class \
 	*.jar
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ libguestfs_jardir = $(JAR_INSTALL_DIR)
 libguestfs_jar_DATA = libguestfs-${VERSION}.jar
 libguestfs_jar_class_files = $(java_sources:.java=.class)
 $(libguestfs_jar_class_files): %.class: %.java
-	$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -d $(builddir) -classpath $(srcdir):$(builddir) $<
+	$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -d . -classpath $(srcdir):. $<
 
 libguestfs-${VERSION}.jar: $(libguestfs_jar_class_files)
 	$(JAR) cf $@ $^
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ BUILT_SOURCES = com_redhat_et_libguestfs_GuestFS.h
 
 com_redhat_et_libguestfs_GuestFS.h: $(java_prefix)/GuestFS.class
 	rm -f $@
-	$(JAVAH) -classpath $(srcdir):$(builddir) com.redhat.et.libguestfs.GuestFS
+	$(JAVAH) -classpath $(srcdir):. com.redhat.et.libguestfs.GuestFS
 
 # Documentation.
 
@@ -132,9 +132,9 @@ TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(top_builddir)/run --test
 noinst_DATA = Bindtests.class $(java_tests:.java=.class)
 
 t/%.class: t/%.java libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar
-	$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -classpath libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar -d $(builddir)/t $<
+	$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -classpath libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar -d t $<
 
 Bindtests.class: Bindtests.java libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar
-	$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -classpath libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar -d $(builddir) $<
+	$(JAVAC) $(JAVAC_FLAGS) -classpath libguestfs-$(VERSION).jar -d . $<
 
 endif
diff --git a/ocaml/Makefile.am b/ocaml/Makefile.am
index 6f3fd884e..70dd7f445 100644
--- a/ocaml/Makefile.am
+++ b/ocaml/Makefile.am
@@ -186,15 +186,15 @@ check-valgrind:
 
 # Dependencies.
 %.cmi: %.mli
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $(builddir)/$@
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
 guestfs.cmo: guestfs.ml
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $(builddir)/$@
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
 %.cmo: %.ml mlguestfs.cma
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $(builddir)/$@
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLCFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
 guestfs.cmx: guestfs.ml
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLOPTFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $(builddir)/$@
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLOPTFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
 %.cmx: %.ml mlguestfs.cmxa
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLOPTFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $(builddir)/$@
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLOPTFLAGS) -package unix -c $< -o $@
 
 depend: .depend
 
diff --git a/po-docs/ja/Makefile.am b/po-docs/ja/Makefile.am
index b5d5e1fe6..8e36a6418 100644
--- a/po-docs/ja/Makefile.am
+++ b/po-docs/ja/Makefile.am
@@ -83,9 +83,9 @@ guestfs.3: guestfs.pod guestfs-actions.pod guestfs-availability.pod guestfs-stru
 	  --man $@ \
 	  --section 3 \
 	  --license LGPLv2+ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfs-actions.pod:__ACTIONS__ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfs-availability.pod:__AVAILABILITY__ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfs-structs.pod:__STRUCTS__ \
+	  --insert guestfs-actions.pod:__ACTIONS__ \
+	  --insert guestfs-availability.pod:__AVAILABILITY__ \
+	  --insert guestfs-structs.pod:__STRUCTS__ \
 	  $<
 
 guestfish.1: guestfish.pod guestfish-actions.pod guestfish-commands.pod guestfish-prepopts.pod
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ guestfish.1: guestfish.pod guestfish-actions.pod guestfish-commands.pod guestfis
 	  --no-strict-checks \
 	  --man $@ \
 	  --license GPLv2+ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfish-actions.pod:__ACTIONS__ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfish-commands.pod:__FISH_COMMANDS__ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfish-prepopts.pod:__PREPOPTS__ \
+	  --insert guestfish-actions.pod:__ACTIONS__ \
+	  --insert guestfish-commands.pod:__FISH_COMMANDS__ \
+	  --insert guestfish-prepopts.pod:__PREPOPTS__ \
 	  $<
 
