diff --git a/build/autotools/Makefile.am.enums b/build/autotools/Makefile.am.enums
index c2c89e000..cbe4a1dad 100644
--- a/build/autotools/Makefile.am.enums
+++ b/build/autotools/Makefile.am.enums
@@ -15,17 +15,26 @@
 #
 # Author: Emmanuele Bassi <ebassi@linux.intel.com>
 
-enum_tmpl_h=$(glib_enum_h:.h=.h.in)
-enum_tmpl_c=$(glib_enum_c:.c=.c.in)
+# Basic sanity checks
+$(if $(GLIB_MKENUMS),,$(error Need to define GLIB_MKENUMS))
+
+$(if $(or $(glib_enum_h), \
+          $(glib_enum_c)),, \
+    $(error Need to define glib_enum_h and glib_enum_c))
+
+$(if $(glib_enum_headers),,$(error Need to define glib_enum_headers))
+
+enum_tmpl_h=$(addprefix $(srcdir)/, $(glib_enum_h:.h=.h.in))
+enum_tmpl_c=$(addprefix $(srcdir)/, $(glib_enum_c:.c=.c.in))
 
 CLEANFILES += stamp-enum-types
 DISTCLEANFILES += $(glib_enum_h) $(glib_enum_c)
 BUILT_SOURCES += $(glib_enum_h) $(glib_enum_c)
-EXTRA_DIST += $(srcdir)/$(enum_tmpl_h) $(srcdir)/$(enum_tmpl_c)
+EXTRA_DIST += $(enum_tmpl_h) $(enum_tmpl_c)
 
-stamp-enum-types: $(glib_enum_headers) $(srcdir)/$(enum_tmpl_h)
-	$(QUIET_GEN)$(GLIB_MKENUMS) \
-		--template $(srcdir)/$(enum_tmpl_h) \
+stamp-enum-types: $(glib_enum_headers) $(enum_tmpl_h)
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(GLIB_MKENUMS) \
+		--template $(enum_tmpl_h) \
 	$(glib_enum_headers) > xgen-eh \
 	&& (cmp -s xgen-eh $(glib_enum_h) || cp -f xgen-eh $(glib_enum_h)) \
 	&& rm -f xgen-eh \
@@ -34,10 +43,9 @@ stamp-enum-types: $(glib_enum_headers) $(srcdir)/$(enum_tmpl_h)
 $(glib_enum_h): stamp-enum-types
 	@true
 
-$(glib_enum_c): $(glib_enum_headers) $(glib_enum_h) $(srcdir)/$(enum_tmpl_c)
+$(glib_enum_c): $(glib_enum_headers) $(glib_enum_h) $(enum_tmpl_c)
 	$(QUIET_GEN)$(GLIB_MKENUMS) \
-		--template $(srcdir)/$(enum_tmpl_c) \
+		--template $(enum_tmpl_c) \
 	$(glib_enum_headers) > xgen-ec \
 	&& cp -f xgen-ec $(glib_enum_c) \
 	&& rm -f xgen-ec
-
diff --git a/build/autotools/Makefile.am.marshal b/build/autotools/Makefile.am.marshal
index cab117d8b..89d3222eb 100644
--- a/build/autotools/Makefile.am.marshal
+++ b/build/autotools/Makefile.am.marshal
@@ -14,19 +14,27 @@
 #
 # Author: Emmanuele Bassi <ebassi@linux.intel.com>
 
+# Basic sanity checks
+$(if $(GLIB_GENMARSHAL),,$(error Need to define GLIB_GENMARSHAL))
+
+$(if $(or $(glib_marshal_list), \
+          $(glib_marshal_prefix)),, \
+    $(error Need to define glib_marshal_list and glib_marshal_prefix))
+
 marshal_h = $(glib_marshal_list:.list=.h)
 marshal_c = $(glib_marshal_list:.list=.c)
+marshal_list = $(addprefix $(srcdir)/, $(glib_marshal_list))
 
 CLEANFILES += stamp-marshal
 DISTCLEANFILES += $(marshal_h) $(marshal_c)
 BUILT_SOURCES += $(marshal_h) $(marshal_c)
-EXTRA_DIST += $(srcdir)/$(glib_marshal_list)
+EXTRA_DIST += $(marshal_list)
 
-stamp-marshal: $(glib_marshal_list)
-	$(QUIET_GEN)$(GLIB_GENMARSHAL) \
+stamp-marshal: $(marshal_list)
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(GLIB_GENMARSHAL) \
 		--prefix=$(glib_marshal_prefix) \
 		--header \
-	$(srcdir)/$(glib_marshal_list) > xgen-mh \
+	$(marshal_list) > xgen-mh \
 	&& (cmp -s xgen-mh $(marshal_h) || cp -f xgen-mh $(marshal_h)) \
 	&& rm -f xgen-mh \
 	&& echo timestamp > $(@F)
@@ -35,11 +43,10 @@ $(marshal_h): stamp-marshal
 	@true
 
 $(marshal_c): $(marshal_h)
-	$(QUIET_GEN)(echo "#include \"$(marshal_h)\"" ; \
+	$(AM_V_GEN)(echo "#include \"$(marshal_h)\"" ; \
 	$(GLIB_GENMARSHAL) \
 		--prefix=$(glib_marshal_prefix) \
 		--body \
-	$(srcdir)/$(glib_marshal_list)) > xgen-mc \
+	$(marshal_list)) > xgen-mc \
 	&& cp xgen-mc $(marshal_c) \
 	&& rm -f xgen-mc
-