diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 1b92f3ae2..d250dc612 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -3951,6 +3951,7 @@ endif
 ###############################################################################
 
 man/common.ent: man/common.ent.in
+	@mkdir -p man/
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(data_edit) $< >$@
 
 xsltproc_flags = \
@@ -4003,6 +4004,9 @@ EXTRA_DIST += man/nm-settings-ifcfg-rh.5
 dist_dependencies += man/nm-settings-ifcfg-rh.5
 endif
 
+CLEANFILES += \
+	man/common.ent
+
 EXTRA_DIST += \
 	$(man_nm_settings_xml) \
 	$(addsuffix .xsl,$(basename $(man_nm_settings_xml))) \