diff --git a/man/generate_mans.mak b/man/generate_mans.mak
index 28694667..f0812969 100644
--- a/man/generate_mans.mak
+++ b/man/generate_mans.mak
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ man1/% man3/% man5/% man8/%: %.xml-config Makefile config.xml
 	            -nonet http://docbook.sourceforge.net/release/xsl/current/manpages/profile-docbook.xsl $<
 
 clean-local:
-	for d in man1 man3 man5 man8; do [ -d $$d ] && rmdir $$d; done
+	rm -rf man1 man3 man5 man8
 
 else
 $(man_MANS):