diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 9556b429de..5b1e27e319 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ gen-ChangeLog:
 
 .PHONY: gen-AUTHORS
 gen-AUTHORS:
-	$(AM_V_GEN)if test -d .git; then \
-	    out="`git log --pretty=format:'%aN <%aE>' | sort -u`" && \
-	    cat $(srcdir)/AUTHORS.in | perl -p -e "s/#authorslist#/$$out/" > \
-	      $(distdir)/AUTHORS-tmp && \
+	$(AM_V_GEN)if test -d $(srcdir)/.git; then \
+	    out="`cd $(srcdir) && git log --pretty=format:'%aN <%aE>' | sort -u`" && \
+	    perl -p -e "s/#authorslist#// and print '$$out'" \
+	      < $(srcdir)/AUTHORS.in > $(distdir)/AUTHORS-tmp && \
 	    mv -f $(distdir)/AUTHORS-tmp $(distdir)/AUTHORS ; \
 	fi