diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d62b5cffe3ee51059ca3fe21842812963daae8c3..429ecd6e589ea37cad8cf40716767c088e374347 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 PREFIX=/usr
 DOCDIR=$(PREFIX)/share/doc/$(self)
 ZSHDIR=$(PREFIX)/share/zsh/vendor-completions
+RONN ?= ronn
 
 self=vcsh
 manpages=$(self).1
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ install: all
 manpages: $(manpages)
 
 $(self).1: doc/$(self).1.ronn
-	ronn < doc/$(self).1.ronn > $(self).1
+	$(RONN) < doc/$(self).1.ronn > $(self).1 || rm $(self).1
 
 clean:
 	rm -rf $(self).1