diff --git a/doc/Makefile.am b/doc/Makefile.am
index 2811d5a65b..34884c6153 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/Makefile.am
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ if HAVE_PERL
 SUBDIRS += misc
 endif
 
+# Do not change this line to "SUBDIRS = man" at the top of this file: in
+# maintainer mode, the "man" subdirectory depends on the "misc" subdirectory.
+SUBDIRS += man
+
 if HAVE_SPHINX_BUILD
-SUBDIRS += man arm
+SUBDIRS += arm
 endif HAVE_SPHINX_BUILD