diff --git a/src/gnome-utils/Makefile.am b/src/gnome-utils/Makefile.am
index 3ccef8feb5..70deaa29ba 100644
--- a/src/gnome-utils/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/gnome-utils/Makefile.am
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ _gnc-svninfo.h:
 		echo "/* Autogenerated. Do not change. */" > _gnc-svninfo.h ; \
 		echo "#define GNUCASH_SVN_REV \"$$svninfo\"" >> _gnc-svninfo.h ; \
 	else \
-		cp $(srcdir)/gnc-svninfo.h _gnc-svninfo.h ; \
+		echo "#define GNUCASH_SVN_REV \"unknown\"" > _gnc-svninfo.h ; \
 	fi
 
 BUILT_SOURCES = gnc-dir.h gnc-version.h