diff --git a/ase/test/awk/makefile.in b/ase/test/awk/makefile.in
index 1c2c5ef8..5003f66a 100644
--- a/ase/test/awk/makefile.in
+++ b/ase/test/awk/makefile.in
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@ -I@abs_top_builddir@/.. -I$(XPKIT)
 LDFLAGS = @LDFLAGS@ -L@abs_top_builddir@/awk -L$(XPKIT)/xp/bas
 LIBS = @LIBS@ -laseawk -lxpbas -lm
 
-all: awk
+all: xpkit awk
 
 awk: $(OBJS)
 	$(CC) -o $@ awk.o $(LDFLAGS) $(LIBS)
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ awk: $(OBJS)
 clean:
 	rm -rf *.o awk
 
+xpkit:
+	@if [ "$(XPKIT)" = "" ]; then echo "ERROR: XPKIT not set. Check XPKIT first"; return 1; fi
+
 .SUFFIXES: .c .o
 .c.o:
 	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $<