diff --git a/src/engine/Makefile.am b/src/engine/Makefile.am
index 04adde4836..2a312ccfca 100644
--- a/src/engine/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/engine/Makefile.am
@@ -189,7 +189,14 @@ endif
 noinst_DATA = .scm-links
 
 if BUILDING_FROM_SVN
+
+# The generated file depends on various libqof headers. Out of
+# laziness I only include one here - more might be needed
+# subsequently.
+QOFHEADERS = $(top_srcdir)/src/libqof/qof/qofbook.h
+
 swig-engine.c: engine.i $(top_srcdir)/src/base-typemaps.i \
+               $(QOFHEADERS) \
                $(gncinclude_HEADERS) $(noinst_HEADERS)
 	$(SWIG) -guile $(SWIG_ARGS) -Linkage module \
 	-I${top_srcdir}/src/libqof/qof -I${top_srcdir}/src -o $@ $<