diff --git a/src/frontends/xforms/ChangeLog b/src/frontends/xforms/ChangeLog
index 0c2c769f7f..496d7fc891 100644
--- a/src/frontends/xforms/ChangeLog
+++ b/src/frontends/xforms/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2003-11-29  Angus Leeming  <leeming@lyx.org>
+
+	* Makefile.am (stamp-forms, stamp-xpm): don't use "if test return
+	status; then... fi" but rather use the return status direct.
+
 2003-11-29  Angus Leeming  <leeming@lyx.org>
 
 	* FormVSpace.C
diff --git a/src/frontends/xforms/Makefile.am b/src/frontends/xforms/Makefile.am
index c7b7e741ef..ed33a8e390 100644
--- a/src/frontends/xforms/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/frontends/xforms/Makefile.am
@@ -184,22 +184,18 @@ lyx_forms.h: stamp-forms
 	@:
 
 stamp-forms: lyx_forms.h-tmp
-	if cmp -s $< lyx_forms.h ; then \
-		: ;\
-	else \
+	cmp -s $< lyx_forms.h || {
 		rm -f lyx_forms.h ;\
 		cp $< lyx_forms.h ;\
-	fi
+	}
 	echo timestamp > $@
 
 lyx_xpm.h: stamp-xpm
 	@:
 
 stamp-xpm: lyx_xpm.h-tmp
-	if cmp -s $< lyx_xpm.h ; then \
-		: ;\
-	else \
+	if cmp -s $< lyx_xpm.h || {
 		rm -f lyx_xpm.h ;\
 		cp $< lyx_xpm.h ;\
-	fi
+	}
 	echo timestamp > $@