diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index db2d01b6246ad147f084751e650fcc5795d8d95a..bd52ba838a615a4f50889933fce0f91ac6ad223b 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1418,8 +1418,8 @@ check-local: check-dirs $(GENERATED_FILES)
 			exit 1; \
 		fi; \
 	done; \
-	if ! test -f doc/design-$$expver.rst; then \
-		echo "File doc/design-$$expver.rst not found"; \
+	if ! test -f $(top_srcdir)/doc/design-$$expver.rst; then \
+		echo "File $(top_srcdir)/doc/design-$$expver.rst not found"; \
 		exit 1; \
 	fi