diff --git a/doc/local.mk b/doc/local.mk
index 0ff317a19e..8df003b891 100644
--- a/doc/local.mk
+++ b/doc/local.mk
@@ -232,10 +232,9 @@ $(srcdir)/%D%/guix.1: scripts/guix.in $(sub_commands_mans)
 # prerequisite is solely meant to force these docs to be made only after all
 # Guile modules have been compiled.  We also need the guix script to exist.
 $(srcdir)/%D%/guix-%.1: guix/scripts/%.scm $(GOBJECTS) scripts/guix
-	-@case '$?' in \
-	  *$<*) $(AM_V_P) && set -x || echo "  HELP2MAN $@"; \
-	        $(gen_man) --output="$@" "guix $*";; \
-	  *)    : ;; \
+	-@case '$?' in								\
+	  *$<*) $(AM_V_HELP2MAN:@%=%)$(gen_man) --output="$@" "guix $*";;	\
+	  *)    : ;;								\
 	esac
 
 if BUILD_DAEMON