diff --git a/include/Makefile.am b/include/Makefile.am
index b2211a140c..cec1aed45d 100644
--- a/include/Makefile.am
+++ b/include/Makefile.am
@@ -1,61 +1,66 @@
 #
 # linux-ha: Linux-HA heartbeat code
 #
 # Copyright (C) 2001 Michael Moerz
 #                    This instance created by Horms
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 # modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
 # as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
 # of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
 # 
 # This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 # but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 # MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
 # GNU General Public License for more details.
 # 
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 #
 
 MAINTAINERCLEANFILES    = Makefile.in ha_version.h
 
 EXTRA_DIST = ha_version.h
 
 includedir=$(base_includedir)/heartbeat
 
 
 noinst_HEADERS	        = hb_api_core.h ha_version.h
 include_HEADERS	        = apphb.h apphb_notify.h HBauth.h HBcomm.h	\
 			  ha_msg.h heartbeat.h hb_api.h			\
 			  recoverymgr.h replace_uuid.h compress.h
 
 SUBDIRS                 = clplumbing ocf pils saf 			\
 			  stonith fencing lrm crm mgmt	
 
+## The backtick commands are not executed here,
+## but rather as macro-expansions at use within the rules.
 HG_LIVE_VERSION=`$(HG) -R "$(top_srcdir)" id`
 ARCHIVE_VERSION="$(top_srcdir)/.hg_archival.txt"
 HG_TAR_VERSION=`$(EGREP) node: "$(ARCHIVE_VERSION)"`
 
 ha_version.h: $(ARCHIVE_VERSION)
-	if [ -e ha_version.h -a ! -w ha_version.h ]; then				\
-		echo "Saved Version";	 						\
-	elif [ -f $(ARCHIVE_VERSION) ]; then						\
-		echo "Hg Archived Version: $(HG_TAR_VERSION)";				\
-		echo "/* $(HG_TAR_VERSION) */" > ha_version.h; 				\
-		echo "#define HA_HG_VERSION \"$(HG_TAR_VERSION)\"" >> ha_version.h; 	\
-	elif [ -x $(HG) -a -d $(top_srcdir)/.hg ]; then					\
-		echo "Hg Live Version: $(HG_LIVE_VERSION)";			 	\
-		echo "/* $(HG_LIVE_VERSION) */" > ha_version.h; 			\
-		echo "#define HA_HG_VERSION \"$(HG_LIVE_VERSION)\"" >> ha_version.h; 	\
-	elif [ -e ha_version.h ]; then							\
-		echo "Hg Saved Live Version"; 						\
-		cat ha_version.h; 							\
-	else										\
-		echo "Unknown Hg Version";			 			\
-		echo "/* Unknown Version */" > ha_version.h;				\
-		echo "#define HA_HG_VERSION \"Unknown\"" >> ha_version.h; 		\
+	if [ -r ha_version.h -a ! -w ha_version.h ]; then	\
+		hgv="";						\
+		echo "Saved Version";	 			\
+	elif [ -f $(ARCHIVE_VERSION) ]; then			\
+		hgv="$(HG_TAR_VERSION)";			\
+		echo "Hg Archived Version: $${hgv}";		\
+	elif [ -x $(HG) -a -d $(top_srcdir)/.hg ]; then		\
+		hgv="$(HG_LIVE_VERSION)";			\
+		echo "Hg Live Version: $${hgv}";	 	\
+	elif [ -r ha_version.h ]; then				\
+		hgv="";						\
+		echo "Hg Saved Live Version"; 			\
+		cat ha_version.h; 				\
+	else							\
+		hgv="Unknown";					\
+		echo "Unknown Hg Version";			\
+	fi ;							\
+	if [ X"$${hgv}" != "X" ]; then					\
+	  echo "/* $${hgv} */" > ha_version.h; 				\
+	  echo "#define HA_HG_VERSION \"$${hgv}\"" >> ha_version.h; 	\
 	fi
 
 .PHONY: $(ARCHIVE_VERSION)