diff --git a/test/perl/Makefile.am b/test/perl/Makefile.am
index 291106b..d975f69 100644
--- a/test/perl/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/perl/Makefile.am
@@ -17,11 +17,13 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_srcdir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
+THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
 
 stubs: ../ThriftTest.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen perl ../ThriftTest.thrift
 
+precross: stubs
+
 check: stubs
 
 clean-local: