diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index 1198634bc..0ad04ef9e 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ check-headers: $(auto_c_files:.c=.o)
 
 distclean-compile:
 	rm -rf auto_*.c
+	rm -rf .deps
 
 if HAVE_DICT_WORDS
 if HAVE_SLOW_TESTS