diff --git a/builder/Makefile.am b/builder/Makefile.am
index 974e80ccd..720ebb4f8 100644
--- a/builder/Makefile.am
+++ b/builder/Makefile.am
@@ -206,15 +206,6 @@ virt_builder_LINK = \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
 	  $(OBJECTS) -o $@
 
-.mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-.ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
-.ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-endif
-
 # Manual pages and HTML files for the website.
 
 man_MANS += virt-builder.1
diff --git a/customize/Makefile.am b/customize/Makefile.am
index 34b40d534..661917a24 100644
--- a/customize/Makefile.am
+++ b/customize/Makefile.am
@@ -141,15 +141,6 @@ virt_customize_LINK = \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
 	  $(OBJECTS) -o $@
 
-.mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-.ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
-.ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-endif
-
 # Manual pages and HTML files for the website.
 man_MANS = virt-customize.1
 noinst_DATA = $(top_builddir)/website/virt-customize.1.html
diff --git a/dib/Makefile.am b/dib/Makefile.am
index d3917db06..d1674a994 100644
--- a/dib/Makefile.am
+++ b/dib/Makefile.am
@@ -101,15 +101,6 @@ virt_dib_LINK = \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
 	  $(OBJECTS) -o $@
 
-.mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-.ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
-.ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-endif
-
 # Manual pages and HTML files for the website.
 
 man_MANS = virt-dib.1
diff --git a/get-kernel/Makefile.am b/get-kernel/Makefile.am
index b6e924f41..9d8fc61b2 100644
--- a/get-kernel/Makefile.am
+++ b/get-kernel/Makefile.am
@@ -101,15 +101,6 @@ virt_get_kernel_LINK = \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
 	  $(OBJECTS) -o $@
 
-.mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-.ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
-.ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-endif
-
 # Manual pages and HTML files for the website.
 
 man_MANS += virt-get-kernel.1
diff --git a/mllib/Makefile.am b/mllib/Makefile.am
index 0feebbc11..3b3f86b5f 100644
--- a/mllib/Makefile.am
+++ b/mllib/Makefile.am
@@ -125,16 +125,6 @@ dummy_LINK = \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
 	  $(OBJECTS) -o $@
 
-.mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-.ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
-.ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-
-endif
-
 # This OCaml module has to be generated by make (configure will put
 # unexpanded prefix macro in).
 
diff --git a/resize/Makefile.am b/resize/Makefile.am
index 929f61cf2..e9f48da61 100644
--- a/resize/Makefile.am
+++ b/resize/Makefile.am
@@ -102,15 +102,6 @@ virt_resize_LINK = \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
 	  $(OBJECTS) -o $@
 
-.mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-.ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
-.ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-endif
-
 # Manual pages and HTML files for the website.
 
 man_MANS = virt-resize.1
diff --git a/sparsify/Makefile.am b/sparsify/Makefile.am
index 7fd27cb8f..9df3e1fb3 100644
--- a/sparsify/Makefile.am
+++ b/sparsify/Makefile.am
@@ -98,15 +98,6 @@ virt_sparsify_LINK = \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
 	  $(OBJECTS) -o $@
 
-.mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-.ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
-.ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-endif
-
 # Manual pages and HTML files for the website.
 
 man_MANS = virt-sparsify.1
diff --git a/subdir-rules.mk b/subdir-rules.mk
index 985e26637..dd59349ee 100644
--- a/subdir-rules.mk
+++ b/subdir-rules.mk
@@ -42,3 +42,16 @@ $(top_builddir)/generator/generator:
 	fi
 
 LOG_DRIVER = env $(SHELL) $(top_srcdir)/build-aux/guestfs-test-driver
+
+# Rules for building OCaml objects.
+# See also:
+# guestfs-hacking(1) section "HOW OCAML PROGRAMS ARE COMPILED AND LINKED"
+
+.mli.cmi:
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
+.ml.cmo:
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
+if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
+.ml.cmx:
+	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
+endif
diff --git a/sysprep/Makefile.am b/sysprep/Makefile.am
index 3783a0bd2..e439a8891 100644
--- a/sysprep/Makefile.am
+++ b/sysprep/Makefile.am
@@ -168,15 +168,6 @@ virt_sysprep_LINK = \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
 	  $(OBJECTS) -o $@
 
-.mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-.ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
-.ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-endif
-
 # Manual pages and HTML files for the website.
 man_MANS = virt-sysprep.1
 noinst_DATA = $(top_builddir)/website/virt-sysprep.1.html
diff --git a/v2v/Makefile.am b/v2v/Makefile.am
index 6a093e639..933a7ec7b 100644
--- a/v2v/Makefile.am
+++ b/v2v/Makefile.am
@@ -214,15 +214,6 @@ virt_v2v_copy_to_local_LINK = \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
 	  $(COPY_TO_LOCAL_OBJECTS) -o $@
 
-.mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-.ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
-.ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-endif
-
 # Data directory.
 
 virttoolsdatadir = $(datadir)/virt-tools
diff --git a/v2v/test-harness/Makefile.am b/v2v/test-harness/Makefile.am
index 90e2a3972..cba5b418b 100644
--- a/v2v/test-harness/Makefile.am
+++ b/v2v/test-harness/Makefile.am
@@ -98,17 +98,6 @@ libv2vth_a_SOURCES = \
 	../../mllib/dev_t-c.c \
 	../xml-c.c
 
-# Dependencies.
-
-.mli.cmi:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-.ml.cmo:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-if HAVE_OCAMLOPT
-.ml.cmx:
-	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlopt $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
-endif
-
 v2v_test_harness.cmi: $(top_builddir)/ocaml/guestfs.cmi
 
 # Run ocamlfind to perform the install.  ocamlfind refuses to install