diff --git a/m4/ax_valgrind_check.m4 b/m4/ax_valgrind_check.m4
index e0d8a2f3..876f8876 100644
--- a/m4/ax_valgrind_check.m4
+++ b/m4/ax_valgrind_check.m4
@@ -36,19 +36,21 @@
 #     AX_VALGRIND_DFLT([sgcheck], [off])
 #     AX_VALGRIND_CHECK
 #
-#   in each Makefile.am with tests:
+#   Makefile.am:
 #
 #     @VALGRIND_CHECK_RULES@
 #     VALGRIND_SUPPRESSIONS_FILES = my-project.supp
 #     EXTRA_DIST = my-project.supp
 #
-#   This results in a "check-valgrind" rule being added. Running `make
-#   check-valgrind` in that directory will recursively run the module's test
-#   suite (`make check`) once for each of the available Valgrind tools (out
-#   of memcheck, helgrind and drd) while the sgcheck will be skipped unless
-#   enabled again on the commandline with --enable-valgrind-sgcheck. The
-#   results for each check will be output to test-suite-$toolname.log. The
-#   target will succeed if there are zero errors and fail otherwise.
+#   This results in a "check-valgrind" rule being added to any Makefile.am
+#   which includes "@VALGRIND_CHECK_RULES@" (assuming the module has been
+#   configured with --enable-valgrind). Running `make check-valgrind` in
+#   that directory will run the module's test suite (`make check`) once for
+#   each of the available Valgrind tools (out of memcheck, helgrind and drd)
+#   while the sgcheck will be skipped unless enabled again on the
+#   commandline with --enable-valgrind-sgcheck. The results for each check
+#   will be output to test-suite-$toolname.log. The target will succeed if
+#   there are zero errors and fail otherwise.
 #
 #   Alternatively, a "check-valgrind-$TOOL" rule will be added, for $TOOL in
 #   memcheck, helgrind, drd and sgcheck. These are useful because often only
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@
 #   and this notice are preserved.  This file is offered as-is, without any
 #   warranty.
 
-#serial 23
+#serial 15
 
 dnl Configured tools
 m4_define([valgrind_tool_list], [[memcheck], [helgrind], [drd], [sgcheck]])
@@ -78,14 +80,10 @@ AC_DEFUN([AX_VALGRIND_DFLT],[
 ])dnl
 
 AC_DEFUN([AX_VALGRIND_CHECK],[
-	AM_EXTRA_RECURSIVE_TARGETS([check-valgrind])
-	m4_foreach([vgtool], [valgrind_tool_list],
-		[AM_EXTRA_RECURSIVE_TARGETS([check-valgrind-]vgtool)])
-
 	dnl Check for --enable-valgrind
 	AC_ARG_ENABLE([valgrind],
-	              [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-valgrind], [Whether to enable Valgrind on the unit tests])],
-	              [enable_valgrind=$enableval],[enable_valgrind=])
+				  [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-valgrind], [Whether to enable Valgrind on the unit tests (requires GNU make)])],
+				  [enable_valgrind=$enableval],[enable_valgrind=no])
 
 	AS_IF([test "$enable_valgrind" != "no"],[
 		# Check for Valgrind.
@@ -177,7 +175,7 @@ valgrind_quiet_ = $(valgrind_quiet_$(AM_DEFAULT_VERBOSITY))
 valgrind_quiet_0 = --quiet
 valgrind_v_use   = $(valgrind_v_use_$(V))
 valgrind_v_use_  = $(valgrind_v_use_$(AM_DEFAULT_VERBOSITY))
-valgrind_v_use_0 = @echo "  USE   " $(patsubst check-valgrind-%-local,%,$''@):;
+valgrind_v_use_0 = @echo "  USE   " $(patsubst check-valgrind-%,%,$''@):;
 
 # Support running with and without libtool.
 ifneq ($(LIBTOOL),)
@@ -187,12 +185,12 @@ valgrind_lt =
 endif
 
 # Use recursive makes in order to ignore errors during check
-check-valgrind-local:
+check-valgrind:
 ifeq ($(VALGRIND_ENABLED),yes)
 	$(A''M_V_at)$(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) -k \
 		$(foreach tool, $(valgrind_enabled_tools), check-valgrind-$(tool))
 else
-	@echo "Need to reconfigure with --enable-valgrind"
+	@echo "Need to use GNU make and reconfigure with --enable-valgrind"
 endif
 
 # Valgrind running
@@ -206,16 +204,14 @@ VALGRIND_LOG_COMPILER = \
 	$(valgrind_lt) \
 	$(VALGRIND) $(VALGRIND_SUPPRESSIONS) --error-exitcode=1 $(VALGRIND_FLAGS)
 
-define valgrind_tool_rule
-check-valgrind-$(1)-local:
+define valgrind_tool_rule =
+check-valgrind-$(1):
 ifeq ($$(VALGRIND_ENABLED)-$$(ENABLE_VALGRIND_$(1)),yes-yes)
-ifneq ($$(TESTS),)
 	$$(valgrind_v_use)$$(MAKE) check-TESTS \
 		TESTS_ENVIRONMENT="$$(VALGRIND_TESTS_ENVIRONMENT)" \
 		LOG_COMPILER="$$(VALGRIND_LOG_COMPILER)" \
 		LOG_FLAGS="$$(valgrind_$(1)_flags)" \
 		TEST_SUITE_LOG=test-suite-$(1).log
-endif
 else ifeq ($$(VALGRIND_ENABLED),yes)
 	@echo "Need to reconfigure with --enable-valgrind-$(1)"
 else
@@ -231,9 +227,15 @@ A''M_DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS += --disable-valgrind
 MOSTLYCLEANFILES ?=
 MOSTLYCLEANFILES += $(valgrind_log_files)
 
-.PHONY: check-valgrind $(addprefix check-valgrind-,$(valgrind_tools))
+.PHONY: check-valgrind $(add-prefix check-valgrind-,$(valgrind_tools))
 ']
 
+	AS_IF([test "$enable_valgrind" != "yes"], [
+		VALGRIND_CHECK_RULES='
+check-valgrind:
+	@echo "Need to use GNU make and reconfigure with --enable-valgrind"'
+	])
+
 	AC_SUBST([VALGRIND_CHECK_RULES])
 	m4_ifdef([_AM_SUBST_NOTMAKE], [_AM_SUBST_NOTMAKE([VALGRIND_CHECK_RULES])])
 ])