diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ffa2e0537fefc3848013941cbfec8ad903b811e4..606d443211e46ddf72e73ac44ab19d8cc69ee5e7 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -7,15 +7,14 @@ AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([dune/common/stdstreams.cc])
 AM_CONFIG_HEADER([config.h])
 
-# create symlink dune -> $top_srcdir
-DUNE_SYMLINK
 # add configure flags needed to create log files for dune-autobuild
 DUNE_AUTOBUILD_FLAGS
 # check all dune dependecies and prerequisits
 DUNE_CHECK_ALL
 
 # preset variable to path such that #include <dune/...> works
-AC_SUBST([DUNE_COMMON_ROOT], '$(abs_top_builddir)')
+AC_SUBST([DUNE_COMMON_ROOT], '$(abs_top_srcdir)')
+AC_SUBST([DUNE_COMMON_BIN], '$(abs_top_srcdir)/bin/')
 AC_SUBST([AM_CPPFLAGS], '-I$(top_srcdir)')
 AC_SUBST([LOCAL_LIBS], '$(top_builddir)/dune/common/libcommon.la')
 
diff --git a/dune/common/test/Makefile.am b/dune/common/test/Makefile.am
index 5179a1c77ff071944160a5e8719fa750699cd1e7..5e1d78078c6e3815cce85c66ef179a5ec00b18a5 100644
--- a/dune/common/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/dune/common/test/Makefile.am
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ TESTPROGS = parsetest test-stack arraylisttest smartpointertest \
     float_cmp
 
 # which tests to run
-COMPILE_XFAIL=$(DUNE_COMMON_ROOT)/bin/xfail-compile-tests
+COMPILE_XFAIL=$(DUNE_COMMON_BIN)/xfail-compile-tests
 
 COMPILE_XFAIL_TESTS = genericiterator_compile_fail nullptr-test-fail static_assert_test