diff --git a/vms/build.com b/vms/build.com
index f65a45be11..c1de293432 100644
--- a/vms/build.com
+++ b/vms/build.com
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ $!
 $! This file builds C, Frtran, C++ HDF5 librraies and runs the tests
 $! Specify location of the top HDF5 source directory
 $
-$ hdf5top == "sys$sysusers:[pourmale.hdf5]"
+$ hdf5top == "sys$sysusers:[pourmal.hdf5]"
 $ len = F$LENGTH(hdf5top)
 $ tmp = F$EXTRACT(0, len-1, hdf5top)
 $ hdf5vms     = tmp + ".VMS]"
diff --git a/vms/make.com b/vms/make.com
index e634ea91f6..a5d0f10aa2 100644
--- a/vms/make.com
+++ b/vms/make.com
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ $ copy [.tools.testfiles]*.ddl  [-.tools.testfiles]
 $!
 $! Define location of ZLIB library. If you do not have it on your system, download
 $! source code from http://www.zlib.net/, build and install on your system
-$ define zlib_dir sys$sysusers:[pourmale.zlib-1_2_3]
-$! define zlib_dir sys$sysusers:[pourmale.zlib-1_2_3-ieee]
+$ define zlib_dir sys$sysusers:[pourmal.zlib-1_2_3]
+$! define zlib_dir sys$sysusers:[pourmal.zlib-1_2_3-ieee]
 $!
 $! Set up compilation flags here
 $! Do not remove define=H5_VMS and standard=strict_ansi qualifiers.
diff --git a/vms/src/make.com b/vms/src/make.com
index 343ab5832e..3dcecf1ea0 100644
--- a/vms/src/make.com
+++ b/vms/src/make.com
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ $! Makefile for VMS systems.
 $!
 $! Make HDF5 library
 $!
-$! ccopt = "/float=ieee_float/define=H5_VMS"
+$! The next two lines should be uncommented only when building by hand in the
+$! current directory. Use build.com in the vms directory to build
+$! the distribution. Make sure that location of the zlib library is correct.
+$!
+$! define zlib_dir sys$sysusers:[pourmal.zlib-1_2_3]
+$! ccopt = "/float=ieee_float/define=(_LARGEFILE,H5_VMS)/include=zlib_dir"
 $ ccc := cc 'ccopt 
 $ ccc h5detect.c
 $ link h5detect