diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index ed30650..7fa1b76 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ $(srcdir)/ChangeLog:
 	if test -d "$(srcdir)/.git"; then \
 	  (GIT_DIR=$(top_srcdir)/.git ./missing --run git log --stat) | fmt --split-only > $@.tmp \
 	  && mv -f $@.tmp $@ \
-	  || (rm -f $@.tmp; \
+	  || ($(RM) $@.tmp; \
 	      echo Failed to generate ChangeLog, your ChangeLog may be outdated >&2; \
 	      (test -f $@ || echo git-log is required to generate this file >> $@)); \
 	else \
diff --git a/doc/Makefile.am b/doc/Makefile.am
index f483bc7..b9c0e31 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/Makefile.am
@@ -155,43 +155,43 @@ if CROSS_COMPILING
 	@echo Warning: cannot rebuild $@ when cross-compiling
 else
 .fncs.sgml: edit-sgml$(EXEEXT) $(srcdir)/func.sgml
-	-@rm $@
-	$(AM_V_GEN) $(builddir)/edit-sgml$(EXEEXT) $(srcdir)/func.sgml < '$*.fncs' > $*.sgml
+	-rm $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(builddir)/edit-sgml$(EXEEXT) $(srcdir)/func.sgml < '$<' > $*.sgml
 endif
 .sgml.txt: $(DOCS_DEPS)
-	-@rm $@
-	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2TXT) $*.sgml
+	-rm $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2TXT) $<
 .sgml.pdf: $(DOCS_DEPS)
-	-@rm $@
-	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2PDF) $*.sgml
+	-rm $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2PDF) $<
 .sgml.html: $(DOCS_DEPS)
-	-@rm $@
-	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2HTML) -u $*.sgml > $@
+	-rm $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2HTML) -u $< > $@
 ##
 fonts-conf.5: local-fontconfig-user.sgml version.sgml confdir.sgml
-	-@rm $@
-	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) local-fontconfig-user.sgml && \
-	rm manpage.*
+	-rm $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) $< && \
+	$(RM) manpage.*
 ##
 $(man3_MANS): func.refs
 func.refs: local-fontconfig-devel.sgml $(DOCS_DEPS)
-	-@rm $@
+	-rm $@
 	[ "x$(builddir)" != "x$(srcdir)" ] &&		\
 	for f in $(DOC_FUNCS_SGML); do			\
-		rm -f $(builddir)/$$f || :;		\
+		$(RM) $(builddir)/$$f || :;		\
 		$(LN_S) $(srcdir)/$$f $(builddir)/$$f;	\
 	done || :
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) -o devel-man local-fontconfig-devel.sgml && \
 	mv devel-man/manpage.refs func.refs &&	\
 	mv devel-man/*.3 . &&			\
-	rm devel-man/manpage.* &&		\
+	$(RM) devel-man/manpage.* &&		\
 	rmdir devel-man
 confdir.sgml: $(srcdir)/confdir.sgml.in
 	$(AM_V_GEN) sed -e 's,@CONFDIR\@,${CONFDIR},' $(srcdir)/$@.in | awk '{if (NR > 1) printf("\n"); printf("%s", $$0);}' > $@
 ##
 $(HTML_DIR)/*: $(HTML_DIR)
 $(HTML_DIR): local-fontconfig-devel.sgml $(DOCS_DEPS)
-	-@rm -r $@
+	-rm -r $@
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2HTML) -V '%use-id-as-filename%' -o $@ local-fontconfig-devel.sgml
 local-fontconfig-user.sgml: $(srcdir)/fontconfig-user.sgml
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(LN_S) $(srcdir)/fontconfig-user.sgml $@
diff --git a/fc-cache/Makefile.am b/fc-cache/Makefile.am
index b647c3f..300c966 100644
--- a/fc-cache/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-cache/Makefile.am
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ install-data-local:
 	-$(mkinstalldirs) "$(DESTDIR)$(fc_cachedir)"
 
 uninstall-local:
-	-rm -rf "$(DESTDIR)$(fc_cachedir)"
+	-$(RM) -rf "$(DESTDIR)$(fc_cachedir)"
 endif
 
 INCLUDES=-I${top_srcdir} -I${top_srcdir}/src $(WARN_CFLAGS)
@@ -53,14 +53,14 @@ fc_cache_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}	
-	-@rm $@
-	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	@rm -f manpage.*
+	$(RM) $@
+	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
+	$(RM) manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	-rm $(man_MANS)
+	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-case/Makefile.am b/fc-case/Makefile.am
index 1855d47..9138c19 100644
--- a/fc-case/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-case/Makefile.am
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ $(TARG): $(STMPL) fc-case.c $(SCASEFOLDING)
 	@echo Warning: cannot rebuild $(TARG) when cross-compiling
 else
 $(TARG): $(STMPL) fc-case$(EXEEXT) $(SCASEFOLDING)
-	-@rm $(TARG)
+	-rm $(TARG)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(builddir)/fc-case$(EXEEXT) $(SCASEFOLDING) < $(STMPL) > $(TARG).tmp && \
 	mv $(TARG).tmp $(TARG)
 endif
diff --git a/fc-cat/Makefile.am b/fc-cat/Makefile.am
index 6bc6168..5874595 100644
