diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4dda340..3a119ae 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@
 
 prefix = $(HOME)
 bindir = $(prefix)/bin
+mandir = $(prefix)/share/man
 gitexecdir = $(bindir)
 sharedir = $(prefix)/share
 template_dir = $(sharedir)/git-core/templates
@@ -746,6 +747,7 @@
 
 DESTDIR_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(DESTDIR))
 bindir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(bindir))
+mandir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(mandir))
 gitexecdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(gitexecdir))
 template_dir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(template_dir))
 prefix_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(prefix))
@@ -792,7 +794,8 @@
 	$(QUIET_LINK)$(CC) $(ALL_CFLAGS) -o $@ git.o \
 		$(BUILTIN_OBJS) $(ALL_LDFLAGS) $(LIBS)
 
-help.o: common-cmds.h
+help.o: help.c common-cmds.h GIT-CFLAGS
+	$(QUIET_CC)$(CC) -o $*.o -c $(ALL_CFLAGS) '-DGIT_MAN_PATH="$(mandir_SQ)"' $<
 
 git-merge-subtree$X: git-merge-recursive$X
 	$(QUIET_BUILT_IN)$(RM) $@ && ln git-merge-recursive$X $@