diff --git a/perl/Makefile.am b/perl/Makefile.am
index 84f028aef..343a028e6 100644
--- a/perl/Makefile.am
+++ b/perl/Makefile.am
@@ -1,30 +1,30 @@
 
 # note: VPATH building does not work yet
 
-Hamlib/Makefile: $(top_srcdir)/perl/Hamlib/Makefile.PL
-	mkdir -p Hamlib
-	cp -u $(top_srcdir)/perl/Hamlib/{Changes,MANIFEST,README,Hamlib.pm,Hamlib.xs,Makefile.PL,test.pl,typemap} Hamlib/. 2> /dev/null || exit 0
-	cd Hamlib && perl Makefile.PL
+Hamlib-pl.mk: $(top_srcdir)/perl/Makefile.PL
+	cp -u $(top_srcdir)/perl/{Changes,MANIFEST,README,Hamlib.pm,Hamlib.xs,Makefile.PL,test.pl,typemap} . 2> /dev/null || exit 0
+	perl Makefile.PL MAKEFILE=Hamlib-pl.mk INST_MAN3DIR=$(mandir) \
+			LIB=$(libdir) CCFLAGS=$(CFLAGS) INC="$(INCLUDES)" \
+			LIBS="-L$(top_builddir)/src/.libs -lhamlib"
 
-all: Hamlib/Makefile
-	make -C Hamlib
+all: Hamlib-pl.mk
+	make -f Hamlib-pl.mk
 
 test: all
-	make -C Hamlib test
+	make -f Hamlib-pl.mk test
 
-clean: Hamlib/Makefile
-	make -C Hamlib clean
+clean: Hamlib-pl.mk
+	make -f Hamlib-pl.mk clean
 
-distclean: Hamlib/Makefile
-	make -C Hamlib distclean
+distclean: Hamlib-pl.mk
+	make -f Hamlib-pl.mk distclean
 
-distcheck: Hamlib/Makefile
-	make -C Hamlib distcheck
+distcheck: Hamlib-pl.mk
+	make -f Hamlib-pl.mk distcheck
 
-install: Hamlib/Makefile
-	make -C Hamlib install
+install: Hamlib-pl.mk
+	make -f Hamlib-pl.mk install
 
-EXTRA_DIST = Hamlib/Changes Hamlib/MANIFEST Hamlib/README \
-				Hamlib/Hamlib.pm Hamlib/Hamlib.xs Hamlib/Makefile.PL \
-				Hamlib/test.pl Hamlib/typemap
+EXTRA_DIST = Changes MANIFEST README Hamlib.pm Hamlib.xs Makefile.PL \
+				test.pl typemap