diff --git a/mozilla/nsprpub/Makefile.in b/mozilla/nsprpub/Makefile.in
index ac45efa236d..f36c18a2bee 100644
--- a/mozilla/nsprpub/Makefile.in
+++ b/mozilla/nsprpub/Makefile.in
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ DIRS = config pr lib
 ifdef MOZILLA_CLIENT
 PR_CLIENT_BUILD = 1
 PR_CLIENT_BUILD_UNIX = 1
+ifeq ($(OS_ARCH),Darwin)
+ifndef NSDISTMODE
+NSDISTMODE=absolute_symlink
+export NSDISTMODE
+endif
+endif
 endif
 
 DIST_GARBAGE = config.cache config.log config.status
diff --git a/mozilla/nsprpub/config/config.mk b/mozilla/nsprpub/config/config.mk
index 205a5395250..815291a171a 100644
--- a/mozilla/nsprpub/config/config.mk
+++ b/mozilla/nsprpub/config/config.mk
@@ -77,9 +77,6 @@ endef
 LINK_DLL	= $(LD) $(OS_DLLFLAGS) $(DLLFLAGS)
 
 ifeq ($(OS_ARCH),Darwin)
-ifndef NSDISTMODE
-NSDISTMODE=absolute_symlink
-endif
 PWD := $(shell pwd)
 endif