diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 7931717a25320e4bf674416d013cbfdd01821ffd..3074001eacd6675d9c2c28af7e18813ce3527457 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ $(srcdir)/ChangeLog:
 	if test -d "$(srcdir)/.git"; then \
 	  (GIT_DIR=$(top_srcdir)/.git ./missing --run git log --stat) | fmt --split-only > $@.tmp \
 	  && mv -f $@.tmp $@ \
-	  || ($(RM) $@.tmp; \
+	  || (rm -f $@.tmp; \
 	      echo Failed to generate ChangeLog, your ChangeLog may be outdated >&2; \
 	      (test -f $@ || echo git-log is required to generate this file >> $@)); \
 	else \
diff --git a/doc/Makefile.am b/doc/Makefile.am
index 6c75c6c66e864cf1b60cfbd5faa3dcc7b36d0da4..a29b0cd02ba305f59ed59d24744bfb1e6c9a8cfa 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/Makefile.am
@@ -155,43 +155,43 @@ if CROSS_COMPILING
 	@echo Warning: cannot rebuild $@ when cross-compiling
 else
 .fncs.sgml: edit-sgml$(EXEEXT) $(srcdir)/func.sgml
-	-rm $@
+	-@rm $@
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(builddir)/edit-sgml$(EXEEXT) $(srcdir)/func.sgml < '$<' > $*.sgml
 endif
 .sgml.txt: $(DOCS_DEPS)
-	-rm $@
+	-@rm $@
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2TXT) $<
 .sgml.pdf: $(DOCS_DEPS)
-	-rm $@
+	-@rm $@
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2PDF) $<
 .sgml.html: $(DOCS_DEPS)
-	-rm $@
+	-@rm $@
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2HTML) -u $< > $@
 ##
 fonts-conf.5: local-fontconfig-user.sgml version.sgml confdir.sgml
-	-rm $@
+	-@rm $@
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) $< && \
-	$(RM) manpage.*
+	rm manpage.*
 ##
 $(man3_MANS): func.refs
 func.refs: local-fontconfig-devel.sgml $(DOCS_DEPS)
-	-rm $@
+	-@rm $@
 	[ "x$(builddir)" != "x$(srcdir)" ] &&		\
 	for f in $(DOC_FUNCS_SGML); do			\
-		$(RM) $(builddir)/$$f || :;		\
+		rm -f $(builddir)/$$f || :;		\
 		$(LN_S) $(srcdir)/$$f $(builddir)/$$f;	\
 	done || :
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) -o devel-man local-fontconfig-devel.sgml && \
 	mv devel-man/manpage.refs func.refs &&	\
 	mv devel-man/*.3 . &&			\
-	$(RM) devel-man/manpage.* &&		\
+	rm devel-man/manpage.* &&		\
 	rmdir devel-man
 confdir.sgml: $(srcdir)/confdir.sgml.in
 	$(AM_V_GEN) sed -e 's,@CONFDIR\@,${CONFDIR},' $< | awk '{if (NR > 1) printf("\n"); printf("%s", $$0);}' > $@
 ##
 $(HTML_DIR)/*: $(HTML_DIR)
 $(HTML_DIR): local-fontconfig-devel.sgml $(DOCS_DEPS)
-	-rm -r $@
+	-@rm -r $@
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2HTML) -V '%use-id-as-filename%' -o $@ local-fontconfig-devel.sgml
 local-fontconfig-user.sgml: $(srcdir)/fontconfig-user.sgml
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(LN_S) $< $@
diff --git a/fc-cache/Makefile.am b/fc-cache/Makefile.am
index 300c96697334e7bafd686cb349429666de71a218..b647c3f4b0930da5eeda790eae50239be4ea1ba7 100644
--- a/fc-cache/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-cache/Makefile.am
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ install-data-local:
 	-$(mkinstalldirs) "$(DESTDIR)$(fc_cachedir)"
 
 uninstall-local:
-	-$(RM) -rf "$(DESTDIR)$(fc_cachedir)"
+	-rm -rf "$(DESTDIR)$(fc_cachedir)"
 endif
 
