diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 6beaa13..49f5233 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ offlineimap (5.99.8) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
 
   * Bump Standards-Version to 3.7.3 — no changes required.
   * Bump debhelper compatibility level to 6 — no changes required.
+  * Fix clean target in debian/rules to allow for proper failure handling.
 
- -- martin f. krafft <madduck@debian.org>  Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:09:32 +0100
+ -- martin f. krafft <madduck@debian.org>  Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:10:26 +0100
 
 offlineimap (5.99.7) unstable; urgency=low
 
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 1216fb2..7f62bf1 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ clean:
 	rm -f build-stamp configure-stamp
 
 	# Add here commands to clean up after the build process.
-	-$(MAKE) clean
+	[ ! -f Makefile ] || $(MAKE) clean
 
 	dh_clean