diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index b36f9a48d..2e41481ef 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@
      [cipher.c kex.c servconf.c]
      strtok() --> strsep(). (niels@ ok)
  - (djm) Fix problem with debug mode and MaxStartups
+ - (djm) Don't generate host keys when $(DESTDIR) is set (e.g. during RPM
+   builds)
 
 20000709
  - (djm) Only enable PAM_TTY kludge for Linux. Problem report from
diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index d8a3f4685..23e2bce8f 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -150,15 +150,17 @@ install-files:
 	fi
 
 host-key: ssh-keygen
-	if [ -f "$(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_key" ] ; then \
-		echo "$(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_key already exists, skipping." ; \
-	else \
-		./ssh-keygen -b 1024 -f $(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_key -N "" ; \
-	fi ; \
-	if [ -f $(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_dsa_key ] ; then \
-		echo "$(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_dsa_key already exists, skipping." ; \
-	else \
-		./ssh-keygen -d -f $(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_dsa_key -N "" ; \
+	if [ -z "$(DESTDIR)" ] ; then \
+		if [ -f "$(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_key" ] ; then \
+			echo "$(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_key already exists, skipping." ; \
+		else \
+			./ssh-keygen -b 1024 -f $(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_key -N "" ; \
+		fi ; \
+		if [ -f $(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_dsa_key ] ; then \
+			echo "$(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_dsa_key already exists, skipping." ; \
+		else \
+			./ssh-keygen -d -f $(DESTDIR)$(sysconfdir)/ssh_host_dsa_key -N "" ; \
+		fi ; \
 	fi ;
 
 host-key-force: ssh-keygen