 INCLUDES=-I${top_srcdir} -I${top_srcdir}/src $(WARN_CFLAGS)
@@ -53,14 +53,14 @@ fc_cache_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}	
-	$(RM) $@
-	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	$(RM) manpage.*
+	-@rm $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
+	@rm -f manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
+	-rm $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-case/Makefile.am b/fc-case/Makefile.am
index 9138c191c06499028bbd97b31abb9765fd3ab1b0..1855d47b83eeec9bfa680bdc78be2b1aa3230fc1 100644
--- a/fc-case/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-case/Makefile.am
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ $(TARG): $(STMPL) fc-case.c $(SCASEFOLDING)
 	@echo Warning: cannot rebuild $(TARG) when cross-compiling
 else
 $(TARG): $(STMPL) fc-case$(EXEEXT) $(SCASEFOLDING)
-	-rm $(TARG)
+	-@rm $(TARG)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(builddir)/fc-case$(EXEEXT) $(SCASEFOLDING) < $(STMPL) > $(TARG).tmp && \
 	mv $(TARG).tmp $(TARG)
 endif
diff --git a/fc-cat/Makefile.am b/fc-cat/Makefile.am
index 58745959170e1c9f4a5ac630d6cee18c591b71ef..6bc61684811ae556123b77b3e6f0d9575fc68cb6 100644
--- a/fc-cat/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-cat/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_cat_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}	
-	$(RM) $@
+	-@rm $@
 	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	$(RM) manpage.*
+	@rm -f manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
+	-rm $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-glyphname/Makefile.am b/fc-glyphname/Makefile.am
index 13b3d7b4f0bc7f51f4b3d74cba24d643ff3c21c3..8378707377b1ed55ca1d8eb435516402b1f35bef 100644
--- a/fc-glyphname/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-glyphname/Makefile.am
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ $(TARG): $(STMPL) fc-glyphname.c $(SGLYPHNAME)
 	@echo Warning: cannot rebuild $(TARG) when cross-compiling
 else
 $(TARG): $(STMPL) fc-glyphname$(EXEEXT) $(SGLYPHNAME)
-	-rm $(TARG)
+	-@rm $(TARG)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(builddir)/fc-glyphname$(EXEEXT) $(SGLYPHNAME) < $(STMPL) > $(TARG).tmp && \
 	mv $(TARG).tmp $(TARG)
 endif
diff --git a/fc-lang/Makefile.am b/fc-lang/Makefile.am
index 09292bb92f4ce0e47cee2b1efe4f5b0a6e61e79f..54fde38c4d3ce42f8840564068f2ed97977b78c1 100644
--- a/fc-lang/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-lang/Makefile.am
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ $(TARG):$(ORTH) fc-lang.c $(STMPL)
 	@echo Warning: cannot rebuild $(TARG) when cross-compiling
 else
 $(TARG):$(ORTH) fc-lang${EXEEXT} $(STMPL)
-	-rm $(TARG)
+	-@rm $(TARG)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(builddir)/fc-lang${EXEEXT} -d ${srcdir} $(ORTH) < $(STMPL) > $(TARG).tmp && \
 	mv $(TARG).tmp $(TARG)
 endif
diff --git a/fc-list/Makefile.am b/fc-list/Makefile.am
index d40700a4eb1f5688a52a6c3b7526d4f62f255b03..fb87b50b64f6e3c75870b3ff3e626900183bfd2c 100644
--- a/fc-list/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-list/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_list_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}
-	$(RM) $@
-	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	$(RM) manpage.*
+	-@rm $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
+	@rm manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
+	-rm $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-match/Makefile.am b/fc-match/Makefile.am
index 94fc7d906b0b49248020d24538ae39072d7d641f..3bdff6d77824b15794c838980fbc179b5d86299f 100644
--- a/fc-match/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-match/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_match_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}
-	$(RM) $@
-	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	$(RM) manpage.*
+	-@rm $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
+	@rm manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
+	-rm $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-pattern/Makefile.am b/fc-pattern/Makefile.am
index a7db2105e2436ffeb3c13c4f5d2ec107f3af8ce5..085c1dade770135c4276c726674215acea3b0a4e 100644
--- a/fc-pattern/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-pattern/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_pattern_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}
-	$(RM) $@
+	-@rm $@
 	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	$(RM) manpage.*
+	@rm manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
+	-rm $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-query/Makefile.am b/fc-query/Makefile.am
index 132dd401cf7702f1289dffddb20b1e3271849cfa..31fced90ca65539cf48167a8950301c2eccea9ce 100644
--- a/fc-query/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-query/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_query_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}
-	$(RM) $@
-	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	$(RM) manpage.*
+	-@rm $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
+	@rm manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
+	-rm $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/fc-scan/Makefile.am b/fc-scan/Makefile.am
index c9d8904ae72c1349938396f88c4aa2ffe58f1405..f36e8f4e77972f98716b4ff976a8406e5e4af18d 100644
--- a/fc-scan/Makefile.am
+++ b/fc-scan/Makefile.am
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@ fc_scan_LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/libfontconfig.la
 if USEDOCBOOK
 
 ${man_MANS}: ${SGML}
-	$(RM) $@
-	$(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
-	$(RM) manpage.*
+	-@rm $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(DOC2MAN) ${SGML}
+	@rm manpage.*
 
 all-local: $(man_MANS)
 
 clean-local:
-	$(RM) $(man_MANS)
+	-rm $(man_MANS)
 
 else
 all-local:
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 090f9b1abd72695ab6eb423c643e13c6943c8752..a7bb73ce2acce46a19f8d3d0ab2832b0337031df 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -164,4 +164,4 @@ fontconfig.def: $(PUBLIC_FILES) $(PUBLIC_FT_FILES)
 	sort; \
 	echo LIBRARY libfontconfig-@LIBT_CURRENT_MINUS_AGE@.dll; \
 	echo VERSION @LIBT_CURRENT@.@LIBT_REVISION@) >$@
-	@ ! grep -q FcERROR $@ || ($(RM) $@; false)
+	@ ! grep -q FcERROR $@ || (rm $@; false)