diff --git a/lib/java/Makefile.am b/lib/java/Makefile.am
index cbec7af..63d40a6 100644
--- a/lib/java/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/java/Makefile.am
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 
 export CLASSPATH
 
+THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
+
 all-local:
 	$(ANT) $(ANT_FLAGS)
 
@@ -31,6 +33,9 @@
 	ANT=$(ANT) ; if test -z "$$ANT" ; then ANT=: ; fi ; \
 	$$ANT $(ANT_FLAGS) clean
 
+precross: $(THRIFT)
+	$(ANT) $(ANT_FLAGS) compile-test
+
 check-local: all
 	$(ANT) $(ANT_FLAGS) test