diff --git a/data/Makefile.am b/data/Makefile.am
index bd2fac072..40078c9de 100644
--- a/data/Makefile.am
+++ b/data/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 CLEANFILES =
+NULL =
 
 desktopdir=$(datadir)/applications
 desktop_DATA = gnome-shell.desktop gnome-shell-wayland.desktop  gnome-shell-extension-prefs.desktop
@@ -11,7 +12,8 @@ service_DATA = org.gnome.Shell.PortalHelper.service
 
 CLEANFILES += \
 	org.gnome.Shell.PortalHelper.service \
-	org.gnome.Shell.PortalHelper.desktop
+	org.gnome.Shell.PortalHelper.desktop \
+	$(NULL)
 
 endif
 
@@ -33,7 +35,8 @@ introspection_DATA =				\
 	org.gnome.Shell.Screencast.xml		\
 	org.gnome.Shell.Screenshot.xml		\
 	org.gnome.ShellSearchProvider.xml	\
-	org.gnome.ShellSearchProvider2.xml
+	org.gnome.ShellSearchProvider2.xml	\
+	$(NULL)
 
 theme_sources = 						\
 	theme/HACKING						\
@@ -47,7 +50,8 @@ theme_sources = 						\
 	theme/gnome-shell-sass/_common.scss			\
 	theme/gnome-shell-sass/_drawing.scss			\
 	theme/gnome-shell-sass/_high-contrast-colors.scss	\
-	theme/gnome-shell-sass/gnome-shell-sass.doap
+	theme/gnome-shell-sass/gnome-shell-sass.doap		\
+	$(NULL)
 
 resource_files = $(shell $(GLIB_COMPILE_RESOURCES) --sourcedir=$(srcdir)/theme --generate-dependencies $(srcdir)/gnome-shell-theme.gresource.xml)
 gnome-shell-theme.gresource: gnome-shell-theme.gresource.xml $(resource_files)
@@ -100,7 +104,8 @@ EXTRA_DIST =						\
 	org.gnome.Shell.PortalHelper.service.in		\
 	org.gnome.shell.gschema.xml.in.in		\
 	gnome-shell-theme.gresource.xml 		\
-	$(resource_files)
+	$(resource_files)				\
+	$(NULL)
 
 CLEANFILES +=						\
 	gnome-shell.desktop.in				\
@@ -113,4 +118,5 @@ CLEANFILES +=						\
 	gschemas.compiled				\
 	org.gnome.shell.gschema.valid			\
 	org.gnome.shell.gschema.xml.in			\
-	gnome-shell-theme.gresource
+	gnome-shell-theme.gresource			\
+	$(NULL)