diff --git a/istl/Makefile.am b/istl/Makefile.am
index 6167f736f72a0d4576dc8644ec8c238188fbcc50..590eee1d3e030a66aee3ca03b6f612934330feca 100644
--- a/istl/Makefile.am
+++ b/istl/Makefile.am
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ RENAMESTUFF = README.istl-dist tutorial/Makefile.istl-dist
 istl-dist:
 	(cd doc && $(MAKE))
 	if test -e istl ; then echo Please remove `pwd`/istl!; exit 1; fi
-	$(mkdir_p) istl
-	$(mkdir_p) istl/dune
+	mkdir -p istl
+	mkdir -p istl/dune
 	cp --parents $(SOURCES) $(DISTDOCS) $(DISTTUT) istl
 	(cd $(top_srcdir) && cp --parents $(DUNESTUFF) istl/istl/dune )
 	for NAME in $(RENAMESTUFF) ; do \