diff --git a/po/Makefile b/po/Makefile
index c1cd95d46..e6990a556 100644
--- a/po/Makefile
+++ b/po/Makefile
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ $(srcdir)$(PACKAGE).pot: $(srcdir)$(POTFILES_ABS_LIST)
 # either <lang> or <lang>.po when calling make. Example: make update-po PO=is
 
 update-po: Makefile $(srcdir)$(PACKAGE).pot
-	@cd $(srcdir)
+	@test -z "$(srcdir)" || cd $(srcdir)
 	@$(foreach lang,$(basename $(if $(strip $(PO)),$(PO),$(GMOFILES))), \
 	  echo -n "$(lang): "; \
 	  if $(MSGMERGE) $(srcdir)$(lang).po $(srcdir)$(PACKAGE).pot -o $(lang).new.po; then \
diff --git a/src/intl/gettext/Makefile b/src/intl/gettext/Makefile
index 82c3f085d..1b45ac0ae 100644
--- a/src/intl/gettext/Makefile
+++ b/src/intl/gettext/Makefile
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ OBJS = \
  textdomain.o
 
 
-# $(builddir)/charset.alias: $(srcdir)/config.charset
+# $(builddir)/charset.alias: $(srcdir)config.charset
 $(builddir)/charset.alias: $(srcdir)config.charset
-	$(SHELL) $(srcdir)/config.charset '$(host)' > $@.new
+	$(SHELL) $(srcdir)config.charset '$(host)' > $@.new
 	mv $@.new $@
 
 # FIXME: Building plural.c from plural.y on the fly doesn't work
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ install-local: $(builddir)/charset.alias all
 	  $(MKINSTALLDIRS) $(DESTDIR)$(localedir); \
 	  test -f $(DESTDIR)$(localedir)/locale.alias \
 	    && orig=$(DESTDIR)$(localedir)/locale.alias \
-	    || orig=$(srcdir)/locale.alias; \
+	    || orig=$(srcdir)locale.alias; \
 	  temp=$(DESTDIR)$(localedir)/t-locale.alias; \
 	  dest=$(DESTDIR)$(localedir)/locale.alias; \
 	  sed -f ref-add.sed $$orig > $$temp; \