diff --git a/daemon/Makefile.am b/daemon/Makefile.am
index 1c7505b743..23f1e50dba 100644
--- a/daemon/Makefile.am
+++ b/daemon/Makefile.am
@@ -378,7 +378,8 @@ POD2MAN = pod2man -c "Virtualization Support" \
 			-r "$(PACKAGE)-$(VERSION)" -s 8
 
 $(srcdir)/libvirtd.8.in: libvirtd.pod.in
-	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) --name LIBVIRTD $< $@
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) --name LIBVIRTD $< $@ \
+	    && if grep 'POD ERROR' $@ ; then rm $@; exit 1; fi
 
 # This is needed for clients too, so can't wrap in
 # the WITH_LIBVIRTD conditional
diff --git a/tools/Makefile.am b/tools/Makefile.am
index 0d7822d3e9..0deacee987 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile.am
+++ b/tools/Makefile.am
@@ -61,17 +61,23 @@ virt-xml-validate: virt-xml-validate.in Makefile
 	    || (rm $@ && exit 1) && chmod +x $@
 
 virt-xml-validate.1: virt-xml-validate.in
-	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) --name VIRT-XML-VALIDATE $< $(srcdir)/$@
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) --name VIRT-XML-VALIDATE $< $(srcdir)/$@ \
+	    && if grep 'POD ERROR' $(srcdir)/$@ ; then \
+	        rm $(srcdir)/$@; exit 1; fi
 
 virt-pki-validate: virt-pki-validate.in Makefile
 	$(AM_V_GEN)sed -e 's,[@]SYSCONFDIR@,$(sysconfdir),' < $< > $@ \
 	    || (rm $@ && exit 1) && chmod +x $@
 
 virt-pki-validate.1: virt-pki-validate.in
-	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) --name VIRT-PKI-VALIDATE $< $(srcdir)/$@
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) --name VIRT-PKI-VALIDATE $< $(srcdir)/$@ \
+	    && if grep 'POD ERROR' $(srcdir)/$@ ; then \
+	        rm $(srcdir)/$@; exit 1; fi
 
 virt-host-validate.1: virt-host-validate.c
-	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) --name VIRT-HOST-VALIDATE $< $(srcdir)/$@
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) --name VIRT-HOST-VALIDATE $< $(srcdir)/$@ \
+	    && if grep 'POD ERROR' $(srcdir)/$@ ; then \
+	        rm $(srcdir)/$@; exit 1; fi
 
 virt-sanlock-cleanup: virt-sanlock-cleanup.in Makefile
 	$(AM_V_GEN)sed -e 's,[@]SYSCONFDIR@,$(sysconfdir),' \
@@ -79,7 +85,9 @@ virt-sanlock-cleanup: virt-sanlock-cleanup.in Makefile
 	    || (rm $@ && exit 1) && chmod +x $@
 
 virt-sanlock-cleanup.8: virt-sanlock-cleanup.in
-	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) --name VIRT-SANLOCK-CLEANUP $< $(srcdir)/$@
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) --name VIRT-SANLOCK-CLEANUP $< $(srcdir)/$@ \
+	    && if grep 'POD ERROR' $(srcdir)/$@ ; then \
+	        rm $(srcdir)/$@; exit 1; fi
 
 virt_host_validate_SOURCES = \
 		virt-host-validate.c \
@@ -162,7 +170,9 @@ virsh_win_icon.$(OBJEXT): virsh_win_icon.rc
 endif
 
 virsh.1: virsh.pod
-	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) $< $(srcdir)/$@
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(POD2MAN) $< $(srcdir)/$@ \
+	    && if grep 'POD ERROR' $(srcdir)/$@ ; then \
+	        rm $(srcdir)/$@; exit 1; fi
 
 install-data-local: install-init install-systemd