diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7cd10bb6b97..63eba1c5595 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -126,7 +126,6 @@ dlls/rpcrt4/tests/server_c.c
 dlls/rpcrt4/tests/server_s.c
 dlls/scrrun/scrrun.h
 dlls/scrrun/tests/scrrun.h
-dlls/shell32/AUTHORS
 dlls/sti/sti_wia.h
 dlls/sti/sti_wia_p.c
 dlls/urlmon/urlmon_urlmon.h
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 9b2f2c2fb66..23eeb9280fe 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -16679,8 +16679,6 @@ all: Makefile
 Makefile: Makefile.in Make.vars.in Make.rules config.status
 	@./config.status Make.tmp Makefile"
 
-ac_config_links="$ac_config_links dlls/shell32/AUTHORS:AUTHORS"
-wine_fn_config_symlink -d dlls/shell32 dlls/shell32/AUTHORS
 if test "x$enable_fonts" != xno; then
 ac_config_links="$ac_config_links fonts/marlett.ttf:fonts/marlett.ttf"
 ac_config_links="$ac_config_links fonts/symbol.ttf:fonts/symbol.ttf"
@@ -18286,7 +18284,6 @@ do
   case $ac_config_target in
     "include/config.h") CONFIG_HEADERS="$CONFIG_HEADERS include/config.h" ;;
     "include/stamp-h") CONFIG_COMMANDS="$CONFIG_COMMANDS include/stamp-h" ;;
-    "dlls/shell32/AUTHORS") CONFIG_LINKS="$CONFIG_LINKS dlls/shell32/AUTHORS:AUTHORS" ;;
     "fonts/marlett.ttf") CONFIG_LINKS="$CONFIG_LINKS fonts/marlett.ttf:fonts/marlett.ttf" ;;
     "fonts/symbol.ttf") CONFIG_LINKS="$CONFIG_LINKS fonts/symbol.ttf:fonts/symbol.ttf" ;;
     "fonts/tahoma.ttf") CONFIG_LINKS="$CONFIG_LINKS fonts/tahoma.ttf:fonts/tahoma.ttf" ;;
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c4021b4b36d..d0913709d31 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2669,7 +2669,6 @@ all: Makefile
 Makefile: Makefile.in Make.vars.in Make.rules config.status
 	@./config.status Make.tmp Makefile])
 
-WINE_CONFIG_SYMLINK(dlls/shell32,,[AUTHORS])
 WINE_CONFIG_SYMLINK(fonts,fonts,[marlett.ttf,symbol.ttf,tahoma.ttf,tahomabd.ttf],enable_fonts)
 WINE_CONFIG_SYMLINK(loader,loader,[l_intl.nls])
 WINE_CONFIG_SYMLINK(po,po,[LINGUAS])
diff --git a/dlls/shell32/Makefile.in b/dlls/shell32/Makefile.in
index fb9b2c74453..1303a100040 100644
--- a/dlls/shell32/Makefile.in
+++ b/dlls/shell32/Makefile.in
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ IMPORTLIB = shell32
 IMPORTS   = uuid shlwapi user32 gdi32 advapi32
 DELAYIMPORTS = ole32 oleaut32 shdocvw version comctl32
 EXTRALIBS = @CORESERVICESLIB@
+# AUTHORS file is in the top-level directory
+EXTRAINCL = -I$(top_srcdir)
 
 C_SRCS = \
 	appbar.c \
diff --git a/tools/make_makefiles b/tools/make_makefiles
index 0057c1da368..d24dffcfc0d 100755
--- a/tools/make_makefiles
+++ b/tools/make_makefiles
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ my @ignores = (
     "Makefile",
     "dlldata.c",
     "dlls/*/*.def",
-    "dlls/shell32/AUTHORS",
     "*/*/tests/testlist.c",
     "include/config.h",
     "include/stamp-h",