use top_srcdir, top_builddir, abs_top_srcdir or abs_top_builddir only if needed The build system runs primarily in the top-level directory now, so unless a Make rule changes the working directory before referencing a file, it is not necessary to use the abs_top_X or top_X directory names. * Makefile.am, build-aux/common.mk, doc/module.mk, libgui/graphics/module.mk, libgui/module.mk, libgui/src/module.mk, libinterp/corefcn/module.mk, libinterp/module.mk, liboctave/cruft/module.mk, liboctave/cruft/ranlib/module.mk, liboctave/module.mk, liboctave/numeric/module.mk liboctave/operators/module.mk, scripts/module.mk, src/module.mk: Only use Use $(top_srcdir), $(top_builddir), $(abs_top_srcdir), and $(abs_top_builddir) if necessary.

--- a/libinterp/corefcn/module.mk	Wed Feb 17 11:35:42 2016 -0500
+++ b/libinterp/corefcn/module.mk	Wed Feb 17 13:32:44 2016 -0500
@@ -7,12 +7,12 @@
   libinterp/corefcn/LSODE-opts.cc \
   libinterp/corefcn/Quad-opts.cc
 
-$(OPT_HANDLERS): libinterp/corefcn/%.cc : $(top_builddir)/liboctave/numeric/%.in
+$(OPT_HANDLERS): libinterp/corefcn/%.cc : liboctave/numeric/%.in
 	$(AM_V_GEN)rm -f $@-t $@ && \
-	$(PERL) $(top_srcdir)/build-aux/mk-opts.pl --opt-handler-fcns $< > $@-t && \
+	$(PERL) $(srcdir)/build-aux/mk-opts.pl --opt-handler-fcns $< > $@-t && \
 	mv $@-t $@
 
-$(OPT_HANDLERS): $(top_srcdir)/build-aux/mk-opts.pl
+$(OPT_HANDLERS): $(srcdir)/build-aux/mk-opts.pl
 
 JIT_INC = \
   libinterp/corefcn/jit-util.h \