When I run ./autogen.sh && make, I see this: (this arose because I had the latest automake.git/master tools -- commit c1b83e1af60b866cf5cdeebf77d0275019bad8b2 from today -- early in my path) Generated 3 wrapper functions CC libvirtmod_la-libvirt-override.lo CC libvirtmod_la-typewrappers.lo CC libvirtmod_la-libvirt.lo CC libvirtmod_qemu_la-libvirt-qemu-override.lo CC libvirtmod_qemu_la-typewrappers.lo CC libvirtmod_qemu_la-libvirt-qemu.lo CCLD libvirtmod_qemu.la CCLD libvirtmod.la make[3]: Leaving directory `/h/j/w/co/libvirt/python' Making all in tests make[3]: Entering directory `/h/j/w/co/libvirt/python/tests' make[3]: Nothing to be done for `all'. make[3]: Leaving directory `/h/j/w/co/libvirt/python/tests' make[2]: Leaving directory `/h/j/w/co/libvirt/python' Making all in tests make[2]: Entering directory `/h/j/w/co/libvirt/tests' Makefile:4355: *** Malformed target-specific variable definition. Stop. make[2]: Leaving directory `/h/j/w/co/libvirt/tests' make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1 make[1]: Leaving directory `/h/j/w/co/libvirt' make: *** [all] Error 2 That is because of this automake-generated rule: undefine.log: undefine @p='undefine'; \ b='undefine'; \ $(am__check_pre) $(LOG_DRIVER) --test-name "$$f" \ --log-file $$b.log --trs-file $$b.trs \ $(am__common_driver_flags) $(AM_LOG_DRIVER_FLAGS) $(LOG_DRIVER_FLAGS) -- $(LOG_COMPILE) \ "$$tst" $(AM_TESTS_FD_REDIRECT) The trouble is that "undefine" is an operator in GNU make. Here's that part of GNU make's documentation: 6.9 Undefining Variables ======================== If you want to clear a variable, setting its value to empty is usually sufficient. Expanding such a variable will yield the same result (empty string) regardless of whether it was set or not. However, if you are using the `flavor' (*note Flavor Function::) and `origin' (*note Origin Function::) functions, there is a difference between a variable that was never set and a variable with an empty value. In such situations you may want to use the `undefine' directive to make a variable appear as if it was never set. For example: foo := foo bar = bar undefine foo undefine bar $(info $(origin foo)) $(info $(flavor bar)) This example will print "undefined" for both variables. If you want to undefine a command-line variable definition, you can use the `override' directive together with `undefine', similar to how this is done for variable definitions: override undefine CFLAGS The most pragmatic work-around is to rename the "undefine" test script. However, Stephano, as automake maintainer, I think you will want to fix automake not to prohibit the use of such test names.