diff --git a/docs/compiling.html.in b/docs/compiling.html.in
index 0e12a9218e..18943a9a79 100644
--- a/docs/compiling.html.in
+++ b/docs/compiling.html.in
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ $ <b>sudo</b> <i>make install</i></pre>
     </p>
 
     <pre>
-$ ./autogen.sh --prefix=$HOME/usr
+$ mkdir build &amp;&amp; cd build
+$ ../autogen.sh --prefix=$HOME/usr
 $ make
 $ <b>sudo</b> make install</pre>
 
@@ -88,7 +89,8 @@ $ <b>sudo</b> make install</pre>
     </p>
 
     <pre>
-$ ./autogen.sh --system
+$ mkdir build &amp;&amp; cd build
+$ ../autogen.sh --system
 $ make
     </pre>