diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7098309554..b79efa200d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2504,7 +2504,7 @@ fi
     fi
 
     RUST_LDADD="${RUST_SURICATA_LIB} ${RUST_LDADD}"
-    CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -I\${srcdir}/../rust/gen"
+    CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -I\${srcdir}/../rust/gen -I\${srcdir}/../rust/dist"
     AC_SUBST(RUST_SURICATA_LIB)
     AC_SUBST(RUST_LDADD)
     if test "x$CARGO_HOME" = "x"; then
@@ -2563,7 +2563,7 @@ fi
         have_cargo_vendor=$have_cargo_vendor_bin
     fi
 
-    AC_CHECK_FILES([$srcdir/rust/gen], [have_rust_headers="yes"])
+    AC_CHECK_FILES([$srcdir/rust/dist $srcdir/rust/gen], [have_rust_headers="yes"])
     AC_PATH_PROG(CBINDGEN, cbindgen, "no")
     if test "x$CBINDGEN" != "xno"; then
       cbindgen_version=$(cbindgen --version | cut -d' ' -f2-)
@@ -2582,6 +2582,8 @@ fi
       fi
     fi
 
+    AC_SUBST([CBINDGEN], [$CBINDGEN])
+
     # Require cbindgen if generated headers are not bundled.
     if test "x$have_rust_headers" != "xyes"; then
       if test "x$CBINDGEN" = "xno"; then
diff --git a/rust/Makefile.am b/rust/Makefile.am
index 4d86a3bd06..843cac5c79 100644
--- a/rust/Makefile.am
+++ b/rust/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 EXTRA_DIST =	src \
 		.cargo/config.in \
 		cbindgen.toml \
-		gen/rust-bindings.h
+		dist/rust-bindings.h
 
 if HAVE_CARGO_VENDOR
 EXTRA_DIST +=	vendor
@@ -28,10 +28,6 @@ RUST_TARGET = --target $(host_triplet)
 endif
 
 all-local:
-if HAVE_CBINDGEN
-	cbindgen --config $(abs_top_srcdir)/rust/cbindgen.toml \
-		--quiet --output $(abs_top_builddir)/rust/gen/rust-bindings.h
-endif
 if HAVE_CYGPATH
 	@rustup_home@ \
 		CARGO_HOME="$(CARGO_HOME)" \
@@ -45,11 +41,12 @@ else
 		$(CARGO) build $(RELEASE) \
 			--features "$(RUST_FEATURES)" $(RUST_TARGET)
 endif
+	$(MAKE) gen/rust-bindings.h
 
 clean-local:
 	rm -rf target
 if HAVE_CBINDGEN
-	rm -rf gen
+	rm -rf gen dist
 endif
 
 distclean-local:
@@ -70,9 +67,9 @@ else
 vendor:
 endif
 
-# Can only include the headers if we have Python to generate them.
 if HAVE_CBINDGEN
-gen/rust-bindings.h:
+gen/rust-bindings.h: $(RUST_SURICATA_LIB)
+	rm -f gen/rust-bindings.h
 	cbindgen --config $(abs_top_srcdir)/rust/cbindgen.toml \
 		--quiet --output $(abs_top_builddir)/rust/gen/rust-bindings.h
 else
@@ -81,3 +78,11 @@ endif
 
 doc:
 	CARGO_HOME=$(CARGO_HOME) $(CARGO) doc --all-features --no-deps
+
+if HAVE_CBINDGEN
+dist/rust-bindings.h:
+	cbindgen --config $(abs_top_srcdir)/rust/cbindgen.toml \
+		--quiet --output $(abs_top_builddir)/rust/dist/rust-bindings.h
+else
+dist/rust-bindings.h:
+endif