diff --git a/doc/public/Makefile.am b/doc/public/Makefile.am
index 464cf47b6..b4db8b765 100644
--- a/doc/public/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/public/Makefile.am
@@ -50,11 +50,13 @@ include $(top_srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.gtk-doc
 
 dist-hook: doc
 
+# This line really belongs in gtk-doc.mk
+$(REPORT_FILES): sgml-build.stamp
+
 if ENABLE_GTK_DOC
-check: doc
 TESTS += check-doc-coverage.sh
 endif
 
 TESTS += check-doc-syntax.sh
 EXTRA_DIST += check-doc-coverage.sh check-doc-syntax.sh
-TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = srcdir="$(srcdir)" top_srcdir="$(top_srcdir)" MAKE="$(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS)"
+TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = srcdir="$(srcdir)" top_srcdir="$(top_srcdir)" MAKE="$(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS)" DOC_MODULE="$(DOC_MODULE)" REPORT_FILES="$(REPORT_FILES)"
diff --git a/doc/public/check-doc-coverage.sh b/doc/public/check-doc-coverage.sh
index 26212dc01..5257c7aca 100755
--- a/doc/public/check-doc-coverage.sh
+++ b/doc/public/check-doc-coverage.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ if test -z "$DOC_MODULE"; then
 	fi
 fi
 
+if test -n "$REPORT_FILES"; then
+	$MAKE $REPORT_FILES || exit 1
+fi
 
 test -z "$srcdir" && srcdir=.
 stat=0