diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 930a30733..7a718d769 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -43,13 +43,14 @@ if INTERNAL_JIMTCL
 AM_CPPFLAGS += -I$(top_srcdir)/jimtcl \
 			   -I$(top_builddir)/jimtcl
 endif
+EXTRA_DIST_NEWS != ls $(srcdir)/NEWS-*
 EXTRA_DIST += \
 	BUGS \
 	HACKING \
 	NEWTAPS \
 	README.Windows \
 	README.OSX \
-	$(wildcard $(srcdir)/NEWS*) \
+	$(EXTRA_DIST_NEWS) \
 	Doxyfile.in \
 	tools/logger.pl \
 	tools/rlink_make_speed_table \