diff --git a/docs/reference/Makefile.am b/docs/reference/Makefile.am
index 1da46a678..b08ecec1f 100644
--- a/docs/reference/Makefile.am
+++ b/docs/reference/Makefile.am
@@ -106,7 +106,9 @@ TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = cd $(srcdir) && \
 #TESTS = $(GTKDOC_CHECK)
 endif
 
-maintainer-clean-local:
+maintainer-clean-local: maintainer-clean-tmpl
+
+maintainer-clean-tmpl:
 	-rm -rf $(srcdir)/tmpl
 
 -include $(top_srcdir)/git.mk