diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 9d4403253e9..c4e8f8a5359 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ dist-hook:
 	  fi; \
 	done
 
+RELEASENOTES.html: html
+	cp -p $(builddir)/doc/release-notes/release-$(SQUID_RELEASE).html $@
+
+CLEANFILES = RELEASENOTES.html
+
 EXTRA_DIST = \
 	ChangeLog \
 	CONTRIBUTORS \
@@ -48,6 +53,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
 	INSTALL \
 	QUICKSTART \
 	README \
+	RELEASENOTES.html \
 	SPONSORS \
 	bootstrap.sh \
 	po4a.conf
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 90c036e0df8..b4fa375a5dc 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -151,8 +151,7 @@ AC_PATH_PROG(AR, ar, $FALSE)
 AR_R="$AR r"
 AC_SUBST(AR_R)
 
-AC_PATH_PROG(LINUXDOC, linuxdoc, $FALSE)
-AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_RELEASE_DOCS, test "x${ac_cv_path_LINUXDOC}" != "x$FALSE")
+AC_PATH_PROG(LINUXDOC, linuxdoc, [:])
 
 SQUID_RELEASE=`echo $VERSION | cut -d. -f1`
 AC_SUBST(SQUID_RELEASE)
diff --git a/doc/release-notes/Makefile.am b/doc/release-notes/Makefile.am
index f41919db009..f4bdb82b681 100644
--- a/doc/release-notes/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/release-notes/Makefile.am
@@ -5,46 +5,36 @@
 ## Please see the COPYING and CONTRIBUTORS files for details.
 ##
 
-# requires the linuxdoc tools
-if ENABLE_RELEASE_DOCS
+DOC = release-$(SQUID_RELEASE)
 
-DOC= release-$(SQUID_RELEASE)
-
-SUFFIXES= .sgml.in .sgml
+SUFFIXES = .sgml.in .sgml
 
 .sgml.in.sgml:
-	sed \
-        -e "s%[@]SQUID_VERSION[@]%$(VERSION)%g" \
-        -e "s%[@]SQUID_RELEASE[@]%$(SQUID_RELEASE)%g" \
-        -e "s%[@]SQUID_RELEASE_OLD[@]%$$(( $(SQUID_RELEASE) - 1 ))%g" \
-        < $< >$@
+	$(SED) \
+	  -e "s%[@]SQUID_VERSION[@]%$(VERSION)%g" \
+	  -e "s%[@]SQUID_RELEASE[@]%$(SQUID_RELEASE)%g" \
+	  -e "s%[@]SQUID_RELEASE_OLD[@]%$$(( $(SQUID_RELEASE) - 1 ))%g" \
+	  < $< >$@
 	test `grep -c "@SQUID" $@` -eq 0
 
 .sgml.txt:
-	linuxdoc -B txt --filter $<
+	$(LINUXDOC) -B txt --filter $<
 
 .sgml.html:
-	linuxdoc -B html -T 2 --split=0 $<
-	perl -i -p -e "s%$@%%" $@
-	cp -p $@ $(top_builddir)/RELEASENOTES.html
+	$(LINUXDOC) -B html -T 2 --split=0 $< && \
+	  $(PERL) -i -p -e "s%$@%%" $@
 
 .sgml.man:
-	linuxdoc -B txt --manpage $<
+	$(LINUXDOC) -B txt --manpage $<
 
 .sgml.info:
-	linuxdoc -B info $<
+	$(LINUXDOC) -B info $<
 
-dist-hook: $(DOC).html
-	@if test -f $(builddir)/$(DOC).html; then \
-	  cp -p $(builddir)/$(DOC).html $(top_distdir)/RELEASENOTES.html; \
-	fi
+html: $(DOC).html
 
-EXTRA_DIST= $(DOC).html
+EXTRA_DIST = $(DOC).sgml.in
 
-CLEANFILES= \
-	*.html \
+CLEANFILES = \
+	*.html *.sgml \
 	*.tex *.ps *.dvi *.aux *.log *.toc \
-	*.txt *.man \
-	$(top_builddir)/RELEASENOTES.html
-
-endif
+	*.txt *.man