--- a/nt/xemacs.mak	Mon Aug 13 11:00:13 2007 +0200
+++ b/nt/xemacs.mak	Mon Aug 13 11:01:07 2007 +0200
@@ -24,7 +24,14 @@
 # Synched up with: Not in FSF.
 #
 
-XEMACS=..
+# APA: Since there seems to be no way to determine the directory where
+# xemacs.mak is located (from within nmake) we just insist on the user
+# to invoke nmake in the directory where xemacs.mak is.
+!if !exist("$(MAKEDIR)\xemacs.mak")
+!error Please run nmake from the directory of this makefile (xemacs\nt).
+!endif
+
+XEMACS=$(MAKEDIR)\..
 LISP=$(XEMACS)\lisp
 NT=$(XEMACS)\nt