diff --git a/examples/c/Makefile.am b/examples/c/Makefile.am
index 64398761f13..82d1889ed63 100644
--- a/examples/c/Makefile.am
+++ b/examples/c/Makefile.am
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ TESTS = run_tests.sh
 endif # RUN_TESTS
 
 # Distribute the test script.
-EXTRA_DIST = run_tests.sh CMakeLists.txt example2.c
+EXTRA_DIST = run_tests.sh.in CMakeLists.txt example2.c
 
 # Clean up files produced during testing.
 CLEANFILES = *.nc *.log *.clog2 *.slog2
+
+DISTCLEANFILES = run_tests.sh
diff --git a/examples/c/run_tests.sh b/examples/c/run_tests.sh.in
similarity index 88%
rename from examples/c/run_tests.sh
rename to examples/c/run_tests.sh.in
index 0d369bbb53d..1caefa7585d 100755
--- a/examples/c/run_tests.sh
+++ b/examples/c/run_tests.sh.in
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ for EXAMPLE in $PIO_EXAMPLES
 do
     success1=false
     echo "running ${EXAMPLE}"
-    mpiexec -n 4 ./${EXAMPLE} && success1=true
+    @MPIEXEC@ -n 4 ./${EXAMPLE} && success1=true
     if test $success1 = false; then
         break
     fi
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ for EXAMPLE in $PIO_EXAMPLES_16
 do
     success2=false
     echo "running ${EXAMPLE}"
-    mpiexec -n 16 ./${EXAMPLE} && success2=true
+    @MPIEXEC@ -n 16 ./${EXAMPLE} && success2=true
     if test $success2 = false; then
         break
     fi