--- a/fc-cat/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-cat/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_cat_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}	
-	-@rm $@
+	$(RM) $@
 	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	@rm -f manpage.*
+	$(RM) manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	-rm $(man_MANS)
+	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-glyphname/Makefile.am b/fc-glyphname/Makefile.am
index 8378707..13b3d7b 100644
--- a/fc-glyphname/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-glyphname/Makefile.am
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ $(TARG): $(STMPL) fc-glyphname.c $(SGLYPHNAME)
 	@echo Warning: cannot rebuild $(TARG) when cross-compiling
 else
 $(TARG): $(STMPL) fc-glyphname$(EXEEXT) $(SGLYPHNAME)
-	-@rm $(TARG)
+	-rm $(TARG)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(builddir)/fc-glyphname$(EXEEXT) $(SGLYPHNAME) < $(STMPL) > $(TARG).tmp && \
 	mv $(TARG).tmp $(TARG)
 endif
diff --git a/fc-lang/Makefile.am b/fc-lang/Makefile.am
index 54fde38..09292bb 100644
--- a/fc-lang/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-lang/Makefile.am
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ $(TARG):$(ORTH) fc-lang.c $(STMPL)
 	@echo Warning: cannot rebuild $(TARG) when cross-compiling
 else
 $(TARG):$(ORTH) fc-lang${EXEEXT} $(STMPL)
-	-@rm $(TARG)
+	-rm $(TARG)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(builddir)/fc-lang${EXEEXT} -d ${srcdir} $(ORTH) < $(STMPL) > $(TARG).tmp && \
 	mv $(TARG).tmp $(TARG)
 endif
diff --git a/fc-list/Makefile.am b/fc-list/Makefile.am
index fb87b50..d40700a 100644
--- a/fc-list/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-list/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_list_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}
-	-@rm $@
-	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	@rm manpage.*
+	$(RM) $@
+	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
+	$(RM) manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	-rm $(man_MANS)
+	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-match/Makefile.am b/fc-match/Makefile.am
index 3bdff6d..94fc7d9 100644
--- a/fc-match/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-match/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_match_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}
-	-@rm $@
-	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	@rm manpage.*
+	$(RM) $@
+	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
+	$(RM) manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	-rm $(man_MANS)
+	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-pattern/Makefile.am b/fc-pattern/Makefile.am
index 085c1da..a7db210 100644
--- a/fc-pattern/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-pattern/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_pattern_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}
-	-@rm $@
+	$(RM) $@
 	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	@rm manpage.*
+	$(RM) manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	-rm $(man_MANS)
+	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-query/Makefile.am b/fc-query/Makefile.am
index 31fced9..132dd40 100644
--- a/fc-query/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-query/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_query_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}
-	-@rm $@
-	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	@rm manpage.*
+	$(RM) $@
+	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
+	$(RM) manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	-rm $(man_MANS)
+	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-scan/Makefile.am b/fc-scan/Makefile.am
index f36e8f4..c9d8904 100644
--- a/fc-scan/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-scan/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_scan_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}
-	-@rm $@
-	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	@rm manpage.*
+	$(RM) $@
+	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
+	$(RM) manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	-rm $(man_MANS)
+	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index a7bb73c..090f9b1 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -164,4 +164,4 @@ fontconfig.def: $(PUBLIC_FILES) $(PUBLIC_FT_FILES)
 	sort; \
 	echo LIBRARY libfontconfig-@LIBT_CURRENT_MINUS_AGE@.dll; \
 	echo VERSION @LIBT_CURRENT@.@LIBT_REVISION@) >$@
-	@ ! grep -q FcERROR $@ || (rm $@; false)
+	@ ! grep -q FcERROR $@ || ($(RM) $@; false)