diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index b60cecaa28..1507a841e1 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -151,8 +151,8 @@ CLEANFILES = $(VC6_LIBDSP) $(VC6_SRCDSP) $(VC7_LIBVCPROJ) $(VC7_SRCVCPROJ)	\
 
 bin_SCRIPTS = curl-config
 
-SUBDIRS = lib src include
-DIST_SUBDIRS = $(SUBDIRS) tests packages docs scripts
+SUBDIRS = lib docs src include
+DIST_SUBDIRS = $(SUBDIRS) tests packages scripts
 
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
 pkgconfig_DATA = libcurl.pc
diff --git a/docs/Makefile.am b/docs/Makefile.am
index eee44d8752..98ea293103 100644
--- a/docs/Makefile.am
+++ b/docs/Makefile.am
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ MANDISTPAGES = curl.1.dist curl-config.1.dist
 
 HTMLPAGES = $(GENHTMLPAGES) index.html
 
-SUBDIRS = examples libcurl cmdline-opts
+SUBDIRS = libcurl cmdline-opts
+DIST_SUBDIRS = $(SUBDIRS) examples
 
 CLEANFILES = $(GENHTMLPAGES) $(PDFPAGES) $(MANDISTPAGES) curl.1