diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 87bde72e..69102a5f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 
 AC_PREREQ(2.69)
 AC_INIT([Wolfpack Empire],
-	m4_esyscmd([build-aux/git-version-gen $srcdir/.tarball-version]),
+	m4_esyscmd([build-aux/git-version-gen .tarball-version]),
 	[wolfpack@wolfpackempire.com], [empire],
 	[http://www.wolfpackempire.com/])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([include/combat.h])
diff --git a/src/client/configure.ac b/src/client/configure.ac
index b911fe7d..92550908 100644
--- a/src/client/configure.ac
+++ b/src/client/configure.ac
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 
 AC_PREREQ(2.69)
 AC_INIT([Wolfpack Empire Client],
-	m4_esyscmd([cat $srcdir/.tarball-version]),
+	m4_esyscmd([cat .tarball-version]),
 	[wolfpack@wolfpackempire.com],,
 	[http://www.wolfpackempire.com/])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([empire.6])