diff --git a/scsh/regexp/Makefile.in b/scsh/regexp/Makefile.in
index e4481c7..80c64a6 100644
--- a/scsh/regexp/Makefile.in
+++ b/scsh/regexp/Makefile.in
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ VPATH   = @srcdir@
 CC      = @CC@
 CFLAGS1 = @CFLAGS1@
 
+RANLIB  = @RANLIB@
+
 # Things you might want to put in ENV and LENV:
 # -Dvoid=int		compilers that don't do void
 # -DCHARBITS=0377	compilers that don't do unsigned char
@@ -42,15 +44,16 @@ DTR=README dMakefile regexp.3 regexp.h regexp.c regsub.c regerror.c \
 	regmagic.h try.c timer.c tests
 DEST = ..
 
-all: libregexp.a # try
+# we don't use the library anymore -bri
+all: $(LIBOBJ) # libregexp.a  try
 
 libregexp.a: $(LIBOBJ)
 	ar r libregexp.a $(LIBOBJ)
-	-ranlib libregexp.a
+	$(RANLIB) libregexp.a
 
 install:
 	install -c libregexp.a $(LIBDEST)/libregexp.a
-	-ranlib $(LIBDEST)/libregexp.a
+	$(RANLIB) $(LIBDEST)/libregexp.a
 	install -c regexp.h $(INCDEST)/regexp.h
 	install -c regexp.3 $(MANDEST)/regexp.3