diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index b808d3b80..ddab2165f 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ tor (0.2.0.27-rc-X) Xxperimental; urgency=low
   * Add Homepage: https://www.torproject.org/ field to control file.
   * And mention www.tp.o instead of the old tor.eff.org in the long
     description.
+  * No longer ignore failure of make clean in the clean target.
 
- -- Peter Palfrader <weasel@debian.org>  Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:52:26 +0200
+ -- Peter Palfrader <weasel@debian.org>  Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:52:58 +0200
 
 tor (0.2.0.26-rc-1) experimental; urgency=critical
 
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 6c1d3ca98..739d489f9 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ clean: unpatch
 	dh_testroot
 	rm -f build-stamp
 
-	-$(MAKE) distclean
+	[ ! -f Makefile ] || $(MAKE) distclean
 
 	dh_clean