diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 5a6e7bebd..5db53357a 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -50,4 +50,5 @@ hugehelp.c: $(README) $(MANPAGE)  mkhelp.pl
 
 # for distribution, generate an uncompressed help file!
 dist-hook:
+	chmod 0666 $(distdir)/hugehelp.c
 	$(NROFF) -man $(MANPAGE) | $(PERL) $(MKHELP) $(README) > $(distdir)/hugehelp.c