diff --git a/lib/java/Makefile.am b/lib/java/Makefile.am
index fd13142..e878ae9 100644
--- a/lib/java/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/java/Makefile.am
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
 install-exec-hook:
 	$(ANT) install
 
+# Make sure this doesn't fail if ant is not configured.
 clean-local:
-	$(ANT) clean
+	ANT=$(ANT) ; if test -z "$$ANT" ; then ANT=: ; fi ; \
+	$$ANT clean
 
 check-local: all