 virt-sysprep.1: virt-sysprep.pod sysprep-extra-options.pod sysprep-operations.pod
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ virt-sysprep.1: virt-sysprep.pod sysprep-extra-options.pod sysprep-operations.po
 	  --no-strict-checks \
 	  --man $@ \
 	  --license GPLv2+ \
-          --insert $(builddir)/sysprep-extra-options.pod:__EXTRA_OPTIONS__ \
-          --insert $(builddir)/sysprep-operations.pod:__OPERATIONS__ \
+          --insert sysprep-extra-options.pod:__EXTRA_OPTIONS__ \
+          --insert sysprep-operations.pod:__OPERATIONS__ \
 	  $<
 
 %.1: %.pod
diff --git a/po-docs/uk/Makefile.am b/po-docs/uk/Makefile.am
index b5d5e1fe6..8e36a6418 100644
--- a/po-docs/uk/Makefile.am
+++ b/po-docs/uk/Makefile.am
@@ -83,9 +83,9 @@ guestfs.3: guestfs.pod guestfs-actions.pod guestfs-availability.pod guestfs-stru
 	  --man $@ \
 	  --section 3 \
 	  --license LGPLv2+ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfs-actions.pod:__ACTIONS__ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfs-availability.pod:__AVAILABILITY__ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfs-structs.pod:__STRUCTS__ \
+	  --insert guestfs-actions.pod:__ACTIONS__ \
+	  --insert guestfs-availability.pod:__AVAILABILITY__ \
+	  --insert guestfs-structs.pod:__STRUCTS__ \
 	  $<
 
 guestfish.1: guestfish.pod guestfish-actions.pod guestfish-commands.pod guestfish-prepopts.pod
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ guestfish.1: guestfish.pod guestfish-actions.pod guestfish-commands.pod guestfis
 	  --no-strict-checks \
 	  --man $@ \
 	  --license GPLv2+ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfish-actions.pod:__ACTIONS__ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfish-commands.pod:__FISH_COMMANDS__ \
-	  --insert $(builddir)/guestfish-prepopts.pod:__PREPOPTS__ \
+	  --insert guestfish-actions.pod:__ACTIONS__ \
+	  --insert guestfish-commands.pod:__FISH_COMMANDS__ \
+	  --insert guestfish-prepopts.pod:__PREPOPTS__ \
 	  $<
 
 virt-sysprep.1: virt-sysprep.pod sysprep-extra-options.pod sysprep-operations.pod
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ virt-sysprep.1: virt-sysprep.pod sysprep-extra-options.pod sysprep-operations.po
 	  --no-strict-checks \
 	  --man $@ \
 	  --license GPLv2+ \
-          --insert $(builddir)/sysprep-extra-options.pod:__EXTRA_OPTIONS__ \
-          --insert $(builddir)/sysprep-operations.pod:__OPERATIONS__ \
+          --insert sysprep-extra-options.pod:__EXTRA_OPTIONS__ \
+          --insert sysprep-operations.pod:__OPERATIONS__ \
 	  $<
 
 %.1: %.pod
diff --git a/ruby/Makefile.am b/ruby/Makefile.am
index 454b6dce8..0faa2e0e6 100644
--- a/ruby/Makefile.am
+++ b/ruby/Makefile.am
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ install:
 	$(MKDIR_P) $(DESTDIR)$(RUBY_LIBDIR)
 	$(MKDIR_P) $(DESTDIR)$(RUBY_ARCHDIR)
 	$(INSTALL) -p -m 0644 $(srcdir)/lib/guestfs.rb $(DESTDIR)$(RUBY_LIBDIR)
-	$(INSTALL) -p -m 0755 $(builddir)/ext/guestfs/_guestfs.so $(DESTDIR)$(RUBY_ARCHDIR)
+	$(INSTALL) -p -m 0755 ext/guestfs/_guestfs.so $(DESTDIR)$(RUBY_ARCHDIR)
 
 TESTS = run-bindtests run-ruby-tests