diff --git a/package/automake/automake.mk b/package/automake/automake.mk
index 5021b494b9..264cbadeda 100644
--- a/package/automake/automake.mk
+++ b/package/automake/automake.mk
@@ -12,8 +12,11 @@ AUTOMAKE_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 
 HOST_AUTOMAKE_DEPENDENCIES = host-autoconf
 
+ACLOCAL_DIR = $(HOST_DIR)/usr/share/aclocal
+
 define GTK_DOC_M4_INSTALL
-	$(INSTALL) -D -m 0644 package/automake/gtk-doc.m4 $(HOST_DIR)/usr/share/aclocal/gtk-doc.m4
+	$(INSTALL) -D -m 0644 package/automake/gtk-doc.m4 \
+		$(ACLOCAL_DIR)/gtk-doc.m4
 endef
 
 # ensure staging aclocal dir exists
@@ -28,5 +31,4 @@ $(eval $(host-autotools-package))
 
 # variables used by other packages
 AUTOMAKE = $(HOST_DIR)/usr/bin/automake
-ACLOCAL_DIR = $(HOST_DIR)/usr/share/aclocal
 ACLOCAL = $(HOST_DIR)/usr/bin/aclocal -I $(ACLOCAL_DIR)