diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index cd1ef00ace..b5647b4fe4 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+Tue Jan  6 10:47:33 CET 2009 Jim Meyering <meyering@redhat.com>
+
+	avoid syntax-check (po-check) failure due to FP match on gettext.m4
+	* Makefile.maint (po-check): Exclude .m4 files.
+
 Tue Jan  6 10:45:04 CET 2009 Daniel Veillard <veillard@redhat.com>
 
 	* qemud/remote.c: fix compilation without SASL, patch by John Levon
diff --git a/Makefile.maint b/Makefile.maint
index 4e2d347a20..cfbdf56fd2 100644
--- a/Makefile.maint
+++ b/Makefile.maint
@@ -558,6 +558,7 @@ po-check:
 	  files=;							\
 	  for file in $$($(VC_LIST_EXCEPT)); do				\
 	    case $$file in						\
+	      *.m4) continue;;						\
 	      *.?|*.??) ;;						\
 	      *) continue;;						\
 	    esac;							\