3 files changed, 7 insertions, 6 deletions

diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5655ee9924e..f3c9a297262 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -392,6 +392,13 @@ exec/config-mips.m4
 exec/configure
 exec/*.s.s
 
+# Keep empty mps/tool/autoconf/build-aux directory around
+!mps/tool/autoconf/build-aux/.gitkeep
+mps/tool/autoconf/build-aux/config.guess
+mps/tool/autoconf/build-aux/config.sub
+mps/tool/autoconf/build-aux/install-sh
+mps/configure
+
 # MPS telemetry output
 /src/mpsio.txt
 /compile_commands.events.json
diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 835923fab19..fd5d7cad84d 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -261,12 +261,6 @@ Please report any problems with this script to bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org .'
     mv aclocal.m4.tmp aclocal.m4
   fi || exit
 
-  # Install auxiliary build tools for mps/
-  mkdir -p mps/tool/autoconf/build-aux
-  for file in config.guess config.sub install-sh; do
-    cp -p build-aux/$file mps/tool/autoconf/build-aux/ || exit
-  done
-
   echo "Running 'autoreconf -fi -I m4' ..."
 
   ## Let autoreconf figure out what, if anything, needs doing.
diff --git a/mps/tool/autoconf/build-aux/.gitkeep b/mps/tool/autoconf/build-aux/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mps/tool/autoconf/build-aux/.gitkeep