diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index e7f963029723fa9df121979ec65b651a588f4a73..30af2f1f0ecc6d911c239dc7a7c9c0bda616a084 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@
 DEFS += -DXERCES_BUILDING_LIBRARY
 SUBDIRS = 
 
+# the  -I${top_srcdir} is needed to pick the lib/stricmp.h 
+# header file when doing out-of-tree builds
+AM_CPPFLAGS =						 -I${top_srcdir}
+
 #
 # Specify the convenience libraries for various xerces components
 # These are used only during the build process and are not themselves installed