diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3223cf1b76..c918ec8226 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 .sc-start-sc_*
 .ycm_extra_conf.py
 /AUTHORS
-/ChangeLog
 /GNUmakefile
 /INSTALL
 /NEWS
diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..55eb05c5ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+libvirt ChangeLog
+=================
+
+The libvirt project doesn't include a detailed ChangeLog in its release
+archives.
+
+If you're interested in the full list of changes made to libvirt since
+the project was started, you can clone the git repository from
+
+  https://libvirt.org/git/libvirt.git
+
+and browse them locally using your favorite git history viewer or,
+alternatively, browse them online at
+
+  https://libvirt.org/git/?p=libvirt.git;a=log
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 3c06e2619a..ebfcbec07a 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -79,19 +79,7 @@ check-access:
 
 MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = .git-module-status
 
-dist-hook: gen-ChangeLog gen-AUTHORS
-
-# Generate the ChangeLog file (with all entries since the switch to git)
-# and insert it into the directory we're about to use to create a tarball.
-gen_start_date = 2009-07-04
-.PHONY: gen-ChangeLog
-gen-ChangeLog:
-	$(AM_V_GEN)if test -d .git; then \
-	  $(top_srcdir)/build-aux/gitlog-to-changelog \
-	    --since=$(gen_start_date) > $(distdir)/cl-t; \
-	  rm -f $(distdir)/ChangeLog; \
-	  mv $(distdir)/cl-t $(distdir)/ChangeLog; \
-	fi
+dist-hook: gen-AUTHORS
 
 .PHONY: gen-AUTHORS
 gen-AUTHORS:
diff --git a/bootstrap.conf b/bootstrap.conf
index c2194df80b..b63acffcdb 100644
--- a/bootstrap.conf
+++ b/bootstrap.conf
@@ -176,8 +176,8 @@ xmllint	   -
 xsltproc   -
 "
 
-# Automake requires that ChangeLog and AUTHORS exist.
-touch AUTHORS ChangeLog || exit 1
+# Automake requires that AUTHORS exist.
+touch AUTHORS || exit 1
 
 # Override bootstrap's list - we don't use mdate-sh or texinfo.tex.
 gnulib_extra_files="
diff --git a/cfg.mk b/cfg.mk
index a62d4db13b..8594f64482 100644
--- a/cfg.mk
+++ b/cfg.mk
@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@ maint.mk Makefile: _autogen_error
   # though, as it would be quite pointless
   ifeq (2,$(_dry_run_result)$(_clean_requested))
     $(info INFO: running autogen.sh is required, running it now...)
-    $(shell touch $(srcdir)/AUTHORS $(srcdir)/ChangeLog)
+    $(shell touch $(srcdir)/AUTHORS)
 maint.mk Makefile: _autogen
   endif
 endif