diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index bf9c5c8b45..2c51d2644f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ retest: git-annex
 
 # hothasktags chokes on some template haskell etc, so ignore errors
 tags:
-	find . | grep -v /.git/ | grep -v /tmp/ | grep -v /dist/ | grep -v /doc/ | egrep '\.hs$$' | xargs hothasktags > tags 2>/dev/null
+	grep -v '/\*' dist/build/autogen/cabal_macros.h > dist/build/autogen/cabal_macros.h.munged
+	(for f in $$(find . | grep -v /.git/ | grep -v /tmp/ | grep -v /dist/ | grep -v /doc/ | egrep '\.hs$$'); do hothasktags -c --include=dist/build/autogen/cabal_macros.h.munged $$f; done) > tags 2>/dev/null
 
 # If ikiwiki is available, build static html docs suitable for being
 # shipped in the software package.