diff --git a/common-rules.mk b/common-rules.mk
index d3f17704e..b2e8ead2a 100644
--- a/common-rules.mk
+++ b/common-rules.mk
@@ -51,3 +51,9 @@ CLEANFILES += bindtests.tmp
 
 # Files that should be universally removed by 'make distclean'.
 DISTCLEANFILES = .depend stamp-*
+
+# Special suffixes used by OCaml.
+SUFFIXES = .cmo .cmi .cmx .ml .mli .mll .mly
+
+# Special suffixes used by PO files.
+SUFFIXES += .po .gmo
diff --git a/generator/Makefile.am b/generator/Makefile.am
index 35b7a4209..5312514e5 100644
--- a/generator/Makefile.am
+++ b/generator/Makefile.am
@@ -207,5 +207,3 @@ stamp-generator: generator
 CLEANFILES += $(noinst_DATA) $(noinst_PROGRAM)
 
 DISTCLEANFILES += .pod2text.data.version.2
-
-SUFFIXES = .cmo .cmi .cmx .ml .mli .mll .mly
diff --git a/ocaml/Makefile.am b/ocaml/Makefile.am
index c6a458a2a..82b21772f 100644
--- a/ocaml/Makefile.am
+++ b/ocaml/Makefile.am
@@ -189,8 +189,6 @@ endif
 	$(top_builddir)/ocaml-dep.sh $^
 -include .depend
 
-SUFFIXES = .cmo .cmi .cmx .ml .mli .mll .mly
-
 # Run ocamlfind to perform the install.  ocamlfind refuses to install
 # the package if it is already installed, so remove the old package
 # first.