diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 23f711f4fdc..cfb6176cb0e 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@ SUBDIRS = src tests examples
 # Look in the m4 directory for autotools stuff.
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS= -I m4
 
-EXTRA_DIST = CMakeLists.txt
+EXTRA_DIST = CMakeLists.txt set_flags.am
diff --git a/tests/general/Makefile.am b/tests/general/Makefile.am
index a411be8c0bb..900b2b5a385 100644
--- a/tests/general/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/general/Makefile.am
@@ -3,11 +3,8 @@
 
 # Ed Hartnett 3/22/19
 
-# Link to our assembled library.
-AM_LDFLAGS = ${top_builddir}/src/clib/libpio.la
-AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/src/flib
-AM_CPPFLAGS += "-D_NETCDF -D_NETCDF4 -D_PETCDF"
-LDADD = ${top_builddir}/src/clib/libpiof.la
+# Put together AM_CPPFLAGS and AM_LDFLAGS.
+include $(top_srcdir)/set_flags.am
 
 # # Build the test for make check.
 # check_PROGRAMS = pio_unit_test_driver