diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 49b5e4e71..f6e5ef169 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ include $(top_srcdir)/glib.mk
 
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4macros ${ACLOCAL_FLAGS}
 
-SUBDIRS = . m4macros glib gmodule gthread gobject gio po docs tests
+SUBDIRS = . m4macros glib gmodule gthread gobject gio po docs tests subprojects
 DIST_SUBDIRS = $(SUBDIRS) build win32
 
 bin_SCRIPTS = glib-gettextize
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7afeb87dc..ab67bda3f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -3615,6 +3615,7 @@ tests/Makefile
 tests/gobject/Makefile
 tests/refcount/Makefile
 m4macros/Makefile
+subprojects/Makefile
 ])
 
 # We need this command because the configure script will not preserve
diff --git a/subprojects/Makefile.am b/subprojects/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..34b2a92ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subprojects/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+EXTRA_DIST = \
+	libffi.wrap \
+	proxy-libintl.wrap \
+	zlib.wrap \
+	$(NULL)