diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
index 1e0fda387..7b3c585ac 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -146,8 +146,8 @@ libcurl_la_SOURCES = $(CSOURCES) $(HHEADERS)
 libcurlu_la_SOURCES = $(CSOURCES) $(HHEADERS)
 
 checksrc:
-	@PERL@ $(top_srcdir)/lib/checksrc.pl -W$(top_srcdir)/lib/curl_config.h \
-	$(top_srcdir)/lib/*.[ch] $(top_srcdir)/lib/vauth/*.[ch] $(top_srcdir)/lib/vtls/*.[ch]
+	@PERL@ $(srcdir)/checksrc.pl -D$(srcdir) -W$(srcdir)/curl_config.h      \
+	$(srcdir)/*.[ch] $(srcdir)/vauth/*.[ch] $(srcdir)/vtls/*.[ch]
 
 if CURLDEBUG
 # for debug builds, we scan the sources on all regular make invokes
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 28df6709e..79c4f4f10 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ endif
 # ignore tool_hugehelp.c since it is generated source code and it plays
 # by slightly different rules!
 checksrc:
-	@PERL@ $(top_srcdir)/lib/checksrc.pl -W$(top_srcdir)/src/tool_hugehelp.c $(top_srcdir)/src/*.[ch]
+	@PERL@ $(top_srcdir)/lib/checksrc.pl -D$(srcdir)        \
+	-W$(srcdir)/tool_hugehelp.c $(srcdir)/*.[ch]
 
 if CURLDEBUG
 # for debug builds, we scan the sources on all regular make invokes