diff --git a/GNUmakefile b/GNUmakefile
index 430dbbee..6191a98b 100644
--- a/GNUmakefile
+++ b/GNUmakefile
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ version.mk: .version version.mk.in
 	if test "$(MAKECMDGOALS)" != "am--refresh"; then \
 		$(MAKE) -C "$(top_builddir)/build-aux" $(MAKECMDGOALS); \
 		PATH="$(top_builddir)/build-aux:$${PATH}" \
-			yuck scmver --ignore-noscm -o $@ --reference $^; \
+			$(YUCK) scmver --ignore-noscm -o $@ --reference $^; \
 		if test $$? -eq 3 -a -n "$(_dist-target_p)"; then \
 			exec $(MAKE) $(MAKECMDGOALS); \
 		fi; \
diff --git a/info/Makefile.am b/info/Makefile.am
index 870ed48c..fe0f98af 100644
--- a/info/Makefile.am
+++ b/info/Makefile.am
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ VPATH = $(srcdir):@top_srcdir@/src
 SUFFIXES += .man
 .yuck.man:
 	$(AM_V_GEN) PATH="$(top_builddir)/build-aux:$${PATH}" \
-		yuck$(EXEEXT) genman \
+		$(YUCK) genman \
 			--package "$(PACKAGE_NAME)" \
 			--info-page \
 			-i "$(builddir)/format.th2m" \
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ SUFFIXES += .man
 SUFFIXES += .mand
 .yuck.mand:
 	$(AM_V_GEN) PATH="$(top_builddir)/build-aux:$${PATH}" \
-		yuck$(EXEEXT) genman \
+		$(YUCK) genman \
 			--package "$(PACKAGE_NAME)" \
 			--info-page \
 			-i "$(builddir)/format.th2m" \
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ SUFFIXES += .mand
 SUFFIXES += .manu
 .yuck.manu:
 	$(AM_V_GEN) PATH="$(top_builddir)/build-aux:$${PATH}" \
-		yuck$(EXEEXT) genman \
+		$(YUCK) genman \
 			--package "$(PACKAGE_NAME)" \
 			--info-page \
 			-i "$(builddir)/format.th2m" \
diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
index 02dbbb40..55380202 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ SUFFIXES += .def
 ## version rules
 version.c: version.c.in $(top_builddir)/.version
 	$(AM_V_GEN) PATH="$(top_builddir)/build-aux:$${PATH}" \
-		yuck$(EXEEXT) scmver --ignore-noscm --force -o $@ \
+		$(YUCK) scmver --ignore-noscm --force -o $@ \
 			--use-reference --reference $(top_builddir)/.version \
 			$(srcdir)/version.c.in
 
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ SUFFIXES += .yuck
 SUFFIXES += .yucc
 .yuck.yucc:
 	$(AM_V_GEN) PATH="$(top_builddir)/build-aux:$${PATH}" \
-		yuck$(EXEEXT) gen -o $@ $<
+		$(YUCK) gen -o $@ $<
 
 ## gperf rule
 SUFFIXES += .gperf
diff --git a/m4/yuck.m4 b/m4/yuck.m4
index 8f425563..7bb1de87 100644
--- a/m4/yuck.m4
+++ b/m4/yuck.m4
@@ -85,13 +85,15 @@ instead of the system-wide one.])], [with_included_yuck="${withval}"], [with_inc
 			## see what m4 they used back then
 			YUCK_M4=`${YUCK} config --m4 2>/dev/null`
 			M4="${YUCK_M4-$M4}"
+		else
+			YUCK="yuck"
 		fi
 	else
 		AC_MSG_CHECKING([for yuck])
 		AC_MSG_RESULT([using included])
+		YUCK="${YUCK-yuck}"
 	fi
-	AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_YUCK], [dnl
-		test "${with_included_yuck}" = "no" -a -n "${YUCK}"])
+	AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_YUCK], [test "${with_included_yuck}" = "no"])
 
 	## further requirement is either getline() or fgetln()
 	AC_CHECK_FUNCS([getline])
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index bfd7d94c..db9d84e6 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ SUFFIXES += .yuck
 SUFFIXES += .yucc
 .yuck.yucc:
 	$(AM_V_GEN) PATH=$(top_builddir)/build-aux:"$${PATH}" \
-		yuck$(EXEEXT) gen -o $@ $<
+		$(YUCK) gen -o $@ $<
 
 ## gperf rule
 SUFFIXES += .gperf