diff --git a/.x-sc_require_config_h_first b/.x-sc_require_config_h_first
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..58a88789f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.x-sc_require_config_h_first
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+^docs/examples/info1\.c$
+^docs/examples/suspend\.c$
diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 323120d911..419fbba4ad 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
+Wed Dec 17 18:10:51 +0100 2008 Jim Meyering <meyering@redhat.com>
+
+	enforce the "include <config.h> first" rule
+	* qemud/Makefile.am: Ensure that the generated remote_protocol.c
+	includes <config.h> first.
+	* Makefile.maint (sc_require_config_h_first): New rule, so that
+	"make syntax-check" enforces this.
+	* .x-sc_require_config_h_first: New file.
+	* Makefile.am (.x-sc_require_config_h_first): Add it.
+	* qemud/remote_protocol.x: Don't include <config.h> here.
+	* qemud/remote_protocol.c: Regenerate.
+
 Wed Dec 17 18:10:51 +0100 2008 Jim Meyering <meyering@redhat.com>
 
 	let gcc's -Wformat do its job; avoid "make syntax-check" failure
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index d40a151f50..758ad50ffc 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
   libvirt.pc libvirt.pc.in \
   $(man_MANS) autobuild.sh \
   .x-sc_avoid_if_before_free \
+  .x-sc_require_config_h_first \
   .x-sc_prohibit_strcmp \
   .x-sc_require_config_h \
   autogen.sh
diff --git a/Makefile.maint b/Makefile.maint
index 687183ec81..bad330d3f1 100644
--- a/Makefile.maint
+++ b/Makefile.maint
@@ -135,6 +135,21 @@ sc_require_config_h:
 	else :;								\
 	fi
 
+# You must include <config.h> before including any other header file.
+sc_require_config_h_first:
+	@if $(VC_LIST_EXCEPT) | grep '\.c$$' > /dev/null; then		\
+	  fail=0;							\
+	  for i in $$($(VC_LIST_EXCEPT) | grep '\.c$$'); do		\
+	    grep '^# *include\>' $$i | sed 1q				\
+		| grep '^# *include <config\.h>' > /dev/null		\
+	      || { echo $$i; fail=1; };					\
+	  done;								\
+	  test $$fail = 1 &&						\
+	    { echo '$(ME): the above files include some other header'	\
+		'before <config.h>' 1>&2; exit 1; } || :;		\
+	else :;								\
+	fi
+
 # To use this "command" macro, you must first define two shell variables:
 # h: the header, enclosed in <> or ""
 # re: a regular expression that matches IFF something provided by $h is used.
diff --git a/qemud/Makefile.am b/qemud/Makefile.am
index b8dae8890f..b050bfa683 100644
--- a/qemud/Makefile.am
+++ b/qemud/Makefile.am
@@ -33,11 +33,15 @@ EXTRA_DIST =						\
 
 if RPCGEN
 SUFFIXES = .x
+# The subshell ensures that remote_protocol.c ends up
+# including <config.h> before "remote_protocol.h".
 .x.c:
-	rm -f $@ $@-t $@-t2
+	rm -f $@ $@-t $@-t1 $@-t2
 	rpcgen -c -o $@-t $<
+	(echo '#include <config.h>'; cat $@-t) > $@-t1
 if GLIBC_RPCGEN
-	perl -w rpcgen_fix.pl $@-t > $@-t2
+	perl -w rpcgen_fix.pl $@-t1 > $@-t2
+	rm $@-t1
 	chmod 444 $@-t2
 	mv $@-t2 $@
 endif
diff --git a/qemud/remote_protocol.c b/qemud/remote_protocol.c
index ec8e6537b5..cbd722de40 100644
--- a/qemud/remote_protocol.c
+++ b/qemud/remote_protocol.c
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
+#include <config.h>
 /*
  * Please do not edit this file.
  * It was generated using rpcgen.
  */
 
 #include "remote_protocol.h"
-#include <config.h>
 #include "internal.h"
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 
diff --git a/qemud/remote_protocol.h b/qemud/remote_protocol.h
index bf107ae619..3b8e37135f 100644
--- a/qemud/remote_protocol.h
+++ b/qemud/remote_protocol.h
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-#include <config.h>
 #include "internal.h"
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 #define REMOTE_MESSAGE_MAX 262144
diff --git a/qemud/remote_protocol.x b/qemud/remote_protocol.x
index 22327fdf69..2a6035be97 100644
--- a/qemud/remote_protocol.x
+++ b/qemud/remote_protocol.x
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
  * 'REMOTE_'.  This makes names quite long.
  */
 
-%#include <config.h>
 %#include "internal.h"
 %#include <arpa/inet.h>