diff --git a/specs/libX11/Makefile.am b/specs/libX11/Makefile.am
index 62f71ec4..783da54c 100644
--- a/specs/libX11/Makefile.am
+++ b/specs/libX11/Makefile.am
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 if ENABLE_SPECS
 
+specdir = $(docdir)/$(subdir)
 doc_sources = libX11.xml
 dist_spec_DATA = $(doc_sources)	\
 	AppA.xml		\
diff --git a/specs/xmlrules.in b/specs/xmlrules.in
index f098a292..ddfaa319 100644
--- a/specs/xmlrules.in
+++ b/specs/xmlrules.in
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 #
 
 if HAVE_XMLTO
-specdir = $(docdir)/$(subdir)
 spec_DATA = $(doc_sources:.xml=.html)
 
 if HAVE_FOP