diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f49f1e6d..2d2fadbb 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 .deps/
 .dirstamp
 .libs/
-/ChangeLog
 /Makefile
 /config.*
 /doxy/
diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9fc0f8d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+The ChangeLog is auto-generated when releasing. If you
+are seeing this, use 'git log' for a detailed list of changes.
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index cd21a688..2a0825d3 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -703,11 +703,16 @@ all-local: $(BUILD_EXTRA)
 install-exec-local: $(INSTALL_EXTRA)
 clean-local: $(CLEAN_EXTRA)
 
-MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = ChangeLog
+.PHONY: dist-changelog
 
-.PHONY: ChangeLog
-ChangeLog:
-	git --git-dir '$(top_srcdir)/.git' log >$@ || touch $@
+dist-hook: dist-changelog
 
-dist-hook: ChangeLog
+dist-changelog:
+	$(AM_V_at)if test ! -d '$(top_srcdir)/.git'; then \
+		cp -f '$(top_srcdir)/ChangeLog' "$(top_distdir)/ChangeLog"; \
+	elif git -C '$(top_srcdir)' log >.ChangeLog.tmp; then \
+		mv -f .ChangeLog.tmp "$(top_distdir)/ChangeLog"; \
+	else \
+		rm -f .ChangeLog.tmp; exit 1; \
+	fi