diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index c135236..65b6ba2 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ edit_cmd = sed \
 
 $(PATHFILES): Makefile
 	@ rm -f $@ $@.tmp
-	$(AM_V_at) mkdir -p $(dir $@)
+	$(AM_V_at) mkdir -p $$(dirname $@)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) srcdir=''; \
 		test -f ./$@.in || srcdir=$(srcdir)/; \
 		$(edit_cmd) $${srcdir}$@.in >$@.tmp