diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 7b55262df..48ac8551f 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+include $(top_srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.common
+
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I build
 
 DIST_SUBDIRS = src boilerplate test perf doc util
@@ -21,7 +23,7 @@ check-valgrind: all
 .PHONY: doc test retest recheck perf check-valgrind
 
 
-EXTRA_DIST = \
+EXTRA_DIST += \
 	AUTHORS \
 	BIBLIOGRAPHY \
 	BUGS \
@@ -40,8 +42,8 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
 	cairo-version.h \
 	$(NULL)
 
-DISTCLEANFILES = config.cache
-MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = \
+DISTCLEANFILES += config.cache
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES += \
 	$(srcdir)/aclocal.m4 \
 	$(srcdir)/autoscan.log \
 	$(srcdir)/build/compile \
@@ -54,11 +56,12 @@ MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = \
 	$(srcdir)/build/mkinstalldirs \
 	$(srcdir)/config.h.in \
 	$(srcdir)/configure.scan \
-	`find "$(srcdir)" -type f -name Makefile.in -print`
+	$(NULL)
 
 DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS = \
 	--enable-gtk-doc \
-	--enable-test-surfaces
+	--enable-test-surfaces \
+	$(NULL)
 
 include $(srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.changelog
 include $(srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.releasing
diff --git a/boilerplate/Makefile.am b/boilerplate/Makefile.am
index 866315f1a..43d2b6762 100644
--- a/boilerplate/Makefile.am
+++ b/boilerplate/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-EXTRA_DIST = Makefile.win32
+include $(top_srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.common
 
-EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES = libcairoboilerplate.la
+EXTRA_DIST += Makefile.win32
+
+EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES += libcairoboilerplate.la
 
 libcairoboilerplate_la_SOURCES =	\
 	cairo-boilerplate.c		\
@@ -94,20 +96,17 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS =					\
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/src			\
 	$(CAIRO_CFLAGS)
 
-CLEANFILES =					\
+CLEANFILES +=					\
 	$(EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES)
 
-CLEANFILES += *.i *.s
-
 test: check
 
-TESTS =
 if CROSS_COMPILING
 check: check-link
 else
 TESTS += check-link
 endif
 
-check_PROGRAMS = check-link
+check_PROGRAMS += check-link
 check_link_LDADD = libcairoboilerplate.la
 CLEANFILES += check-link
diff --git a/build/Makefile.am.common b/build/Makefile.am.common
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd0ec3dd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/Makefile.am.common
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+BUILT_SOURCES =
+CLEANFILES =
+DISTCLEANFILES =
+EXTRA_DIST =
+EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES =
+EXTRA_PROGRAMS =
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES =
+TESTS =
+check_PROGRAMS =
+
+CLEANFILES += *.i *.s
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES += Makefile.in
diff --git a/doc/Makefile.am b/doc/Makefile.am
index 821d5c910..864a9f1df 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+include $(top_srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.common
+
 SUBDIRS=public
-.PHONY: doc
+
 doc:
 	cd public && $(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) doc
+.PHONY: doc
diff --git a/doc/public/Makefile.am b/doc/public/Makefile.am
index 644673938..cc0bbbaee 100644
--- a/doc/public/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/public/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-## Process this file with automake to create Makefile.in.
+include $(top_srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.common
+include $(top_srcdir)/src/Makefile.am.config
 
 # The name of the module.
 DOC_MODULE=cairo
@@ -16,8 +17,6 @@ DOC_SOURCE_DIR=../../src
 HFILE_GLOB=$(top_srcdir)/src/cairo-*.h
 CFILE_GLOB=$(top_srcdir)/src/cairo-*.c
 
-include $(top_srcdir)/src/Makefile.am.config
-
 # Headers to ignore
 IGNORE_HFILES= \
 	cairo-features.h \
@@ -53,5 +52,5 @@ check: doc
 endif
 
 TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = srcdir="$(srcdir)" top_srcdir="$(top_srcdir)" MAKE="$(MAKE)"
-TESTS = check-doc-coverage.sh check-doc-syntax.sh
+TESTS += check-doc-coverage.sh check-doc-syntax.sh
 EXTRA_DIST += $(TESTS)
diff --git a/perf/Makefile.am b/perf/Makefile.am
index 0de7b11ab..ebe39c961 100644
--- a/perf/Makefile.am
+++ b/perf/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+include $(top_srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.common
+
 AM_CPPFLAGS =					\
 	-I$(srcdir)				\
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/boilerplate		\
@@ -5,8 +7,8 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS =					\
 	-I$(top_builddir)/src			\
 	$(CAIRO_CFLAGS)
 
-EXTRA_PROGRAMS = cairo-perf cairo-perf-diff-files
-EXTRA_DIST = cairo-perf-diff
+EXTRA_PROGRAMS += cairo-perf cairo-perf-diff-files
+EXTRA_DIST += cairo-perf-diff
 
 cairo_perf_SOURCES =		\
 	cairo-perf.c		\
@@ -72,7 +74,7 @@ CAIRO_PERF_ENVIRONMENT = CAIRO_PERF_ITERATIONS="$(ITERS)" CAIRO_TEST_TARGET="$(T
 # Cap the maximum number of iterations during 'make check'
 TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = CAIRO_TEST_TARGET="$(TARGETS)" CAIRO_PERF_ITERATIONS="10"
 
