diff --git a/man/local.mk b/man/local.mk
index b5e6e21..824cc5c 100644
--- a/man/local.mk
+++ b/man/local.mk
@@ -20,9 +20,13 @@ EXTRA_DIST += man/help2man man/dummy-man
 
 ## Graceful degradation for systems lacking perl.
 if HAVE_PERL
-run_help2man = $(PERL) -- $(srcdir)/man/help2man
+  ifeq ($(build),$(host))
+    run_help2man = $(PERL) -- $(srcdir)/man/help2man
+  else
+    run_help2man = $(SHELL) $(srcdir)/man/dummy-man
+  endif
 else
-run_help2man = $(SHELL) $(srcdir)/man/dummy-man
+  run_help2man = $(SHELL) $(srcdir)/man/dummy-man
 endif
 
 man1_MANS = @man1_MANS@