diff --git a/docs/api/Makefile.am b/docs/api/Makefile.am
index ea860d8fd..d98dc786a 100644
--- a/docs/api/Makefile.am
+++ b/docs/api/Makefile.am
@@ -20,9 +20,10 @@ spec.html: $(XMLS) $(OTHER_FILES) html-build.stamp
 	mkdir -p $(builddir)/html/
 	cp $@ $(builddir)/html/
 
+# settings-spec.xml should *not* be DISTed because it must be regenerated
+# whenever the libnm-util source changes
 settings-spec.xml: $(top_builddir)/tools/generate-settings-spec $(top_builddir)/libnm-util/libnm-util.la
-	rm -f $(builddir)/$@
-	$(top_builddir)/tools/generate-settings-spec book $(builddir)/$@
+	$(top_builddir)/tools/generate-settings-spec book $@
 
 all: $(GENERATED_FILES)
 
@@ -45,7 +46,6 @@ MKTMPL_OPTIONS=
 # Non-autogenerated SGML files to be included in $(DOC_MAIN_SGML_FILE)
 content_files = \
 	version.xml \
-	settings-spec.xml \
 	migrating-to-09.xml \
 	$(NULL)
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ include $(top_srcdir)/gtk-doc.make
 
 ####################################
 
-EXTRA_DIST += $(GENERATED_FILES)
+EXTRA_DIST += spec.html
 CLEANFILES += $(GENERATED_FILES)
 
 else