-TESTS = cairo-perf$(EXEEXT)
+TESTS += cairo-perf$(EXEEXT)
 
 perf: cairo-perf$(EXEEXT)
 	$(CAIRO_PERF_ENVIRONMENT) ./cairo-perf$(EXEEXT)
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ VALGRIND_MEMCHECK_FLAGS = \
 	--leak-check=yes --show-reachable=yes
 VALGRIND_CALLGRIND_FLAGS = \
 	--tool=callgrind
-CLEANFILES = \
+CLEANFILES += \
 	$(EXTRA_PROGRAMS) \
 	valgrind-log \
 	callgrind.out.* \
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 0c8dccc51..61ea4f8b9 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
+include $(top_srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.common
 include $(srcdir)/Makefile.am.config
 
-EXTRA_DIST =
-CLEANFILES =
-DISTCLEANFILES =
-MAINTAINERCLEANFILES =
-BUILT_SOURCES =
-
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(srcdir) $(CAIRO_CFLAGS)
 
 if OS_WIN32
@@ -71,7 +66,6 @@ TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = \
 	all_cairo_files="$(all_cairo_files)" \
 	enabled_cairo_files="$(enabled_cairo_files)" \
 	$(NULL)
-TESTS =
 TESTS_SH = \
 	check-def.sh \
 	check-plt.sh \
@@ -86,7 +80,7 @@ TESTS += check-link
 endif
 
 EXTRA_DIST += $(TESTS_SH) check-has-hidden-symbols.c
-check_PROGRAMS = check-link
+check_PROGRAMS += check-link
 check_link_LDADD = libcairo.la
 CLEANFILES += check-link
 
@@ -95,7 +89,6 @@ CLEANFILES += check-link
 # cairo has been compiled with symbol hiding.
 .c.i: $(cairoinclude_HEADERS) $(nodist_cairoinclude_HEADERS) cairoint.h $(top_builddir)/config.h
 	$(CPP) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir) -I. $(AM_CPPFLAGS) $< -o $@
-CLEANFILES += *.i *.s
 
 SPARSE = sparse
 sparse:
diff --git a/test/Makefile.am b/test/Makefile.am
index d83e9c1a4..1527d1497 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+include $(top_srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.common
+
 SUBDIRS=pdiff .
 
 # Here are all the tests that are run unconditionally
-TESTS =							\
+TESTS +=						\
 a1-image-sample$(EXEEXT)				\
 a1-mask$(EXEEXT)					\
 a1-traps-sample$(EXEEXT)				\
@@ -742,7 +744,7 @@ REFERENCE_IMAGES = \
 	xlib-surface-source-ref.png \
 	zero-alpha-ref.png
 
-EXTRA_DIST =		\
+EXTRA_DIST +=		\
 6x13.pcf		\
 make-html.pl		\
 romedalen.png		\
@@ -829,9 +831,6 @@ check-local:
 	    done; \
 	fi
 
-check_PROGRAMS =
-EXTRA_PROGRAMS =
-
 AM_CPPFLAGS =					\
 	-I$(srcdir)				\
 	-I$(srcdir)/pdiff			\
@@ -840,7 +839,7 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS =					\
 	-I$(top_builddir)/src			\
 	$(CAIRO_CFLAGS)
 
-EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES = libcairotest.la
+EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES += libcairotest.la
 
 libcairotest_la_SOURCES =\
 	buffer-diff.c	\
@@ -910,7 +909,7 @@ VALGRIND_FLAGS = \
 	--tool=memcheck --suppressions=$(srcdir)/.valgrind-suppressions \
 	--leak-check=yes --show-reachable=yes $(EXTRA_VALGRIND_FLAGS)
 
-CLEANFILES =					\
+CLEANFILES +=					\
 	valgrind-log				\
 	index.html				\
 	ref.hash				\
diff --git a/test/pdiff/Makefile.am b/test/pdiff/Makefile.am
index cc793284f..73098da78 100644
--- a/test/pdiff/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/pdiff/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-EXTRA_PROGRAMS = perceptualdiff
-EXTRA_DIST = gpl.txt
+include $(top_srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.common
+
+EXTRA_PROGRAMS += perceptualdiff
+EXTRA_DIST += gpl.txt
 
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libpdiff.la
 libpdiff_la_SOURCES = 		\
@@ -15,7 +17,3 @@ perceptualdiff_SOURCES =	\
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/src -I$(top_builddir)/src $(CAIRO_CFLAGS)
 LDADD = libpdiff.la $(top_builddir)/src/libcairo.la
-#
-# Delete intermediate files as well
-clean-local:
-	-${FIND} . -name '*.[is]'   -print | ${XARGS} ${RM}
diff --git a/util/Makefile.am b/util/Makefile.am
index 8b1aa21be..f481a2121 100644
--- a/util/Makefile.am
+++ b/util/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+include $(top_srcdir)/build/Makefile.am.common
 
 util: malloc-stats.so
 
@@ -5,11 +6,11 @@ util: malloc-stats.so
 	$(RM) $@
 	$(LN_S) .libs/$*.so $@
 
-CLEANFILES = *.so *.la
+CLEANFILES += *.so *.la
 
 SOLDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version -export-dynamic -rpath /dev/null
 
-EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES = malloc-stats.la backtrace-symbols.la
+EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES += malloc-stats.la backtrace-symbols.la
 
 
 backtrace_symbols_la_LDFLAGS = $(SOLDFLAGS)
@@ -20,7 +21,6 @@ malloc_stats_la_LDFLAGS = $(SOLDFLAGS)
 malloc_stats_la_LIBADD  = $(backtrace_symbols_la_LIBADD)
 malloc_stats_la_SOURCES = $(backtrace_symbols_la_SOURCES) malloc-stats.c
 
-EXTRA_DIST = \
+EXTRA_DIST += \
 	xr2cairo \
 	cairo-api-update
-