diff --git a/doc/Makefile.am b/doc/Makefile.am
index 7e72e1144ec2f295ec9be4cdbd644c5d5c368aa1..3b135dd366391a12c705cf80a92e173aa6cf0f34 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/Makefile.am
@@ -18,3 +18,10 @@ doxygen-build.stamp: Doxyfile $(DOCINPUTS)
 	@echo "*** Warning: Doxygen not found; API documentation will not be built."
 	touch $@
 endif
+
+# delete doxygen subdirs
+clean-local:
+	-rm -rf html
+	-rm -rf latex
+	-rm -rf man
+	-rm doxygen-build.stamp