diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 466108c9a7..c2719f7da4 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -162,13 +162,18 @@ distclean-local:
 libtool: $(LIBTOOL_DEPS)
 	$(SHELL) ./config.status --recheck
 
-pot:
+buildpo : make-gnucash-potfiles Makefile
+	${top_srcdir}/make-gnucash-potfiles > po/POTFILES.in
+
+pot: buildpo
 	rm -f intl-scm/guile-strings.c
 	make -C intl-scm
-	${top_srcdir}/make-gnucash-potfiles > po/POTFILES.in
 	rm -f po/$(PACKAGE).pot
 	make -C po $(PACKAGE).pot
 
+pot_DATA=buildpo
+potdir=po
+
 SVN = svn
 XSLTPROC = xsltproc
 ChangeLog.svn: