diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 2bb90ab148..38236d81e1 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ clean-precomp:
 	rm -f $(PRECOMP)
 
 ### Pregenerated test vectors
+### (see the comments in the previous section for detailed rationale)
 TESTVECTORS = src/wycheproof/ecdsa_secp256k1_sha256_bitcoin_test.h
 
 src/wycheproof/ecdsa_secp256k1_sha256_bitcoin_test.h:
@@ -231,7 +232,9 @@ src/wycheproof/ecdsa_secp256k1_sha256_bitcoin_test.h:
 
 testvectors: $(TESTVECTORS)
 
-maintainer-clean-testvectors: clean-testvectors
+BUILT_SOURCES += $(TESTVECTORS)
+
+maintainer-clean-local: clean-testvectors
 
 clean-testvectors:
 	rm -f $(TESTVECTORS)