diff --git a/.x-sc_prohibit_strcmp b/.x-sc_prohibit_strcmp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..b7c456e8f6a24463e067e9b2d4d5c4c4c1241830
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.x-sc_prohibit_strcmp
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+^gnulib/
diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index cf7d7185a5b963c1ac83dfdd3bf721e94b2a33fb..5566f7c30d42d728a26d9dc94fd5e56bd2da9234 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+Wed May 14 23:17:55 CEST 2008 Jim Meyering <meyering@redhat.com>
+
+	exempt gnulib/ from "make syntax-check" strcmp prohibition
+	* .x-sc_prohibit_strcmp: New file.
+	* Makefile.am (EXTRA_DIST): Add .x-sc_prohibit_strcmp.
+
 Wed May 14 15:34:43 EST 2008 Daniel P. Berrange <berrange@redhat.com>
 
 	* qemud/qemud.c: Add 'listen_addr' config param to control
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index e32033a4d0bd12ac7906096a45566539a9a449c4..73552a48756f6a9219913938aef7aefb9a534ffb 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
   libvirt.pc libvirt.pc.in \
   $(man_MANS) autobuild.sh \
   .x-sc_avoid_if_before_free \
+  .x-sc_prohibit_strcmp \
   .x-sc_require_config_h
 
 man_MANS = virsh.1