diff --git a/config/config.mk b/config/config.mk
index 9040f436d232..a986f5b2f38c 100644
--- a/config/config.mk
+++ b/config/config.mk
@@ -401,7 +401,9 @@ endif
 # all public include files go in subdirectories of PUBLIC:
 PUBLIC		= $(XPDIST)/public
 
-ifndef USE_AUTOCONF
+ifdef USE_AUTOCONF
+DEPENDENCIES	= .md
+else
 VPATH		= $(OBJDIR)
 DEPENDENCIES	= $(OBJDIR)/.md
 endif
diff --git a/config/rules.mk b/config/rules.mk
index 41ff050c2692..8297d3b15cf4 100644
--- a/config/rules.mk
+++ b/config/rules.mk
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ endif
 
 ifdef USE_AUTOCONF
 ALL_TRASH := $(filter-out $(OBJDIR), $(ALL_TRASH))
-else
+endif
 -include $(DEPENDENCIES)
 
 ifneq (,$(filter-out OS2 WINNT,$(OS_ARCH)))
@@ -778,7 +778,6 @@ ifneq (,$(filter-out OS2 WINNT,$(OS_ARCH)))
 		exit(1);                                                      \
 	    }'
 endif
-endif # USE_AUTOCONF
 
 #############################################################################
 # X dependency system
@@ -792,6 +791,7 @@ $(MKDEPENDENCIES)::
 	$(MKDEPEND) -p$(OBJDIR_NAME)/ -o'.o' -f$(MKDEPENDENCIES) $(INCLUDES) $(CSRCS) $(CPPSRCS)
 
 $(MKDEPEND)::
+	cd $(DEPTH)/config; make nsinstall
 	cd $(MKDEPEND_DIR); $(MAKE)
 
 # Rules to for detection
diff --git a/nsprpub/config/config.mk b/nsprpub/config/config.mk
index 4563eca4494c..b18e18138654 100644
--- a/nsprpub/config/config.mk
+++ b/nsprpub/config/config.mk
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ RANLIB			= $(ACRANLIB)
 UNZIP_PROG		= $(ACUNZIP)
 WHOAMI			= $(ACWHOAMI)
 ZIP_PROG		= $(ACZIP)
+DEPENDENCIES	= .md
 else
 VPATH		= $(OBJDIR)
 DEPENDENCIES	= $(OBJDIR)/.md