diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 3473a31e..1265467c 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2013-01-31  Jay Berkenbilt  <ejb@ql.org>
+
+	* Do not remove libtool's .la file during the make install step.
+	Note to packagers: if your distribution wants to you remove the
+	.la file, you will have to do that yourself now.
+
 2013-01-25  Jay Berkenbilt  <ejb@ql.org>
 
 	* qpdf --check was exiting with status 0 in some rare cases even
diff --git a/make/libtool.mk b/make/libtool.mk
index e3cf7a1a..60d40f5f 100644
--- a/make/libtool.mk
+++ b/make/libtool.mk
@@ -116,7 +116,6 @@ install: all
 		libqpdf/$(OUTPUT_DIR)/libqpdf.la \
 		$(DESTDIR)$(libdir)/libqpdf.la
 	$(LIBTOOL) --finish $(DESTDIR)$(libdir)
-	$(RM) $(DESTDIR)$(libdir)/libqpdf.la
 	$(LIBTOOL) --mode=install install -c \
 		qpdf/$(OUTPUT_DIR)/qpdf \
 		$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/qpdf