diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 96783b16b3..bae4ce81e0 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ include $(top_srcdir)/config/common.am
 
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4 -I config
 
-DISTCLEANFILES += lyx.1
-
 MAINTAINERCLEANFILES += $(srcdir)/aclocal.m4 $(srcdir)/configure \
 	$(srcdir)/config.h.in
 
@@ -23,14 +21,10 @@ SUBDIRS = config development intl po $(BOOST) src sourcedoc lib \
 
 EXTRA_DIST = ANNOUNCE INSTALL.autoconf RELEASE-NOTES UPGRADING \
 	INSTALL.Win32 INSTALL.MacOSX INSTALL.scons INSTALL.cmake \
-	README.Win32 README.Cygwin README.localization lyx.man autogen.sh
+	README.Win32 README.Cygwin README.localization lyx.1in autogen.sh
 
 man_MANS = lyx.1
 
-lyx.1:
-	sed -e "s/LYX_DIR_VER/$(LYX_DIR_VER)/g" \
-	    -e "s/LYX_USERDIR_VER/$(LYX_USERDIR_VER)/g" $(srcdir)/lyx.man > lyx.1
-
 rpmdist: dist
 	$(LN_S) $(srcdir)/lib/images/lyx.png . ; \
 	if [ -z "`type -path rpmbuild`" ]; \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 38085adf68..9617e4f0e6 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ AC_SUBST(AM_CPPFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(AM_CXXFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(AM_CFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(AM_LDFLAGS)
+AC_SUBST(real_pkgdatadir)
 
 ## Some config.h stuff
 
@@ -458,7 +459,8 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([LYX_MINOR_VERSION],$lyx_minor,[Minor version number])
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([LYX_RELEASE_LEVEL],$lyx_release,[Release version number])
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([LYX_RELEASE_PATCH],$lyx_patch,[Patch version number])
 
-AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile
+AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile \
+      lyx.1:lyx.1in \
       boost/Makefile \
       config/Makefile \
       development/Makefile \
diff --git a/lyx.man b/lyx.1in
similarity index 95%
rename from lyx.man
rename to lyx.1in
index 2b6879e6ce..75a6561c7c 100644
--- a/lyx.man
+++ b/lyx.1in
@@ -83,13 +83,13 @@ The system directory is determined by searching for the file
 .br
 1) \-sysdir command line parameter
 .br
-2) LYX_DIR_VER environment variable
+2) @LYX_DIR_VER@ environment variable
 .br
 3) Maybe <path of binary>/TOP_SRCDIR/lib
 .br
 4) <path of binary>/../share/<name of binary>/
 .br
-5) hardcoded lyx_dir (usually /usr/local/share/lyx on UNIX)
+5) hardcoded lyx_dir (at build time: @real_pkgdatadir@)
 .TP
 .B LYX_USERDIR_VER
 can be used to specify which user directory to use.
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ The user directory is, in order of precedence:
 .br
 1) \-userdir command line parameter
 .br
-2) LYX_USERDIR_VER environment variable
+2) @LYX_USERDIR_VER@ environment variable
 .br
 3) $HOME/.<name of binary> if no explicit setting is made
 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ strings in other languages.
 .fi
 
 .I LIBDIR
-is the system directory. This is usually /usr/local/share/lyx on UNIX.
+is the system directory. This was at build time @real_pkgdatadir@.
 .SH SEE ALSO
 tex2lyx(1), latex(1).